Student Staff – Student Communities Assistant (Societies & Volunteering)

1. Student Support

• Act as a first point of contact for routine enquiries from society committees, volunteering groups and students.

• Provide clear information and guidance on standard processes, deadlines and requirements.

• Signpost students to relevant guidance, opportunities and support.

• Escalate enquiries requiring professional judgement, specialist guidance or additional support.

• Provide friendly, timely and student-focused administrative support.

• Support the administration of society registrations, affiliations, committee elections and handovers.

• Maintain accurate records of committees, memberships and group information.

• Track key requirements and deadlines and follow up outstanding information with committees.

• Process routine society forms, requests and submissions in line with agreed procedures.

• Support the administration of new society applications and other recurring society processes.

• Provide administrative support for committee training and development activity, including bookings, attendance and materials.

• Process routine event, activity and room booking requests.

• Track required information, forms and approvals and follow up outstanding requirements.

• Maintain accurate records of approved activity.

• Escalate unusual, complex or higher-risk activity to the Societies Development Coordinator or Community Engagement Coordinator

• Process routine society financial administration, including claims, purchase requests and other transactions.

• Maintain accurate records of society-related expenditure and requests.

• Support routine equipment and resource administration.

• Identify incomplete, unusual or potentially problematic requests and refer them to the appropriate colleague.

• Support the administration and promotion of volunteering and community engagement opportunities.

• Maintain accurate information about volunteering groups, opportunities, partners and student participation.

• Process routine volunteer registrations and enquiries.

• Support students to access relevant information and opportunities.

• Track participation information and maintain accurate records.

• Provide administrative and logistical support for volunteering and community engagement projects and events.

• Support bookings, registrations, attendance, communications and materials for projects and activities.

• Assist with the delivery of initiatives including the Celebration of Volunteering, Community Festival, Community Fair and other assigned projects.

• Provide administrative support for wider awareness and social action initiatives.

• Support communications with students and partners using agreed information and templates.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records across societies, volunteering and community engagement activity.

• Update trackers, systems and shared information in a timely and consistent way.

• Monitor routine deadlines and send reminders where information or action is outstanding.

• Maintain organised digital records and handle information in line with data protection requirements.

• Identify recurring questions or administrative issues and suggest practical improvements to guidance and processes.

• Work closely with the Societies Development Coordinator and Community Engagement Coordinator to support effective day-to-day delivery.

• Support wider Student Communities projects and busy periods, including Welcome, Freshers’ Fair, Varsity and the SU Awards.

• Work collaboratively with the Student Communities Assistant (Sport) and other colleagues to provide joined-up support.

• Undertake other routine administrative and operational tasks that support the effective delivery of Student Communities.

• Routine societies, volunteering and community engagement administration is completed accurately and on time.

• Students and student groups receive timely and helpful responses to routine enquiries, with more complex matters escalated appropriately.

• Records and systems are accurate and up to date, with key deadlines and outstanding requirements effectively tracked.

• Administrative support contributes to the reliable delivery of student group processes, projects and events.

• The Societies Development and Community Engagement Coordinators are effectively supported, enabling professional capacity to focus on student development, relationships, projects and complex issues.

• Experience of completing administrative tasks accurately

• Experience of managing multiple tasks, deadlines or commitments

• Experience in an administrative, customer service or student-facing role

• Experience of societies, volunteering, community activity or student-led groups

• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and handling information responsibly

• Understanding of good customer service

• Understanding of student sport or the Students’ Union

• Awareness of

• Societies, volunteering or community engagement.

• Strong organisation and time management

• Good attention to detail and accuracy

• Clear and friendly written and verbal communication

• Confident using digital systems and Microsoft 365

• Ability to follow processes and instructions consistently

• Ability to manage routine tasks and deadlines independently

• Ability to recognise when something needs to be referred to another colleague 
  • Good teamwork and collaboration

• Experience using spreadsheets, databases or booking systems

• Basic numerical confidence for supporting financial administration

• Student focused

• A champion of our brand and values driven Culture Code

• High standards

• Proactive, collaborative and solutions-focused

• Resilient

• Flexible (including occasional evenings and weekends to support events)

• Interest in student communities and the Students’ Union

Job title:

Student Staff –

Student Communities Assistant (Societies & Volunteering)

Location:

Students’ Union Building, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6EH

Working hours:

Up to 20 per week

Salary:

£12.71 per hour

Department:

Communities

Reporting to:

Student Communities Manager