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How SUSU is organised | Governance | Trustee Board | Staff Structure | Equality & Diversity
SUSU employs some 100 core staff and over 250 support staff in order to deliver all our activities and services. It is the relationship between staff and officers which contribute to our strength as a membership organisation led by students.
To find out more about the different sections within SUSU please click on one of the section names below
We recognise our commercial and trading services as critical to the success of SUSU. In particular they offer the first or main point of contact for many of our members. They bring visitors to our spaces and generate revenue for us to invest in our other core activities. We are working to ensure our customer service standards are second to none and that our values are reflected throughout our operations. The demands on our operations continue to grow as legislation increases, competition remains tough and our members are ever more demanding. We are also keen to diversify our income streams and improvements commercially form an important part of this strategy.
SUSU operates bars, entertainments, shops and catering outlets across our main Highfield Union location, halls bars in Southampton and food, drink and entertainment from The Union building in Winchester.
Total trading turnover projected for the current year is £4.2m, with a surplus approaching £200k.
In addition this section includes our facilities operation, which currently has a revenue expenditure budget of over £600,000 including building rent. We have aspirations to develop a master plan and an annual investment plan in our facilities in order to deliver the outlets and spaces relevant to our members needs and aspirations. Finally this team is home to our Health & Safety work, which we do in close collaboration with the University of Southampton.
We have invested in developing our physical space with a brand new entrance completed this summer, a new catering seating area which opened 2 years ago and a totally refurbished shop completed 3 years ago. We are now keen to ensure the facilities remain attractive and relevant to our members by establishing a rolling programme of investment.
Each commercial department within the section is headed up by an experienced operational manager.
The whole section is headed up by our Head of Commercial Development.
The Communications, Marketing & Technology Section (affectionately referred to as CMT) has the simple task of making sure our members know what is going on. It ensures that communications is firmly on the SUSU agenda, as well as delivering marketing services for our activities across the organisation. Responsibility for Technology falls within this team. This is a clear recognition that technology is not just about IT.
Our aim is to know our membership and to unlock the potential and enrich the lives of our members through SUSU. We do this by employing innovative, engaging marketing methods, communicating in a relevant way, ensuring two way conversations through various channels, delivering at the cutting edge of technology and media and maximising revenue generation through media sales to external clients.
We work to high standards. We seek to provide the processes, systems and shared enthusiasm to support all SUSU departments and officers in achieving their goals and plans.
The CMT Team focuses on the following 7 areas:
This work is managed through 3 teams of Communications, Marketing and Media & Technology, and headed up by the Head of CMT.
The communications function of SUSU concentrates on sharing information and ideas both internally and externally. It incorporates co-ordinating media and public relations and the promotion of SUSU activities, services and campaigns through all media channels. Communications also looks after the content of the Union website (www.susu.org ), social media and printed publications. The continual aim is for two-way communication with key audiences, creating lasting and meaningful relationships.
Communications also ensures the SUSU brand is consistently applied across all areas of the Union.
We have recently recruited a Communications Co-ordinator to support, develop and coordinate SUSU’s digital communication - driving appealing content through all our communications channels to engage our members.
The Marketing department aims to drive SUSU forward by knowing our key audiences better than anyone else and engaging with them proactively.
Our departmental plan for the coming year identifies these three core goals:
To achieve this we have 5 core staff and work with a large team of support staff who staff reception and work as promotional teams around campus.
The Technology & Media department aims to provide technological solutions to deliver the needs and support the aspirations of all Union departments and campaigns. Driving innovation.
Our departmental plan for the coming year identifies these three core goals:
To achieve this we have 2 core staff and work with a small team of support staff who work as web-developers and IT assistants.
Advertising and Sponsorship is a fundamental element of the Communications, Marketing and Technology section’s work. This new role is crucial to delivering the objectives identified in the Advertising & Sponsorship Development Plan which include:
The Advertising and Sponsorship Co-ordinator will lead on these activities, with occasional assistance from support staff. Their work will be central to achieving the objectives outlined above.
The Finance Section has identified its core purpose as to provide information that will assist all other departments make the financial decisions needed to develop and implement their visions.
This translates as their being responsible for reporting on the financial performance of SUSU, to achieve this they obviously manage all the transactions and in addition take responsibility for ensuring solid systems and procedures exist for the protection of our assets.
A team of eight people oversee the accounts function, handling some £4,000,000 in cash and over £1,000,000 in card payments. All purchase and staff wages are processed through this busy department, the payroll is split between monthly paid core staff and 4 weekly support staff. In the last reported 12 month period we had 650 different people on the payroll. All SUSU’s finances are processed on Sage 200 and together Business Intelligence reporting package reports can be generated at any time.
Management accounts are prepared for submission to the Finance Sub Committee of the Board on a monthly basis. These are presented alongside monthly phased budgets with a narrative from the Head of Finance – who heads up this section. In addition each Board meeting receives latest information soon to be presented the form of the Charity SORP along with the management accounts.
The Finance Section also manages SUSU’s transport fleet. We own and contract hire 6 vehicles for clubs and societies use and also provide a successful safety bus on club nights which allows affordable transport home from our late night events to their home.
Headed up by our Head of Membership Services & Engagement, this section exists to develop our engagement with students; enhancing their experience at University by providing independent advice and information, supporting and campaigning for improvements in students’ lives and by supporting a variety of student led activities. All of this involves the closest working relationship with our elected officers. There are 3 departments within the section:
Democracy Department - Ensuring our decision making process is transparent and accessible to all our members and that all students have access to our leadership and representative opportunities
Student Activities Department - Supporting the 70 sports clubs, 180 societies, Community Volunteering, Junior Common Rooms (JCRs), Student Enterprise and Raise and Give (RAG). This team provides and help and support to the many students who plan and deliver activities in these areas.
Advice & Representation Department - With the pending increase in tuition fees, it is critical that SUSU consistently and effectively delivers on its role of ‘watchdog’, representing student interest and delivering on well thought through campaigns that impact where they need to. The A & R department has recently been restructured to deliver on this aim, ensuring SUSU effectively delivers the best possible service to our members in the challenges of the political and economic climate whilst empowering students to benefit from the best possible student experience.
Our People Development section delivers on our aspiration to unlock the potential of ALL our people. So unusually they are responsible for all the usual HR functions alongside ensuring our elected officers and volunteers are given the support and skills they need to excel.
It comprises two staff teams: Personnel and the PA team. Personnel provide support and systems to the Union in recruitment, retention, performance management and other personnel issues. Their work is guided by policies established by the Staffing sub-committee of the board.
So the Head of People Development is responsible, in essence, for the recruitment, retention, development and departure of our people.
