Student Groups (Administration) Manager

Who are we?

We are Manchester Students’ Union, the biggest SU in the country, supporting over 40,000 students throughout their time at university. We help to make student life the best it can be by supporting students to campaign for change, creating opportunities to meet new people, providing employment opportunities, providing advice and support and being a safe place on campus.

We are a values-centred organisation that employs around 90 permanent, full-time members of staff. We recruit a wide range of roles throughout the year within all our departments from our Commercial team operating Manchester Academy Venues, 13 Media, Bar 532 & Kitchen and Corridor Coffee to our Student Activities, Student Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Finance, HR and Facilities teams. Our team of around 400 part-time, studying staff are instrumental in providing to support to all departments as well as leading major projects like Student Angels. When you join UMSU, you’ll be immersed in an environment that empowers staff to make great things happen and we're always on the lookout for innovative, passionate, and proactive people to join us.

Our values are really important to us and shape the work that we do every day. As part of our recruitment process, we want you to demonstrate how your experiences, behaviours and skills align with our values. You can find more detailed explanations of our values on our website.

About the role

Are you passionate about enriching the university experience for students? Do you excel in guiding student leaders and managing complex administrative processes? If so, the University of Manchester Students’ Union has an exciting opportunity for you to become our next Student Groups (Administration) Manager.

As one of the largest and most dynamic students’ unions in the UK, representing over 47,000 diverse students, we are dedicated to making student life the best it can be. We empower students to pursue their passions, connect with others, and make a meaningful impact within their communities. As the Student Groups (Administration) Manager, you will be pivotal in ensuring that our student groups have the resources, support, and guidance they need to flourish.

In this key role, you will be at the forefront of our student activities, empowering student leaders by providing them with the tools and support necessary for effective group management. Your responsibilities will include continuously improving and overseeing all administrative processes related to student groups, ensuring they are efficient, user-friendly, and scalable to meet increasing demands.

You will collaborate closely with various departments to coordinate essential resources such as room bookings, funding, and group management tools. Maintaining strong communication with students, you’ll promptly respond to their needs and ensure they have a positive experience with the Union. Additionally, you will play a critical role in ensuring compliance with best practices, union policies, and safeguarding the welfare of our student community, particularly in relation to risk management and legislation.

The ideal candidate will have a solid background in managing administrative processes, with a proven track record of streamlining operations to enhance efficiency. Strong organisational skills are essential, as is the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritise workloads, and meet deadlines without compromising accuracy. Effective communication is key to this role, as you will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, staff, and external partners. We are seeking someone who is proactive in identifying and solving problems, always looking for ways to enhance service delivery and improve the student experience.

Furthermore, a deep commitment to our values—especially inclusivity and placing students at the centre of everything we do—is crucial. Your ability to ensure that all voices are heard and factored into decision-making processes will be fundamental to your success as Student Groups (Administration) Manager. If you’re ready to make a difference in the lives of students, we encourage you to apply.

Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment.

Details

Salary: £30,450 - £33,600

Contract: Permanent / Full Time

Hours: 35 hours per week

Our Reward Package

You'll get access to our reward package which you can see here.

Recruitment Guide

We have a guide that explains our full recruitment process. We recommend reading through this before beginning an application.

If you are invited to interview with us, we will share our interview questions in advance so you can prepare your responses. We’re more interested in hearing about your experiences and ideas than in testing your memory, and so we want you to feel as prepared as possible.

Inclusivity and Accessibility

We are committed to equality of opportunity, and we work hard to ensure we appoint based on skill and values.

We particularly encourage applications from Disabled or Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African candidates as these groups are currently underrepresented in our staff team.

If you have any accessibility requirements or require adjustments to support you to apply to work with us, please get in touch. We can offer reasonable adjustments at all stages of our recruitment process.

Recruitment Timeline

Applications opened: 30th August 9am

Applications close: 22nd September 23:59pm 

Interviews: 8th October 

Role Commencing: October/November 

We may close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In this case, all applicants who have started an application will be contacted 2 hours before we close the role.

Contact

People Team:

You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.

Email: jobs.su@manchester.ac.uk

Phone: 0161 306 3279

Hiring Manager:

You can contact the hiring manager with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.

Email: jonathan.murray@manchester.ac.uk