Corporate Philanthropy Manager - Development and Alumni Relations Office - 102809Z26 - Grade 7 in Birmingham

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term Contract up to August 2027

Closing date: 28th May 2026

This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.

UK travel may be required for this role.

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.

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.

The University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900. 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.

Role summary:

• Are you looking for a corporate partnerships role that contributes to a better society?
• Are you passionate about supporting the future pipeline of talent to fulfil their potential, regardless of their circumstances?
• Would you like to work with inspiring academics who tackle some of the world’s most pressing global challenges?

The University of Birmingham is recruiting a Corporate Philanthropy Manager, an exciting role that will join us in our ambitious ‘Birmingham in Action’ campaign and help us to grow our philanthropic income. You will manage a portfolio of corporate partners and prospects and will work with colleagues across the University to develop a pipeline of significant philanthropic gifts across priority themes and projects.

The Corporate Philanthropy Manager will be responsible for:

• Developing and strengthening relationships with key current corporate funders to the University to grow philanthropic income.
• Identifying and building relationships with new corporate funders with the opportunity to raise five and six figure gifts.
• Managing a pipeline of short, medium and long-term funding applications and relationships to enable year-on-year corporate philanthropy income growth.
• Oversight of key campaign programmes.
• Building close working relationships with academics, alongside other University colleagues, to find information needed to write clear and compelling proposals on existing and new areas of research.
• Managing the whole donor journey of a corporate funder, from identification to acknowledgement and stewardship.
• Meeting reporting objectives of funders and ensuring an excellent experience for funders.
• Efficiently use the Customer Relationship Management system to record and report on activity.
• Be responsible for adhering to relevant fundraising regulation and current data legislation in the UK and in target markets whilst ensuring fundraising is ethical.
• Understanding the breadth of the University and appreciating the differences of each College.
• Fosters a fair and equitable workplace for all staff.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience:

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications).
• Evidence of writing motivational and persuasive reports or proposals.
• The ability to understand and communicate complex expressions of academic vision to non-academic philanthropic supporters.
• Outstanding understanding of and ability to represent the vision and mission of the University of Birmingham.
• Experience of working to a minimum of five figure gifts and exceeding targets.
• Ability to prioritise own workload under pressure and balance a range of competing deadlines.
• Passion for and knowledge of Higher Education, particularly research and the role of philanthropy.
• Ability to build strong relationships and engage with individuals and organisations, internally and externally.
• Good all-round IT skills including competence with all aspects of MS Office.
• The flexibility and willingness to work unsociable hours (evenings and weekends) occasionally, when required.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life.