Head of Engagement

University of Birmingham - Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO)

Location: Birmingham

Salary: £47,389 to £56,535

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 1st April 2026

Closes: 15th April 2026

Job Ref: 53158Z26

Salary:
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606

Hours:
Full Time with flexibility for 0.8 – 1 FTE

Contract Type:
Fixed Term contract up to September 2027

Interviews provisionally scheduled for 29th April 2026

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. The Office, which is comprised of five teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni, organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research projects, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships, as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

The Head of Engagement will be a key leader in DARO, contributing to DARO’s strategy and managing key day-to-day activities across the office. The post holder will be responsible for the creation and high-quality delivery of the global engagement programmes for DARO’s key audiences. The Head of Engagement will be a passionate champion of the alumni community, working with colleagues across the University to identify opportunities to enrich the alumni programme. The Head of Engagement will also be responsible for stakeholder management of a number of key contacts, internally and externally and play an active role in ensuring that alumni are integral to the delivery of University priorities including ranking as a global top 50 University, high quality student recruitment and supporting graduate employability. The Head of Engagement will play a key role in shaping the engagement programme in support of the final year of the Birmingham in Action campaign, encouraging audiences to support the campaign with their time, money and networks. and will generate creative ideas to engage our internal and external audiences and be responsible for setting objectives and ensuring effective delivery.

This role is ideal for a creative individual with the drive to spot exciting opportunities and to make them happen. Leading and working with a team of engagement professionals and collaborating with senior stakeholders across the University, you will drive our alumni relations programme forward. Candidates must be able to demonstrate, with examples, how they have led a team through the development and delivery of a significant engagement programme.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Informal enquiries can be made to Claire O'Sullivan, email: c.f.osullivan@bham.ac.uk

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.