Help shape the future of one of the UK's largest and most commercially active Students' Associations as a Finance Trustee.
Edinburgh University Students’ Association is seeking an experienced Finance professional to join its Board as a Trustee at an important point in its development.
Representing more than 49,500 students, the Association is a complex charity, membership organisation and social enterprise, operating major venues and commercial services across the University of Edinburgh campus.
Following a governance review, the launch of an ambitious new five-year strategy and the reopening of the iconic Teviot building after significant investment, the Association is entering an exciting period of transformation.
This is a strategic Board appointment for a senior finance leader who can bring commercial insight, sound judgement and constructive challenge. You will help the Board strengthen long-term financial sustainability, oversee risk and assurance, and make confident decisions that balance commercial opportunity with the Association’s charitable purpose and commitment to students.
Who we are
Edinburgh University Students’ Association exists to be on the side of every student at the University of Edinburgh. We provide representation, advice, community, social activities and services that help students feel connected, heard and able to make the most of their unique Edinburgh experience.
We are democratic and independent of the University, ensuring that students shape our direction and that elected representatives can advocate without conflict.
We are also a substantial social enterprise: income generated through our shops, cafés, bars, venues and events is reinvested in services for students. Our five campus venues include Teviot, King’s Buildings House, Potterrow, the Pleasance and the Wee Red Bar, several of which become much-loved Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues each August.
About the role
As Finance Trustee, you will be an active member of the Trustee Board and contribute to the strategic leadership of a large and complex organisation.
This is not simply a technical finance role. You will provide independent challenge and support to the Board and senior leadership team, strengthening oversight of financial strategy, performance, audit, risk and assurance. You will also help the Association build reserves, make sound long-term investment decisions and bring commercial awareness to discussions about income generation, venues, events and wider trading activity.
You will support the Board to balance commercial opportunity with appropriate risk and the Association’s charitable purpose, contribute to delivery of the 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, and serve on the Finance, Audit and Risk Subcommittee.
Your insight will help ensure the Association remains financially sustainable, well-governed, and able to continue investing in services, spaces, and opportunities for students.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for someone with strong financial experience who can bring strategic insight, sound judgement and constructive challenge to the Board.
You will understand financial governance, audit, risk and assurance, and be comfortable contributing to discussions about income generation, investment and long-term sustainability. You will be able to balance commercial opportunities with appropriate risk and the Association’s charitable purpose.
You will bring confidence, credibility and independent judgement, with experience of supporting senior decision-making in complex organisations.
Previous Board or trustee experience would be helpful but is not essential, provided you can demonstrate an understanding of effective governance and the responsibilities of trusteeship.
Above all, you will share the Association’s commitment to students and be able to contribute fully to meetings in Edinburgh over a three-year term.
Time commitment
The expected commitment is approximately one day per month. Trustees must be able to attend the four Board meetings and annual away day in person in Edinburgh.
You will also serve on at least one Board subcommittee, with the Finance Trustee expected to join the Finance, Audit and Risk Subcommittee. Subcommittee meetings are generally held three to four times a year and can be attended in person or online.
There may also be occasional additional involvement in recruitment panels, stakeholder events or correspondence between meetings.
The appointment is for an initial three-year term, with the possibility of serving a second term.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Conor Naughton | conor@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07498 071852
Welcome from the Chair of the Trustee Board
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in becoming an External Trustee with Edinburgh University Students’ Association. This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in the running of the Students’ Association during a period of significant change.
We’re a large charity with an annual turnover of c £13 million (in the top 1% of UK charities) focused on our student members, with an ambitious new Strategic Plan to deliver over the next five years. This has member experience at its heart, recognising the challenges and opportunities facing students – from removing barriers to their academic journey to helping them meet cost of living challenges, and make the most of university life through making meaningful connections and experiencing the defining moments that make student life memorable.
We have just re-opened Teviot, a landmark building and the oldest purpose-built student union in the world, following a two-year refurbishment and have taken the opportunity to reimagine our provision there to meet current and future students’ needs long into the future.
We have some challenging financial targets to meet in a context of rising costs and income challenges for both the organisation, our members, and the University, as well as a commitment to support our 100 salaried and c.250 student staff and maintain the positive staff culture we have achieved over the last five years. We now want to ensure we can adapt and continue to represent, support, and meet the needs of our 49,500 student members.
Trustees play a vital leadership role at the Students’ Association, ensuring that we are governed effectively; establishing and monitoring strategy; identifying and addressing long-term challenges and opportunities, and ensuring we are true to our values – keeping our student members at the heart of everything we do.
Appointed External Trustees bring depth of professional expertise, experience, and insight from life outside the Union, in areas such as finance, HR, legal compliance, and strategy. This is complemented by the lived experience of appointed Student Trustees, who help to ensure diversity of experience on the Board, and also provide continuity, and our five Sabbatical Officer Trustees elected to represent our members and provide student leadership for the organisation, working full-time in the Association for one year.
We currently have a vacancy for one External Trustee to join the Board and to sit on our Finance, Audit and Risk subcommittee. Therefore, we are seeking applicants with a demonstrably strong finance background at a senior level. Experience of a commercially active environment would be an advantage.
This application pack contains all the information you need about the appointment process and what being a Student/External Trustee involves. Please read it carefully prior to making an application.
We provide full induction, access to support and advice from professional staff, and buddying with other Trustees, including our Sabbatical Officers and External/Student Trustees.
If you have any questions about the role or application process, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners.
Best wishes,
Bradley Stephens
Chair of the Trustee Board and Students’ Association President
About us
Edinburgh University Students’ Association represents more than 49,500 students at the University of Edinburgh. We are a registered Scottish charity, a company limited by guarantee, a democratic membership organisation and a social enterprise.
Our purpose is to support students to feel connected, heard and able to make the most of their unique Edinburgh experience. We do this through representation, advice, activities, community-building and a wide range of services across the University.
Our 2026–2031 Strategic Plan focuses on four priorities:
- Supporting students’ academic journeys
- Building meaningful connections
- Responding to the cost-of-living challenge
- Creating defining moments that make university life memorable
These priorities are underpinned by investment in robust finances, good governance, digital delivery, strong partnerships, student insight and our people.
We operate five venues across the University campus, including Teviot, King’s Buildings House, Potterrow, the Pleasance and the Wee Red Bar. Our cafés, bars, shops, events and venue activity generate income that is reinvested into services and opportunities for students. Several of our venues also play an important role during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Following the launch of our new strategy, the reopening of Teviot after a major refurbishment and a recent governance review, the Association is entering an important period of development. The Board will play a central role in strengthening financial resilience, overseeing future investment and ensuring the organisation remains ambitious, sustainable and focused on students.
Accessibility information
We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.
Edinburgh University Students’ Association is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.
To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Conor Naughton | conor@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07498 071852
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Edinburgh Students’ Association — Finance Trustee” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Conor Naughton | conor@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07498 071852
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Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Friday 4th September 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Friday 11th September 2026
Interviews: Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Edinburgh University Students’ Association Board Meeting: Wednesday 30th September 2026
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
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