Job Description

The University of Surrey Students' Union is looking for a Returning Officer to oversee all elections and referenda in 2017/18. 

We are a democratic charity with its direction determined by our members, the University's students.  We are led by five elected full time officers who are either recent graduates from Surrey or taking a year out from their studies.  They are elected annually by students to make sure that we're doing what our members want.  All Students' Union elections and referenda must be overseen by an impartial Returning Officer, who upholds and interprets the Union's elections and referendum rules in accordance with our byelaws.

The Returning Officer will ensure the elections and referenda are run fairly and in accordance with the Union's election and referendum rules.  They approve candidates' and campaigners' publicity materials, respond to queries and complaints and provide guidance on the rules.  If a candidate or campaigner breaks the rules then the Returning Officer has the power to impose sanctions, up to and including disqualification.  Most importantly the Returning Officer must be impartial - so must not be a supporter of any candidate, be part of a candidate's campaign team or give any view at all, publicly or privately, as to who you would or wouldn't like to win.  You will also need to be free of any personal connection to the Students' Union or the University of Surrey.  Final judgement on any potential conflict of interest will be taken by the Democracy Committee in consultation with the University Secretary.

The Returning Officer is supported by the Democracy Committee, the Deputy Returning Officer (who is appointed by the Returning Officer) and the Voice Zone Manager.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in the democratic process of a Students' Union.