Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager -Development and Alumni Relations Office - Grade[...]

Position Details

Development and Alumni Relations Office

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to June 2026

Closing date: 2nd April 2025

UK travel may be required for this role

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high-quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Background

DARO exists to support this academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

Role Summary

The Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will have sole responsibility for developing, leading and implementing a strategic programme which champions engagement with students and recent graduates across the University both on our Edgbaston and Dubai campuses. From arrivals weekend through to graduations and the first five years after University, the Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will ensure a creative, engaging and tailored experience for students and recent graduates.

2025 marks the University’s 125th Anniversary, and the post holder will be responsible for maximising the opportunities presented by this occasion to support strategic imperatives around student recruitment, graduate employability and philanthropy.

Main Duties

• Responsibility for developing, delivering, and evaluating a programme of activities to engage, inform and inspire students and recent graduates (0-5 years out) to interact with Development and Alumni Relations programme through the Birmingham in Action campaign.
• Ensure the programme proactively contributes to and influences strategic priorities at the University such as student recruitment (domestic and international), graduate employability and student experience.
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with the Guild of Students, Careers Network, Outreach, External Relations and other important external networks and key stakeholders.
• Management of the Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Officer, ensuring that activities within the Student Engagement programme are delivering against objectives and remain beneficial to the Philanthropy teams.
• Lead DARO activity relating to the Graduate Outcomes Survey and work closely with Careers Network to further develop career support for recent graduates.
• Proactively identify opportunities for alumni and donors to support student groups.
• Work with the Regular Giving, Philanthropy and Volunteering teams to build a sustainable pipeline of volunteers and donors.
• Responsibility for the Alumni Impact Fund for staff and students in Edgbaston and Dubai.
• Responsibility for DARO led activity at graduations, ensuring our graduates are celebrated and welcomed into the alumni community.
• Set objectives for the programme, evaluate impact and implement change when required.
• Manage the student and recent graduate budget and ensure activity is delivered in an efficient manner.
• Champion the student and recent graduate audience at all times.
• Work closely with the Head of Engagement to ensure the Student and Recent Graduate programme is aligned to DARO’s and the University’s strategic objectives.
• Promote equality and value diversity.
• Support the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Qualified to Degree level or equivalent plus practical managerial experience or significant relevant experience.
• Experience of supporting or developing engagement programmes, ideally working with students and/or recent graduates.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to produce and analyse information and data.
• Excellent people-management skills.
• Excellent budgetary management skills and experience.
• Highly proficient IT skills, including the MS Office and website editing software.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, relationship building and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication with ability to present to large audiences with confidence.
• Excellent organisational and multi-tasking skills.
• Personal confidence, independence and determination to succeed.
• The ability to think and plan strategically.
• The flexibility to work unsociable hours when required and to travel in the UK and potentially overseas.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010.

Dimensions

Roles at this level will require a broad understanding and practical experience of an administrative or professional field which will be used to plan the running and development of services and/or lead shorter-term projects.

Planning and Organising

• Plan the running and development of service(s), overseeing resources.
• Develop, agree and implement standards for delivery for own area.
• Manage a team of staff and review, develop and motivate them.

Problem Solving and decision making

• Review, develop and propose solutions for problems with staff, budgets, services and/or systems.
• Deal effectively with unexpected issues, such as changing priorities.

Internal and External relationships

• Understand their own and closely-related working areas and how they contribute to the success of the University.
• Develop excellent working relationships within and outside of own area.

Informal enquiries to Jane Bower, email: j.bower@bham.ac.uk