Donna Smith

Experience

• 

  York St John Students' Union

  Jun 2006 - Jun 2008

  Vice President Education and Welfare

  •Responsible for Strategy planning for the Students’ Union including proposals for the Block Grant spend•Implementation of the Students’ Union Charitable Status in association with the Board of Trustees •Lead Student Officer coordinator for Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI) gaining Bronze (2008/9)•Solely accountable for the Academic and Welfare budgets of the Students’ Union/signing off accounts•Two years experience of undertaking academic casework including Appeals, Plagiarism hearings, Disciplinary hearings•Implementation of a new Programme Representative System, including: the training of reps, Chair of rep meetings, mediator for reps and programme staff co-ordinating agreed guidelines and implementation of system with University (Academic Board and Standards endorsement), buy-in from Heads of Programmes, Department Managers and Deans of Faculty. Evidenced by increase of reps, increase in local successes, Faculty feedback•A member of over 30 University committees and groups •Co-ordinator and Project manager of all Students’ Union welfare and education campaigns•A dedicated mentor to Students’ Union Councillors including Faculty Representatives, Campaigns, LGBT and Equalities Officers Show less

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  York St John University

  Jun 2008 - Oct 2012

  Welfare/Communications Manager Student Services

  •Project manager for the Student Services ‘Matrix Standard’ Accreditation (for quality information, advice and guidance) - achieved with Excellence •Departmental Manager of the University Content Management System (CMS/Institutional Website) •Manager of all on/offline collateral produced for Student Services including the production of brochures, leaflets and digital and social media platforms•Responsible for the development and implementation of the Student Services Communication Strategy and Communications Guide•Solely accountable for the implementation and coordination of the ‘Student Experience Working Group’ •Deputising for Student Advice Team Manager in meetings and operations•Responsible for the coordination of staff induction sessions and staff training for new employees, Sabbatical Officers and student volunteers•Responsible for implementing the strategy, operational planning and administration for the Funding and Welfare Team•Successfully managed over 250 welfare cases per year (278 in the academic year 2010/11) and resolved over 173 cases in the 2011/2012 academic year alone•Responsible for the administration and recruitment of a Doncaster Mentoring Project Manager for 3 years (WP Project) whereby I was in charge of all processes, HR, Project Accounts and Employee Management•An integral member of a number of University Committees including: Service Leaders meetings, Financial Assistance Committee and Financial Operational Group•A fully-comprehensive knowledge of all student-related legislation including advice and guidance on Accommodation and Housing, Employment and Consumer legislation, Debt Management/Creditor Negotiations, State Benefits, Student Funding Systems • A member of over 10 associations inc: NUS, NASMA, RAWS, Welfare Benefits Unit (York), HARP (Housing Advice Research Project), Student Support Network (University of Leeds), National Homelessness Advisory Service (NHAS) Show less

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  St Mary's University, Twickenham, London

  Oct 2012 - Jan 2019

  Governance of SMSUHealth and SafetyManagement of SMSU TeamAdvice and Guidance for Officer Team Manage strategy and operations for SMSUAdvise and guide the Sabbatical OfficersLead contact for the SMSU Trustee Board and University staffManage the SMSU staff team

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Aug 2014 - Jan 2019

  • Students' Union General Manager

    Oct 2012 - Aug 2014
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  York St John Students'​ Union

  Jan 2019 - now

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Jan 2019 - now

  • Chief Executive

    Jan 2019 - now