Apply for JYY’s Board for 2027!

Uncategorized / 19.10.2026

The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) is a public law entity comprising approximately 13,500 university students, which acts as an organization dedicated to advocating for its members’ interests and providing services to them. Our office has eight staff members and a ten-person Board composed of students, which changes annually. In addition to its membership activities, JYY builds and rents student housing through its Soihtu business unit (soihtu.fi).

Do you want to work for a better future for students? Are you excited to organize communal activities to other students? Do you have a vision on how the Student Union and its decision-making could involve and influence more as well as be more responsible? If you answered yes, you might be the person we are looking for.

We are looking for Chair and Vice Chair of the Board and eight Members of the Board for the calendar year 2027. Apply by Monday 9 Nov 2026 at noon!

A year in the Board in a nutshell:

• As a member of the JYY Board, you’ll both participate in decision-making that affects the entire JYY and work with staff to plan and carry out JYY’s activities.
• You’ll receive comprehensive training on how to serve on the Board in December and January.
• On the Board, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills and experience for the benefit of the entire student community as part of a friendly and competent work environment. You’ll hone your professional skills and gain valuable experience for your future.
• The positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Board are full-time (approx. 35–40 hours per week). The Chair receives a monthly stipend of 1,325 euros, and the Vice Chair receives 1,225 euros per month.
• Board members serve on a part-time basis (on average, approximately 20–25 hours per week during the academic year). Board members receive a monthly stipend of 775 euros, excluding June and July.
• According to JYY’s bylaws, the Board is always elected for one calendar year at a time, meaning the term ends on December 31, 2027.

What do we expect from you?

You might be the person we are looking for, if…

• You are motivated and ready to learn new things quickly
• You are interested in working on affairs shared by all students and JYY’s operations
• You are not afraid to take on responsibility and tackle new challenges
• You work smoothly and reliably as part of a team
• You can communicate and work constructively with a diverse group of people
• You can organize your own work and act independently
• You can commit to the time requirements of a year on the board
• You are ready to work in a bilingual (Finnish-English) workplace and environment

Previous experience with student organizations, advocacy work, event coordination, communications, training, project management, or other responsibilities related to these areas is a strength in application. However, board positions do not require prior experience specifically in that area of responsibility; rather, the most important thing is the motivation to learn and grow in the role.

On average, Board members spend about 20–25 hours per week on JYY activities during the academic year, primarily on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., though there are significant weekly variations in time commitment. In addition, Board members are occasionally responsible for evening duties, such as representing JYY, organizing JYY events, and working with the Representative Council. Although most Board activities take place on weekdays, some events are also scheduled for weekends. The Board membership also involves some travel, for example, to seminars organized by the National Union of University Students in Finland and meetings of student union networks.

JYY is a bilingual organization, meaning that the working languages are Finnish and English. It is possible to participate in Board meetings and in the work of member operations even if you do not speak Finnish. One Board member may serve on the Communality Team without fluent Finnish, and one board member may serve on the Student Culture and Visibility Team without fluent Finnish.

What do we offer to you

In the JYY Board you’ll have the opportunity to…

• improve the University of Jyväskylä and the city of Jyväskylä for students
• build a better student community
• get to know members of other student unions across Finland
• develop your own interpersonal and self-management skills
• gain experience that is useful for your future career
• learn about board work in a large organization
• gain insight into real estate business management

Board members are paid a monthly stipend of 775 euros from January through May and from August through December. The Chair of the Board receives 1,325 euros per month and the Vice Chair 1,225 euros per month throughout the year. (* The Council of Representatives will handle the 2027 budget on November 26, 2026, and will confirm the Board’s compensation at that time; the compensations listed above are the ones included in the budget proposal.)

Duties and role of the Board

As an organization JYY consists of two units: member operations and business operations that is called Soihtu. Operatively member operations is led by the Executive Director and business operations by the Managing Director. JYY’s Representative Council and Board act as decision-making bodies in issues detailed by the rules for both halves of the organisation. JYY Board has similar duties to the board of any organization when acting in the capacity of decision-making body that is described in more detail further on in the call for applications. The operations of the Board as the decision-making body is led by the Chair of the Board.

The Board also acts as the working board in the member operations unit, meaning it participates in the planning and execution of day-to-day activities. Member operations is led and coordinated by the Management and Administration Team that includes the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Board.

As part of the Working Board each Board Member is a part of one of three Member Operations teams that plan, execute and develop the daily activities. Board Members, for instance, represent students in working groups, organize events and host trainings. Teams and their duties are described in more detail both later in the call for applications and the plan for actions. You can find the draft plan of actions here.

