Sport Development Officer (Fixed term 3 years) in Birmingham

Department: Student Services

Location: Birmingham, England

Salary: £35,331 to £39,002 per annum

Fixed Term: 3 years

Post Type: Full Time

Release Date: 27 July 2026

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Sunday 16 August 2026

Interview Date: Wednesday 02 September 2026

Reference: S126040

About Birmingham City University:

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.

By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

Role Summary:

An exciting opportunity has been created for an energetic and committed individual to join the sport and active team at Birmingham City University, to coordinate and implement an athletics development and performance programme for the university and its partners, Birchfield Harriers, England Athletics and UK Athletics.

This ground breaking partnership aims to maximise the ideas, energies, and resources of all partners to ensure a coordinated approach to activity at the Alexander Stadium focusing on the priority areas of student participation, talent and performance development, and volunteering as we work together to harness the inspiration of the European Track and Field Championships being held in Birmingham during 2026 and to generate more regular coordinated activity on site at this world class sporting facility.

This role will be approximately 70% athletics focussed with the additional 30% focussed on the development of all sports and physical activity at BCU.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Participation – Increasing engagement with athletics at school, college, university and club level. Enhancing the number and quality of opportunities for engagement with the sport whether for new, existing or returning participants. Maximising the number of people transitioning to Birchfield Harriers and other local athletics clubs from educational environments.
• Talent – Growing the talent pool across the region through enhanced development opportunities. Maximising the visibility of athletics within the area as a catalyst for the recruitment of talent into the sport. Supporting an enhanced level of talent provision through utilisation of the Alexander stadium facilities. Work with partners to manage the transition of local participants into both the NGB and Birchfield Harriers led talent pathway programmes.
• Performance – Developing, implementing and managing high performance programme provision across in the area. Maximising the utilisation of the world class facilities at the Alexander Stadium through working closely with the NGBs and Birchfield Harriers. Engaging with the work of the partner NGBs, Birchfield Harriers and other clubs where appropriate to provide an increased level of support to performance athletes. Working with other local partners to ensure the performance provision is connected and targeted where necessary.
• Workforce – Devising and managing a short, medium and long term recruitment, development and retention plan for a workforce to support athletics at Birchfield Harriers, other local clubs as well as at regional and national level. Supporting the current and new workforce with targeted development and upskilling opportunities. Increasing the transition of athletes into coaching, officiating, events, administration and volunteering.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead on specific projects to develop increased engagement in sport and physical activity within BCU and its partner organisations.
• Organise, lead and develop the BCU sports clubs in conjunction with student led committees.
• Deliver a range of recruitment events for sport.
• Maximise the exposure of BCU Sport via a range of social media and communication methods.
• Provide termly statistical information and feedback to the Director of Sport and Physical Activity.

Qualifications:

• Degree or equivalent/relevant qualifications in a sport related discipline.
• Experience of developing and implementing sport and physical activity programmes.
• Extensive experience of working in a sport and physical activity environment ideally within an education setting.
• Proven ability to manage timelines.
• Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders, including clubs, NGBs, and community groups.
• Able to use social media and software that helps communicate to stakeholders both external and internal.
• Experience of employing, supervising and managing part time sports coaching staff.
• Experience of developing external partnerships with local and regional sporting and physical activity agencies.

Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated.
• Proactive.
• Ability to lead/coordinate and deliver without continual supervision and oversight.

Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).

Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.

Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, a health cash plan, wellbeing support and a wide range of staff benefits.

Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria.

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer:

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to re-enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.