Position Details
External Relations
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £33,002 to £35,608 with potential progression once in post to £39,906
Grade: 6
Full time, permanent
Travel will be required for this role
Closing date: 5th July 2026
Background
The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.
Department overview
External Relations is the division responsible for delivering our University to the world and prides itself in seizing opportunities that will enhance the profile and reputation of the University. We engage with many different audiences to build purposeful relationships internally, locally, nationally and internationally. We enable those who wish to apply to study on our courses to make informed choices. We recognise that we are strongest when we work together and take pride in upholding our core values of being ambitious, innovative, open, collaborative and responsible.
Role Summary
The Student Recruitment Officer plays a pivotal role in driving student recruitment and enhancing the University’s reputation. Working with colleagues across the University, the postholder is responsible for the delivery and evaluation of student recruitment activities to attract and convert prospective students across undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education markets supporting the University to build a high quality and diverse student population and achieve its growth ambitions for 2030 and beyond.
The role may involve outbound engagement at schools, colleges, fairs and sector events, or supporting subject-based recruitment activities within a College. The postholder will develop strong knowledge of the University’s programmes and opportunities, enabling them to communicate effectively with prospective students and advisers.
The postholder will build and maintain effective relationships and work collaboratively with key internal stakeholders, including across Student Recruitment, Marketing, Admissions, Colleges, and Professional Services.
Main Duties
- Deliver a range of student recruitment activities and campaigns, including large scale on-campus and online events, to help meet recruitment targets across all markets, monitoring budgets and performance.
- Work closely with colleagues across student recruitment, marketing, admissions, Colleges, the wider External Relations division, and across the institution to ensure a coordinated and unified approach to meeting student recruitment targets.
- This role requires flexibility, with a focus that may shift across different products and audience groups, in line with strategic priorities.
Activities, events and delivery
- Develop and deliver student recruitment activities and events on/off campus and online. This includes providing comprehensive event management support (e.g. logistics, venues, staffing, security, freight, catering, and accommodation).
- Represent and promote the University to engage and convert prospective students. This will include developing and delivering presentations to schools/colleges, representing the University at Higher Education events and ensuring a high quality experience at Open Days and other events.
- Work closely with teams across the University to develop and deliver subject-specific and other activity in line with recruitment strategies.
- Train and brief staff, student ambassadors and events teams supporting recruitment activity.
- Where appropriate support wider activities including Confirmation and Clearing, scholarship programmes delivery and administration, and subject interviews.
- Relationship and stakeholder management
- Act as the operational contact for schools, colleges, employers, professional bodies, partner organisations and recruitment service providers to support recruitment pipelines, escalating issues as needed.
- Ensure accurate capture and maintenance of contact, event and lead data to support CRM-driven follow-up and evaluation.
- Offer expert advice to these audiences on qualifications and student recruitment-related activities.
- Market insight and evaluation
- Contribute to market analysis and provide recommendations.
- Monitor and regularly evaluate performance against targets and drive innovation in student recruitment activities.
Leadership and management
- Where relevant, hold line management responsibility for staff, ensuring effective workload planning, clear objectives, and professional development to drive high performance.
- Manage student ambassador teams/events assistants supporting recruitment events.
- Deputise in a leadership capacity as required.
General duties
- Act as brand champion, representing and promoting the University’s values and identity in all interactions.
- Provide additional support to a range of activities, events, campaigns as specified by recruitment team and any other duties commensurate with the grade.
- Willing to work occasional evenings, weekends, and travel as needed to support recruitment activities, including school engagement activity on and off campus.
- Promote a supportive and inclusive team culture - working with discretion, demonstrate diplomacy, maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with GDPR, CMA, Safeguarding, OfS, and other regulations as required.
- Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
- Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent qualifications) in a related field and a desire to develop your career in this area - where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required.
- Previous experience in a relevant role; within a large, complex organisation desirable.
- Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to confidently engage large audiences through compelling presentations, and write clear, concise reports.
- Demonstratable project management skills with experience organising and delivering in-person and online events.
- Experience in using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and digital engagement tools with experience of Microsoft Dynamics, Gecko or similar systems desirable.
- Proven experience in managing relationships with the ability to influence and collaborate with colleagues at all levels, across teams, and with agencies and external partners.
- Creative problem solver with a proactive and resilient approach.
- Ability to analyse and interpret data and market research, making recommendations.
- Highly organised with strong administrative skills and attention to detail under tight deadlines.
- Experience monitoring of budgets.
- Good working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office software.
- Ability to work flexibly and effectively both in a team and independently, managing multiple priorities.
Other requirements:
- Commitment to demonstrating behaviours aligned with the University and External Relations framework.
- Willing and able to travel extensively across the UK, including during evenings, weekends, and overnight stays as required.
- Valid UK driving licence and/or ability to travel independently often during unsociable hours.
- DBS clearance required.
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
Role context
Roles at this level will require expertise and a detailed understanding of methods, systems and procedures in an administrative or professional area. You will either use specialist knowledge or have more of a planning/co-ordination/project role or a role which is supervisory in nature where you may manage a team doing similar kinds of work. You will have the opportunity to exercise a high degree of personal responsibility and initiative which you will use to resolve queries; you will use your judgement to deal with unforeseen problems and circumstances, all with limited guidance/supervision.
Core competencies/transferable skills
Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully use the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and the wider university.
Planning and organising
- prioritise and schedule work and resources to ensure on time and (where applicable) on budget delivery;
- set priorities and quality standards for a wide range of tasks and duties;
- manage a team of staff who are carrying out similar kinds of work;
- contribute to written documents, for example guidelines internal to the area, taking account of audience;
- operate with limited supervision as they will have considerable scope for initiative, within established work procedures.
Problem solving and decision making
- anticipate and identify issues in own area based on experience;
- make appropriate suggestions for improvements and implement these when agreed in own area;
- facilitate change, and articulate the implications and benefits of change to others;
- focus on determining short-term priorities of work area, and how to maximise quality, efficiency and continuity.
Organisational understanding
- quickly develop an understanding of their working area and how it contributes to the success of the University;
- display an interest in how the University operates beyond own working area; develop and share this knowledge with others.
Relationships and communication
- develop and maintain excellent working relationships in own area, and more widely as required for collaborative working opportunities;
- communicate clearly and openly with others both within and external to the University, and use a range of communication skills and strategies to gain commitment to a course of action;
- demonstrate collaborative working at all times, including with others outside the immediate work area.
DBS required
Pre-employment DBS
The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Informal enquiries to Katherine Pagett email:k.a.pagett@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
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. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website.
Contact Details:
The University of Birmingham Recruitment Team