The Board divides into the Member Operations Teams as follows:

• Management and Administration Team (Chair and Vice Chair)
• Communality Team (2 Board Members)
• Student Culture and Visibility Team (3 Board Members)
• Advocacy Team (3 Board Members)

On the member operations side, Board members take part in activities related to their respective sectors alongside staff. For example, JYY Board members participate in sector-specific working groups, organize events, and engage in planning and development work. The Board’s activities are led by the Chair of the Board.

Decision-making Board

The Board Members represent their own and their Representative Council group’s opinions, and not for instance their team’s. Board Members are expected to take part in the decision-making and conversation regarding all issues regardless of the responsibilities given as part of the Working Board. The Board is responsible for the strategic leading of JYY, which means prioritizing the goals of different teams.

The decision-making Board is responsible for e.g., the following:

• Preparing (political) matters for the Representative Council (e.g., changes to JYY’s strategy, policy papers, and other documents guiding its operations)
• Expressing JYY’s political views (e.g., position statements and opinions)
• Decisions concerning student organizations (e.g., registration within JYY, organizational grants)
• Appointing student representatives, for example, to the university administration and working groups
• Monitoring JYY’s finances and prioritizing financial goals (e.g., as part of the budget preparation)
• Setting and monitoring business objectives
• Acting as boards for JYY’s subsidiaries
• Acting as the highest-level employer representative and Human Resources policy
• Representing the Student Union in various situations (e.g., the university’s opening ceremony for the academic year)

The following competencies, among others, are beneficial for serving on the decision-making Board:

• Ability to articulate and justify one’s views in a constructive and respectful manner
• Ability to identify and build compromises
• Ability to understand broader contexts and assess the long-term implications of decisions
• Ability to prioritise tasks and identify the most important objectives
• Ability to balance and prioritise objectives in relation to available time, financial resources and personnel resources
• Ability to take responsibility and stand behind collective decisions
• Ability to recognise considerations related to acting as an employer representative, as well as an interest in developing the workplace

The Chair of the Board leads the decision-making Board, and the Vice Chair acts in the capacity of Chair if needed. The duties of the Chair of the Board include, for instance, the following:

• Overall strategic management of JYY (e.g., leading and coordinating the executive team)
• Aligning the goals and interests of member operations and business operations
• Acting as the supervisor of the Executive Director and the Managing Director
• Serving as Chair of the Board in JYY’s subsidiaries
• Presiding over Board meetings
• Ensuring the Board’s decision-making capacity and fostering a positive working atmosphere within the Board
• Representing the Board before the Representative Council (e.g., justifying and defending the Board’s proposals)

The following qualities are beneficial for serving as the Chair of the Board:

• Ability to facilitate and chair discussions effectively
• Ability to take responsibility for the people they lead and for the organisation’s operations
• Ability to onboard, train and support others in succeeding in their roles
• Familiarity with the Student Union, its finances and the organisations operating within its sphere
• Ability to understand complex political issues and lead political processes
• Ability to understand financial matters and lead finance-related processes
• Ability to identify strategic priorities for advocacy and adapt advocacy efforts accordingly

Management and Administration Team

Management and Administration Team is responsible for leading the member operations unit and its three other teams as well as the administration related to JYY decision-making. The Chair and Vice Chair are a part of this team.

The Chair and Vice Chair are responsible for, among other things, the following (the exact division of responsibilities is agreed annually):

• Leading JYY’s advocacy work, including leading the Advocacy Team, supervising board members responsible for advocacy, and participating in advocacy efforts
• Leading the Student Culture and Visibility Team
• Leading the Communality Team
• Human resources administration (e.g. participation in recruitment processes)
• Stakeholder relations (e.g. with JAMKO, other student unions, the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and the Finnish Student Sports Federation (OLL))
• Coordinating the practical operations of the office and the Board (e.g. planning office development days and arranging travel)

When applying for Chair or Vice Chair, we particularly value:

• Ability to lead and support others in achieving shared goals
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure
• Strong self-management and organisational skills
• Ability to delegate responsibilities and prioritise effectively
• Ability to plan and deliver onboarding and orientation activities

Applying to this team requires fluent Finnish.

Student Culture and Visibility Team

The Student Culture and Visibility Team is responsible for JYY’s events, communications, visibility, and corporate cooperation. The team includes three board members, who will agree on the division of the specific responsibilities each year.

