Job Description

The University of Birmingham

Our University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900 by Joseph Chamberlain.  Since then philanthropy has continued to play an important role in shaping the University with funds supporting life-changing research, scholarships and new facilities.  This year we launched our new campaign, Birmingham In Action, which aims to transform lives for our generation and the next by tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges.  These challenges include access to education, cancer, youth mental health, the environment (including climate change and plastic pollution) and migration.  The campaign is a truly global campaign (having launched in Birmingham, London, Hong Kong, New York and San Francisco) and aims to raise £400 million, and secure 1 million hours of volunteering, making it one of the largest campaigns in the UK Higher Education sector.

Our student body is one of the largest and most diverse in the UK. Our students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from disadvantaged backgrounds, one of the highest proportions in the UK. All students are members of the Guild of Students, their students’ union, which supports them to develop skills outside of study, have fun and make sure their time at Birmingham is special. The Guild of Students, which was awarded NUS Students’ Union of the year in 2018, is home to over 300 student groups, so wherever our students passions lie, there is something for them.

The beautiful 276-acre campus – seven minutes by train from Birmingham city centre - includes 21 listed buildings and 6,500 trees. Over 30,000 students create a lively, vibrant working environment, with museums, an art gallery and botanical gardens, cafes, shops, concert halls, and sporting facilities. The benefits available to University staff include excellent transport links and our own University train station, additional holidays at Christmas and Easter, access to the USS pension scheme, and the University Sports Centre and pool. 

Development and Alumni Relations

The Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) exists to support our 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 60 staff across five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research trials, supporting student scholarships, mentoring students, and providing internships.

The role

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. From arrivals weekend through to graduations and the first five years after University, the Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will ensure a high-quality, engaging and tailored experience for students and recent graduates. Students are a key audience within the Birmingham In Action campaign, both as beneficiaries and as volunteers, and the Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will champion this at all times.

This will be achieved by developing and implementing activities to raise the profile of Development and Alumni Relations activity amongst this audience and promoting awareness of the alumni community. The Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will proactively seek opportunities for Development and Alumni Relations to connect donors and volunteers with students and recent graduates, and to promote opportunities for students to benefit from the Birmingham In Action campaign. The post holder has line management responsibilities for the Student Engagement Officer whose remit includes supporting the Lloyds Scholarship programme and working closely with the Guild of Students, and is based in their office up to two days a week. The Student and Recent Graduate Engagement Manager will represent DARO in relevant forums and networks across the University, and will work alongside the senior teams in departments such as in Careers Network and the Guild of Students.