Operations Coordinator (BISCA/IDAI) - Institute for Data and AI (IDAI) and the Birmingham Insti[...]

Position Details

Institute for Data and AI (IDAI) and the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA) – Full‑time Fixed‑Term Contract up to 6 months. Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston. Salary: £30,062 – £31,900, potentially progressing to £35,883. Grade 5. Closing date: 13 July 2026. The role is also open as an internal secondment.

Role Summary

As Operations Coordinator (BISCA/IDAI), you will be a key member of the institutes’ joint professional service team, based at the Elm House Hub. You will provide support across a wide range of administrative duties for both institutes, liaising with the Head of Institute Operations, staff from the institutes, research centres, schools and the wider university.

Main Duties

• Complex diary management, event and meeting planning (6‑12 months ahead), making decisions on time priorities.
• Proactive management of institute email inboxes, Microsoft Teams sites and channels, including decision‑making on behalf of others.
• Handling complex enquiries and correspondence independently, redirecting to senior colleagues when required.
• Maintain high‑profile working relationships with key stakeholders, fielding enquiries and ensuring correct information is disseminated.
• Preparation and collation of meeting‑related papers, determining required information, articulating deadlines, and chasing deadlines; may attend meetings, take minutes and follow up.
• Arrange complex UK and overseas travel (flights, hotels, transfers, itineraries) within budget constraints.
• Organise events (venue booking, invitations, refreshments, speaker liaising, bookings, coordination of colleagues, advertising, feedback and reporting).
• Collate, analyse and interpret data, identifying and resolving data issues.
• Manage small projects on own initiative; carry out desk research and source data for larger projects.
• If supervisory, line‑manage staff, coordinate others’ work, and coach team members; if not, act as a role model.
• Support development and implementation of operational processes and systems, interpreting and navigating variations in local processes.
• Responsible for monitoring budgets, authorising expenditure, procuring goods and services, writing departmental communications, overseeing Elm House office and spaces, handling health and safety, HR tasks such as staff absence and induction, managing international visitors, and ensuring internal procedures and compliance are followed.
• Undertake suitable training or certification to act as First Aider and Fire Warden at Elm House.
• Champion non‑pay efficiencies and the university’s sustainability aims in procurement and budgeting.
• Support equality and diversity, moderating behaviour to avoid unfair discrimination.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to A Level standard or equivalent level 3 qualification (e.g., Level 3 NVQ, national diploma). Evidence of skills to undertake the role.
• Minimum grade C/4 in Mathematics and English at GCSE or equivalent level 2.
• Highly proficient in IT, especially complex electronic diaries and email, Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint) and ERP experience; confident in learning new IT tools.
• Proven ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements and manage own and others’ workloads to meet deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for different audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills, inspiring confidence, commanding authority and delivering excellent customer service.
• Professionalism, tact, diplomacy and discretion with sensitive information.
• High initiative, judgment, resourcefulness, flexibility and self‑motivation.
• Ability to work effectively in a large, complex organisation and understand university operations.
• Understanding of policy and procedures and ability to apply them.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues per relevant policies.
• Preferred: Experience in a Personal Assistant role (diary management, events organisation).

Benefits

Generous benefits include 40 days paid holiday per year, one paid day for volunteering, occupational sick pay, a pension scheme and three subsidised day nurseries. Flexible working arrangements are also offered.

Additional Information

Informal enquiries: Jessica Mylchreest, j.mylchreest@bham.ac.uk.

Use of AI in applications: Applicants should use their own communication style. Over‑reliance on AI tools may result in a generic application lacking needed detail.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. You can find more about our work to create a fairer university on our website.