For the board of VUUR for the upcoming academic year (2026–2027), we are looking for enthusiastic VUUR members who would enjoy running the largest participation council association in Utrecht. The association board is an indispensable part that provides the main lines and organization of the association, internal communication—both between the factions and among the members—and a joint campaign! Additionally, the board has the task of continuing the upward trend of the association after the success of the elections into the upcoming academic year.
| Position | Board Member of Association VUUR |
| Workload | 8-10 hours per week, to be done alongside studies or a council year. The amount of hours will differ from week to week and certain periods will be more intense. The exact amount of hours also depends on the ambitions of the board. |
| Time frame | 1 september 2026 – 31 September 2027 |
| Application procedure | Applications can be submitted until the 29th of June 2026, 23:59. Please, in your application email already indicate your personal ranking for the board position you would like to occupy (see more belove, but e.g. 1. Chair, 2. Secretary, 3. General board member) and your availability for one of the following interview timeslots: June 30th — 11:00-11:30; 11:45 – 12:15; 12:30 – 13:00; 13:15 – 13:45; 14:00 – 14:30; 14:45 – 15:15; 15:30 – 16:00. July 1st — 11:00-11:30; 11:45 – 12:15; 12:30 – 13:00; 13:15 – 13:45; 14:00 – 14:30. On June 30th itself you (might) receive an invitation with the chosen timeslot. For all timeslots the interviews’ language can be Dutch or English, whichever the interviewee prefer. Previous applicants do not have to reapply and are still in active consideration. On July 2nd all applicants will be informed about the process’ outcome. The handover will take place at the first General Members Meeting (ALV) of the new academic year. The outgoing board will propose a candidate board to the members in the run-up to this via email. |
What is the VUUR Board?
VUUR stands for Verenigde Utrechtse Universitaire Raden (United Utrecht University Councils), and as a VUUR board member, you ensure that the VUUR factions in the various councils can work together. The board is primarily a communicative and organising body that stands between the different VUUR factions and the VUUR members. Board members ensure that the various factions communicate with each other, that members have a say in major decisions, and that activities, input evenings, and above all, the campaign are organised. Board members can also be council members of a VUUR faction, but this is certainly not required. What is most important is that you have a passion for co-determination!
What does the VUUR Board do?
The board has one core task: leading the association. It does this through the following responsibilities:
- The planning, facilitating, and leading of General Members Meetings (ALVs), where members come together and association matters are discussed. These include, for example, the distribution of the various committees of VUUR, the approval of budgets and financial statements, and the plenary discussion of important topics that arise within the participation council. Many discussions and collaboration will also happen outside of the formal GMAs, like in group chats and in drives, and you will have a big role in facilitating the (infra)structure for this.
- Appointing a campaign team. The highlight of the year, of course, are the elections. The board ensures that a campaign committee is provided with the resources and people needed to organize a fantastic campaign. Of course the Board will have a big role during the (run up to the) campaign as well.
- Assembling other committees like the website committee (webCo), the search committee (ZoekCo) and the activities committee (AcCie).
- Joining committees and serving as a bridge between the committees and the rest of the board.
- Being present (with a delegation) at all VUUR activities and at these welcoming people that are new to VUUR.
- Managing the party. This means meeting with your fellow board members a couple times a month to discuss and decide on current issues, keeping in mind the decisions of the GMA, advice from the Raad van Advies and what is stipulated in our internal regulations.
- Cool ideas you want to do which you can put in your policy plan!
Who are we looking for?
For the board, we are looking for at least 3 students who have an affinity with VUUR. Experience within VUUR over the past year is a plus, but certainly not a requirement. We would like to assemble a diverse group that reflects the VUUR members. We are looking for candidates for the following positions:
- Chair
As chair, you are the representative of and ultimately responsible for the association. This means that you are the first point of contact for many external parties and that you ensure the entire board can fulfil its tasks. To this end, you create agendas, lead (member and board) meetings effectively, and maintain an overview of action points and the annual planning. This way, you ensure that all necessary tasks are carried out and that work is done within the frameworks of the association’s long-term vision. As member of the executive board, you will have a bigger responsibility that can require more effort. Of course, you also take on your own portfolios and projects. - Secretary
As secretary, you are the first point of contact for the members. You manage the email and are responsible for the board’s communication with the members. You will have an important role in ensuring the regulations are followed and you also take minutes during board meetings and GMAs. A fluent writing style and being familiair with English as well as Dutch is therefore a plus! Additionally, you keep the member database in order. We use Conscribo for this, but you don’t need to be familiar with it yet—you’ll learn during the induction period! As member of the executive board, you will have a bigger responsibility that can require more effort. Finally, you will take on take on your own projects and portfolios. Governing is always done together! - Treasurer
As treasurer, you are responsible for the association’s financial matters. You prepare (at least) a budget for the entire association year and assist with the campaign budget. You also ensure that these budgets are adhered to by your fellow board members or committees and that the finances are clearly explained to the members at a General Members Meeting. VUUR has a cash committee, with whom you can maintain contact and who also ensure that you carry out your duties carefully. It is not a requirement to have a lot of experience with finances—a good dose of general insight will get you a long way! As member of the executive board, you will have a bigger responsibility that can require more effort. Additionally, there is plenty of room to do what you enjoy, so setting up your own portfolios is certainly possible. - General Board Member
In addition to the three fixed positions within the board (the “executive board”), various commissioner roles can also be established. In recent years, names such as “Recruitment and Campaign,” “External Image,” and “General Board Member” have been chosen to cover the board’s largest tasks. However, the content and naming of the commissioner roles can be freely arranged according to your own insight, and it is up to your board to shape them. The main task of these general board members is to take care of the (set) portfolio(s) assigned to them. Since you, as a general board member, do not have fixed portfolios, you often have the opportunity to take on larger portfolios, but that is not a requirement. This is in addition to generally leading the association and its committees, together with the other board members.
The ideal candidate has the following qualities:
- A passion for co-determination;
- Good communication skills;
- Assertive and proactive;
- Able to think and work ad hoc;
- Stress-resistant.
- The ability to work in a structured manner
Additionally, we believe it is important to emphasise that everyone deserves to feel at home within our association. Therefore, we encourage students and members from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives to apply. We strive for a board with diverse academic backgrounds from different faculties
What do we offer you?
We will do everything we can to ensure you are well-inducted as a board member. In addition, this is an exceptional experience to get to know all aspects of participation within the university and to play a leading role in it. You will learn a lot about communication, solution-oriented thinking, and the participation council behind the scenes. As board, you will have to decide on difficult and often political issues and you will inevitably run into challenges, but these will quickly teach you new skills. Your commitment matters, and you will see this reflected in the appreciation you receive from your members! As a board member of VUUR, you will also get to know a large number of enthusiastic and committed people from various fields of study in a short period. This offers excellent opportunities to stimulate your own development and expand your network.
How can I apply?
Do you recognise yourself in the profile above and are you enthusiastic? Then respond quickly! You can apply until 29 June 2026, 23:59 by sending your CV and a motivation letter (max. 1 A4, no more is really necessary!) to bestuur@verenigingvuur.nl. In your motivation letter, include which position(s) you aspire to, why you think you would be good at it, and how you would like to contribute to the association. This can be very concrete, but it can also still be a general idea. If you want to apply as a general board member, already indicate which portfolio(s) you would like to take on. If you are interested but don’t immediately know how or in which position you would like to contribute, please contact us! We are happy to think along with you or give you a helping hand. If you have any other doubts, don’t hesitate to message, (video) call, or schedule a physical appointment with one of us.
Immediately after the deadline, interviews will take place to get to know each other. It is possible that we will have contact with you a few times during this period to ensure that applicants are matched with the right positions.
During the summer, an onboarding day will be organised with the selected candidate-board-members and you will create together with your fellow candidate-board-members a policy plan, year plan and budget. The GMA will have the final say on the board of 2026-2027. At the first GMA of the next academic year (around September), you will be presented by Board XX as the board proposal, and if all goes well, voted in.
Finally, it is important to know that we strive to give everyone who wants to contribute to the association the opportunity to do so. In addition to board positions, there are plenty of opportunities to take on a leading role within committees.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, please do not hesitate to contact us! You can reach us at bestuur@verenigingvuur.nl or, for current members, by sending us a private message on Whatsapp.
