About this job

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, is seeking a dynamic Assistant General Secretary (Regional Management and Governance) to help shape the future of our organisation and deliver for over 1.3 million members across public services.

Working under the direction of the General Secretary, the Assistant General Secretary for Regional Management and Governance will: 

• Be a core member of UNISON’s senior leadership team.

• Provide strategic leadership of all regions, ensuring effective delivery of UNISON’s organising, campaigning and policy priorities.

• Oversee governance to strengthen partnership working with lay leaders and to ensure regional voices are heard at national leadership level.

• Lead cross-functional teams on organisation-wide projects, fostering collaboration across directorates.

• Develop and deliver strategic and operational plans and budgets, reporting to the General Secretary and NEC lay committees.

• Ensure effective and transparent monitoring, evaluation and reporting of UNISON’s programmes.

Each Assistant General Secretary (AGS) heads a national directorate and works closely to reinforce and strengthen partnership working with:

• The Presidential Team.

• Chairs of NEC strategic committees.

• Regional Convenors and lay structures.

• Service Group Executives and self-organised groups.

Together, AGSs provide cohesive leadership across the union, ensuring that UNISON delivers on its objectives and remains a strong, democratic and campaigning voice for working people. 

AGSs will be required to fully integrate into the secretariat management team. This will include being based at the national centre at Euston in London, attending secretariat meetings and performing strategic and managerial duties at the national centre as required.

How to apply

Please read carefully the job brief and the job description for the Assistant General Secretary post and follow the instructions in the person specification on how to apply for this role.

Only a completed General application form for this role will be accepted.

Please send a copy of the completed application form to hr.recruitment@unison.co.uk no later 17 October 2025 at 5.00pm quoting ref: GS/8.

Interviews are due to be at the beginning of November.

About UNISON

UNISON is the UK’s leading public services trade union, with over 1.3 million members working in the public sector, private, voluntary and community sectors and in the energy services. We employ approximately 1,200 staff, with around 370 at our national centre in Euston in central London and the remainder in our 12 regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

UNISON is a dynamic, progressive union, committed to equality. We encourage men and women of all ages, Black and minority ethnic groups, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to work with us.