The responsibilities of the team’s Board members include, among other things, the following:

• JYY’s day-to-day communications (e.g., content creation for social media channels)
• Planning and executing communication campaigns
• Staffing booths at events and campuses
• Organizing JYY’s annual ball
• Organizing the Minnan matka and Vappu events
• Organizing low-threshold events (e.g., Ilokivi Game Nights)
• Maintaining corporate partnerships and securing partnerships for events

In applicants to this team, we particularly value:

• Motivation to create events and communications that reflect students
• Experience in communications, event planning, and/or corporate partnerships
• Communication skills and a keen eye for graphic design (e.g., Canva, social media content creation, video filming and editing)
• Ability to brainstorm and being creative
• Readiness to do physical labour when producing events
• When collaborating with businesses, sales skills and a sales-oriented mindset
• Ability to see things from the perspective of partners, event attendees, and members

You can apply to join the team even if you do not speak Finnish fluently. Fluency is not required for the following tasks:

• Event organization (in most parts)
• Planning and graphic design of communication campaigns (Finnish is required for content creation, as communications are bilingual)

Advocacy Team

The Advocacy Team is responsible for JYY’s advocacy efforts, for example, toward the university and the city, as well as in national politics. In 2027, the team’s work will focus on organizing the parliamentary election campaign, university curriculum development, and the development of the higher education consortium formed by the University of Jyväskylä and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. The team consists of three board members, who will agree on the division of the specific responsibilities each year.

The duties of the team’s board members include, among other things, the following:

• Representing students in working groups
• Lobbying university decision-makers and staff
• Lobbying city and wellbeing services county decision-makers and officials
• Writing statements, position papers, and opinion pieces
• Planning and producing content for advocacy communications
• Organizing potential events and advocacy campaigns

In applicants for this team, we particularly value:

• Motivation to make a difference and represent students
• Experience in influencing and advocacy
• The courage to meet with university and city officials as well as political decision-makers
• Skills in writing, public speaking, and debating
• The ability to communicate complex issues in an understandable way
• Knowledge of the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä, and their decision-making processes

Applying to join the team requires fluency in Finnish.

Communality Team

The Communality Team is responsible for JYY’s student organization and tutoring activities, as well as for the integration of international students into the student community. The team consists of two board members, who will agree on the division of the specific responsibilities each year.

The duties of the team’s Board members include, among other things, the following:

• Supporting and training organizations operating within JYY
• Organizing tutor training and supporting tutors
• Supporting JYY’s club activities and other low-threshold community-building activities
• Helping international students settle in and integrate into the university community and Finnish society

In applicants to this team, we particularly value:

• Motivation to promote community spirit and create a more accessible student community
• Experience in tutoring and/or student organization activities
• Experience in organising training sessions and delivering training
• Pedagogical skills and group facilitation skills (e.g., the skill to create a psychologically safe atmosphere and support group formation)
• Ability to interact with diverse people from diverse backgrounds
• Understanding of the diversity of the higher education community, particularly its internationality

You can apply to join the team even if you do not speak Finnish fluently. Fluency is not required for the following tasks:

• All aspects of exchange student and degree program tutoring (e.g., organizing training sessions)
• Matters related to fostering a sense of community among international students

Application process, negotiations and selection

If you’re interested in applying for a position of trust within JYY, it’s strongly recommended that you first contact one of the Representative Council groups. This gives you the opportunity to gain the group’s support during negotiations and to discuss the application process with them in advance. It is possible to apply as an independent candidate, that is without the support of any Council group, but the possibility of becoming elected that way is small. You can find the Representative Council groups here: https://jyy.fi/en/get-involved/representative-council/

Application process

The application period for the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Board and Members of the Board for 2027 is open until Monday 9 Nov 2026 at noon.

According to the rules of the Student Union, every member of JYY can apply for JYY’s Board. JYY’s Board is elected in accordance with the Equality act’s obligation of equality (609/1986, Act on Equality between women and men) under section 4 a paragraph 2.

JYY’s positions of trust are applied to on a Webropol-form, through which the applicant sends in their application and CV.

For those interested in JYY Board positions, further information is available from Executive Director Teemu Vasama and Chair of the Board Aukusti Heilakka, as well as from the staff and Board members responsible for each team. Detailed contact information can be found here: https://jyy.fi/en/what-student-union/contact-information/.

