Are you a third-year or postgraduate student who is starting to think about what you might want to do after your degree finishes?
Are you looking for a unique vacancy for a full-time, paid job with excellent training opportunities that allow you to grow and develop career-enhancing skills in a professional, supportive environment?
Do you enjoy living in Britain's Ocean City and think you might want to live in Plymouth for a while after your studies come to an end?
If you answered yes to any of these three questions, then we have the perfect opportunity for you!
**Please note, you do not have to be a third year or postgrad student to apply for a role. You can take a year break between your academic years to become a Sabbatical Officer and return to your course after your term in post.
What are the roles?
This year the roles have changed to enhance the voice of students, and you'll see that each Faculty will have its own President as well as a Students' Union President who will support students from each Faculty. Find out more about the changes here.
- President Students' Union
- President Faculty of Health
- President Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business
- President Faculty of Science and Engineering
*All students are eligible to apply for the position of President, however, please note that to apply for a President Faculty position you must be a student from that faculty.*
What does a Sabbatical Officer do?
As an Officer you will be involved in the highest level of decision making on campus; from monthly meetings with the Vice-Chancellor to sitting on a range of Committees that have oversight over Students' Union finances, staffing and key strategic decisions on a national level. This means you will be responsible for listening to student feedback, finding out what’s being done well at the University and what you think could be improved to enhance the student experience and make those changes come to fruition.
Students apply for these positions for many different reasons, however, they are united in their passion to make a real difference to the lives of students at the University and a desire to shape their future and accelerate their careers. Whether you know the career path you would like to take or if you are still undecided, being a Sabbatical Officer gives you an incredible opportunity to experience first-hand working in areas such as business development, communications, finance, human resources, marketing, democratic procedures and much more!
The role of a Sabbatical Officer is truly unique and full of variety, and the best part is: you get to shape your goals within your role to align with your values and make a difference in areas you believe stand in need of change. You will achieve this as a member of the Students’ Union Trustee Board and therefore entrusted to develop the strategic direction of the Students’ Union on behalf of every student at the University.
This may sound like a lot of responsibility, but rest assured that you do not need to know everything when you start your new Sabbatical Officer role. You will be supported every step of the way by our Student Voice team. The most important thing is that you have a good work ethic and are motivated to make a difference for your student community. Does this sound like something you would like to do after you graduate?
So, if you want to make a difference, develop new skills, and be a part of a passionate team then apply for a role as a Sabbatical Officer 2025/26.
When does the job start?
The 2025/26 Sabbatical Offer position runs from the 23rd June 2025 to the 29th June 2026 period.
If you are concerned about any exam dates or coursework deadlines post this date, speak to our Student Voice team who will be happy to help figure out a solution to ensure you finish your degree how you want to.
When is the deadline to apply for a Sabbatical Officer job?
The deadline for applications is the 7th February 2025. Please ensure you apply before this for your application to be concidered.
Get in touch:
Your Student Voice team are on hand to talk you through the application process if you have any questions or just want to know more about how you can make your voice heard at the University of Plymouth.
Read advice from previous Sabbatical Officers and find out how their time in office shaped and accelerated their careers: