Summary
Location
Christchurch
Type
full-time
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About this role
Senior Student Support Advocate
University of Canterbury Students’ Association (UCSA)
· Full time
· Permanent
The Opportunity
Are you passionate about empowering students and ensuring their voices are heard? Do you have strong advocacy skills and a knack for navigating complex policies? Are you committed to creating inclusive, culturally responsive services that support all students, including Māori and Pacific communities?
Our Advocacy & Welfare Team plays a vital role in helping students succeed and belong. As Senior Student Support Advocate, you’ll lead initiatives that make a real difference in students’ lives - providing guidance, representation, and support on academic, non-academic, and hardship-related issues.
This is a dynamic role where you’ll work closely with students, staff, and external organisations, ensuring advocacy services are robust, fair, and culturally inclusive.
What You’ll Do
Provide independent advocacy and welfare support for UC students, including representation in academic and non-academic matters.
Implement and uphold guidelines for managing student-to-student conflict, ensuring fair and respectful outcomes.
Promote advocacy and welfare services across campus, ensuring students know where to turn for help.
Track trends and provide feedback to UC on policies and processes to improve the student experience.
About You
We’re looking for someone who is:
An experienced advocate with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to represent students effectively.
Knowledgeable in policy and regulations, ideally with a legal background or understanding.
Culturally competent, committed to delivering inclusive services that meet the needs of Māori, Pacific, and diverse student communities.
Empathetic and diplomatic, with excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust and rapport.
Organised and proactive, able to manage multiple priorities with confidence.
Key Skills & Experience
Tertiary qualification in a relevant field (e.g., law, psychology, advocacy, mediation).
Previous experience in advocacy or student support, ideally in a tertiary environment.
Strong understanding of university policies and processes.
Ability to work with diverse communities and provide culturally responsive support.
Excellent time management and interpersonal skills.
Why Join Us?
At UCSA, we’re here for students. You’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to helping students succeed and belong, in an organisation that values innovation, inclusivity, and collaboration.
Applications will close upon the appointment of a successful candidate.
Other facts
About UCSA
UCSA is the University of Canterbury Students’ Association Incorporated. Established in 1894, UCSA is a not-for-profit organisation with charity status. Twelve elected student representatives govern UCSA with the support and guidance of external advisors via an Advisory Board. The UCSA employs up to 280 full-time, part time and casual staff who report through a Chief Executive.
Since its inception the UCSA has grown into a diverse organisation with an annual turnover of around $10.0 million. The UCSA owns a 50% share of the University Book Shop, and has net assets valued at just over $12.0 million.
After the February 2011 earthquake the UCSA moved premises from 90 Ilam Road to the South East Side of the James Hight Library. The Undercroft was redeveloped as a student space, and work is currently being undertaken to replace the facilities and services that were on offer in the old UCSA building.
The UCSA operates a number of other facilities spread around the campus, including cafes at Kirkwood village (Kirkwood cafe), Dovedale Ave Campus (Collective) and in the Law (Alibi) and Engineering (Eng Cafe) buildings.
There is academic advice and support through to social comment and entertainment by way of UCSA’s student magazine, CANTA; from huge events like Orientation, End of Lectures and Tea Party, to Childcare at UCSA’s Early Learning Centres.
This diversity reflects the many services that students have initiated to ensure that the university experience for students at Canterbury is all that it can be.
What you'll do
- As a Senior Student Support Advocate, you will provide independent advocacy and welfare support for students, including representation in academic and non-academic matters. You will also implement guidelines for managing student-to-student conflict and promote advocacy services across campus.
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