Content of the applications

Those applying to be Chair of the Board

Applicants for the position of Chair of the Board are asked to address the following questions in a free-form application:

• Briefly introduce yourself.
• What motivates you to apply for the position of Chair of the JYY Board?
• In your opinion, what is the most important development objective for the coming year in member operations? What about in business operations?
• The JYY Board serves both as the executive board for member operations and as the main decision-making body of JYY. As Chair, how would you support your Board in successfully carrying out its diverse duties and responsibilities, ranging from organising events to making business investment decisions?
• The Chair leads the Board together with the Vice Chair, member operations together with the Executive Director, business operations together with the Managing Director, and the entire Student Union as the leader of the Management Team. What strengths and areas for development do you have as a leader in relation to this broad responsibility?
• Which team or teams would you be interested in leading?

In addition, please be prepared to present your own proposal for the composition of next year’s Board based on the candidates’ applications and interviews. The proposal will be shared with the negotiators at the beginning of the Board formation negotiations.

Those applying to be Vice Chair of the Board

Applicants for the position of Vice Chair of the Board are asked to address the following questions in a free-form application:

• Briefly introduce yourself.
• What motivates you to apply for the position of Vice Chair of the JYY Board?
• In your opinion, what is the most important development objective for the coming year in member operations? What about in business operations?
• How and in what areas could you support the Chair of the Board in your role as Vice Chair?
• Why do you consider yourself a strong candidate for the Leadership and Administration Team, and what relevant skills or expertise do you bring to the team’s responsibilities?
• Which team or teams would you be interested in leading?

Those applying to be members of the Board

Applicants for a Board Member position are asked to address the following questions in a free-form application:

• Briefly introduce yourself.
• What motivates you to apply for the JYY Board?
• In your opinion, what is the most important development objective for the coming year in member operations? What about in business operations?
• Which team are you applying to?
  • Which aspects of the team’s responsibilities motivate you?
  • Why do you consider yourself a strong candidate for this team?
  • What relevant skills or expertise do you have in relation to the team’s responsibilities?
  • Would you also be interested in serving on another team?
• During your year on the JYY Board, you will collaborate extensively both with fellow Board members and with a wide range of other people. How would you describe yourself as a team player and a member of a group?

Interviews and negotiations

All applicants for the positions of trust are interviewed at the Student House Ilokivi, on Tuesday 17 Nov 2026 beginning at 17:00. The event is open for everyone, and you can watch it on a livestream (the video will not be available afterwards). Before the interviews begin, the interview and negotiations process in its entirety is gone over with the candidates.

The day after the interviews on 18 Nov 2026, negotiations will be held at the Student Union house Ilokivi beginning at 17:00. The negotiators named by the Council groups will negotiate the Presidency of the Student Union and the composition of the Board. The President of the Student Union Heli Ylikoski facilitates the negotiations, to which each of the 2026-2027 Council groups has had a chance to name two negotiators. In addition, the applicants for the Chair of the Board have a chance to present their view on the composition of the future Board.

Applicants will be informed of the result after the negotiations end. The result of the negotiations acts as the base proposal at the organization meeting of the Council.

Selection

In its organization meeting on Thursday 19 Nov 2026, the Representative Council selects the President and Vice President of the Student Union as well as the Board including the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Board. The selection takes place according to the rules of the Student Union.

The start for the new Board and onboarding

The elected Board are invited from Monday 23 Nov 2026 onward to follow and become familiar with JYY activities that include for instance team meetings, meetings of the JYY Board for 2026 and potential working groups and meetings. The elected Board is expected to participate in the following events in particular:

• Practical matters and detailed schedules for December: Monday, November 23, approximately 1:00–4:00 p.m.
• Representative Council budget meeting on Thursday, November 26, starting at 5:15 p.m.
• Meeting with JYY’s operational management and orientation on Wednesday, December 2, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• (As an optional activity, the new Board is warmly invited to join JYY Pub Tour on the evening of Wed, Dec. 2)
• The main orientation period for December will be Dec. 4–15 on weekdays from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (A more detailed orientation schedule will be sent to those selected)
• Organizational meeting of the new board on Tuesday, December 8, starting at noon.
• Representative Council meeting and preparation of the meeting room on Thursday, December 10, starting at 4:00 PM
• Board transition sauna on Friday, December 11, starting around 5:00 p.m.

After this, the office’s regular operations and board orientation sessions will resume on Thursday, January 7, 2027, on weekdays from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., when the new board’s term begins. The student associations’ seminar will be held on Friday and Saturday, January 15–16, 2027, where the new board will play a major role.

More information on the Board and JYY’s activities

Aukusti Heilakka
 Chair of the Board
 hpj@jyy.fi

Teemu Vasama
 Executive Director
 teemu.vasama@jyy.fi 

More information on the Representative Council and the selection process

Heli Ylikoski
 President of the Student Union
 epj@jyy.fi