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

Position Details

Salary: £30,062 to £31,900 per annum (Grade 5). Potential progression to £35,883.

Open to internal secondment with line‑manager approval.

Benefits and Working Conditions

Generous benefits include 40 days paid holiday, one volunteering day per year, occupational sick pay, pension scheme, and subsidised day nurseries.

Flexible working arrangements are available.

Background

The Institute for Data and AI (IDAI) promotes excellence in data engineering, data science and AI across disciplines.

The Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA) focuses on translating research into action on climate change and sustainability.

Role Summary

As Operations Coordinator you will support IDAI and BISCA across a broad range of administrative duties, liaise with senior staff, manage diaries, events, budgets, and support operational processes.

You may manage a small team and oversee the Elm House workspace.

Main Duties

• Complex diary management and event/meeting planning 6‑12 months ahead, prioritising tasks and building relationships across the university.
• Proactive management of institute email inboxes, Microsoft Teams sites, and channels, making decisions on behalf of others where appropriate.
• Handle complex enquiries and correspondence, directing to senior colleagues or departments.
• Maintain high‑profile working relationships with stakeholders and disseminate information.
• Prepare and collate meeting papers, set deadlines, chase submissions, provide committee support, take minutes.
• Arrange UK and overseas travel, including flights, hotels, transfers, and itineraries within budget limits.
• Organise events: venue booking, invitations, refreshments, speaker liaison, booking management, coordination, advertising, feedback, and reporting.
• Collate, analyse and interpret data; identify and resolve issues.
• Manage small projects, conduct desk research, and source data for larger projects.
• Provide leadership: line‑manage staff if in a supervisory role; coach team members as required.
• Develop and implement operational processes and systems, ensuring alignment with university procedures.
• Accounting responsibilities: monitor budgets, authorise expenditure, raise concerns, procure goods and services, update department communications, oversee Elm House facilities, health & safety, HR tasks, international visitor arrangements, internal compliance, and procedures.
• Maintain First Aider and Fire Warden training and certification if necessary.
• Promote cost efficiencies and sustainability in procurement.
• Support equality and diversity, ensuring fair and bias‑free practices.
• Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience
• Education to A Level or equivalent Level 3 qualification.
• Minimum grade C/4 in Mathematics and English at GCSE.
• Highly proficient IT skills: complex diaries, Microsoft Office, ERP systems. Ability to learn new software quickly.
• Proven ability to plan ahead and anticipate requirements, managing own and others' workloads.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across audiences, meeting deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, confidence, authority, and customer service.
• High degree of professionalism, diplomacy, discretion with sensitive information.
• Strong initiative, judgement, resourcefulness, flexibility, self‑motivation.
• Ability to work effectively in a large, complex organization and understand its roles.
• Understanding of policy and procedures and how to apply them.
• Commitment to equality and diversity, detecting and addressing related issues.
• PA experience: diary management, event organisation (desirable).
• Additional Information

This role may involve managing a team or budgets.

Work independently on daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, as well as medium‑to‑long‑term projects without daily supervision.

Decision‑making autonomy under the senior manager; responsible for diary, emails, papers and travel bookings.

Interact with internal and external stakeholders.

• Contact
• Informal enquiries: Jessica Mylchreest,
• Application Note

Use of AI in applications

We encourage genuine communication. Applications heavily reliant on AI may be perceived as generic and likely not progressed.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of University of Birmingham staff.

The University is committed to diversity, equal opportunities, sustainability, and awards such as Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter, and Disability Confident.

We have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre dedicated to creating a fair and inclusive environment.

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