Student Communities Manager - Reading Students’ Union
Location: University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, Berkshire
Salary: £36,961.59 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week Monday-Friday
Location: Office based
Build belonging. Empower student leaders. Shape the future of student communities.
About Reading Students’ Union
We are a dynamic, student-focused organisation dedicated to empowering students and enhancing their university experience. Our vision is to be a place for everyone, we inspire and empower students to change the world Check out our exciting new strategy
Do you believe that strong student communities have the power to transform the university experience?
We're looking for a strategic, innovative and people-focused leader to lead our Student Communities team, ensuring students can create, lead and participate in safe, inclusive and sustainable communities that foster belonging, connection and personal development.
This role sits at the heart of Reading Students' Union's mission to create opportunities for students to find their people, develop new skills and make the most of their time at university.
You'll lead our approach to sports clubs, societies, volunteering, student media and emerging community opportunities, ensuring students have meaningful ways to connect, contribute and thrive.
You'll provide strategic and operational leadership for Student Communities, overseeing everything from community development and student leadership to governance, major projects and partnerships.
Working closely with students, staff and University stakeholders, you'll ensure our student community offer remains inclusive, sustainable and responsive to changing student needs.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape how students connect, participate and belong, bringing our ambitious strategy to life.
Lead the development and delivery of the Students' Union's Student Communities strategy.
Create opportunities for students to connect, organise and participate through communities that reflect their interests, identities and aspirations.
Develop innovative approaches to engagement beyond traditional clubs, societies and volunteering models.
Drive continuous improvement using student insight, sector trends and emerging best practice.
Build sustainable and scalable opportunities that support belonging, personal development and student success.
Ensure students can easily join, create, lead and develop student communities.
Remove barriers to participation and improve access for underrepresented and underserved groups.
Champion inclusion and belonging across all Student Communities activity.
Create meaningful opportunities for students to develop skills, confidence and leadership experience.
Ensure students play a meaningful role in shaping the future of our communities offer.
Lead the development of a high-quality student leader journey, from recruitment through to succession planning.
Oversee training, development and support frameworks for student leaders and volunteers.
Equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to govern their groups effectively.
Ensure student-led communities operate safely, inclusively and sustainably.
Celebrate and champion student leadership across the organisation.
Develop strong relationships with University departments, SportsPark, community organisations and external partners.
Create volunteering and community engagement opportunities that benefit both students and the wider Reading community.
Identify funding opportunities, partnerships and sustainable models that increase the reach and impact of student-led communities.
Represent the Students' Union on relevant University and external groups.
Oversee governance frameworks for student groups, including constitutions, elections, financial controls and accountability arrangements.
Provide expert guidance on governance, conduct, disciplinary and operational matters.
Lead safeguarding, health and safety, welfare and risk management arrangements across student-led activity.
Ensure consistent, high-quality support and service standards across Student Communities.
Use feedback, complaints and insight to improve services and student outcomes.
Hold overall accountability for Varsity, providing strategic leadership and oversight.
Lead Student Communities contributions to major Students' Union projects and events, including Welcome and the SU Awards.
Ensure key projects and events are effectively planned, governed, resourced and evaluated.
Drive continuous improvement across major programmes and activities.
Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Student Communities department.
Lead, develop and support a high-performing team of Coordinators and student staff.
Manage departmental budgets, resources and workforce planning.
Establish clear objectives, service standards and performance expectations.
Monitor and report on performance, impact and student outcomes.
Analyse participation, demographic, financial and feedback data to identify trends and opportunities.
Use evidence and student insight to shape decision-making and future investment.
Benchmark our performance against the wider sector and identify opportunities for innovation.
Demonstrate impact through evaluation, reporting and continuous improvement.
Significant experience leading and developing student communities, membership services or comparable provision.
Experience managing teams, performance, budgets and operational delivery.
Experience leading large-scale projects involving multiple stakeholders.
Strong understanding of governance and accountability within student-led, volunteer-led or membership organisations.
Experience managing complex governance, conduct, complaints or high-risk operational matters.
Strong stakeholder management, communication and partnership-building skills.
Experience using insight, evidence and performance data to drive service development and improvement.
Excellent organisational, project management and decision-making skills.
A resilient and confident leader who thrives in a dynamic environment.
A passion for building communities, empowering student leaders and enhancing the student experience.
Experience working within a Students' Union, charity or membership organisation.
Understanding of Higher Education structures and the student experience.
Experience of sports clubs, societies, volunteering, community engagement or student media.
Knowledge of BUCS, National Governing Bodies or student media governance.
A leadership, management or relevant professional qualification.
- Inclusive and supportive team culture
- Flexible working options
- 35 days’ annual leave including Christmas and Easter closure days
- Professional development opportunities
- Unique working environment in the heart of a vibrant Student’s Union, set on a stunning, green campus.
Ready to make our data-led strategy a reality? Apply today!
Committed to equality, celebrating diversity, and embedding sustainability—building an inclusive workplace and a brighter future for all.
