Head of Innovation Services

Birmingham City University – Partnerships and STEAM

Join Birmingham City University in the heart of the city and lead innovation that makes a real-world difference.

We are seeking a strategic designer with expertise in UX and service design to lead our Innovation Services team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on helping people navigate complexity, unlock fresh thinking, and turn challenges into impactful ideas.

Based at STEAMhouse, you will lead a team of two Innovation Managers and drive the development of innovative products, services, programmes and strategies that support businesses and social purpose organisations. You will combine online and offline innovation approaches, ensuring our work is insight-driven, collaborative and focused on delivering meaningful outcomes.

Innovation is as much about mindset as it is about process. We are looking for someone who can draw on diverse disciplines and experiences to create tangible impact for business and industry. If you are passionate about collaborative problem-solving and motivated by the opportunity to work across a large organisation to create tangible impact for business and industry, this role could be the perfect next step.

As part of our newly formed Partnerships and STEAM directorate, you will:

• Lead STEAM innovation services, events and growth programmes
• Facilitate open innovation projects, including strategic product development and Challenge Events
• Build and nurture a vibrant innovation community
• Develop user-led applications and digital touchpoints within wider innovation ecosystems
• Create cross-innovation opportunities that deliver value for both BCU and external partners

We welcome applications from individuals with a relevant professional or business qualification to degree level (or equivalent experience), including those beyond the traditional design and creative industries. You will bring:

• A commercially driven, entrepreneurial mindset
• Strong digital capability, including Adobe Creative Suite and prototyping tools such as Figma or Adobe XD
• The ability to clearly communicate innovation methods and demonstrate their value to stakeholders (e.g. systems mapping, user journeys, data visualisation)
• Confidence leading multi-stakeholder innovation projects from end to end, balancing competing priorities and deadlines
• Deep knowledge of design thinking methods and the ability to design and deliver bespoke co-creation activities
• Experience facilitating multidisciplinary teams and communicating project outcomes effectively
• The ability to work independently, manage a varied portfolio and deliver to tight timescales

We offer a generous pension and annual leave provision (40 days including statutory holidays), family-friendly policies and state-of-the-art campus facilities. We also operate a hybrid working model that allows staff to combine on-site and remote working where appropriate, dependent on work duties.

Informal queries regarding the role are very welcome and should be directed to either Nick Morton (nick.morton@bcu.ac.uk) or Jan Gilder (jan.gilder@bcu.ac.uk).

Please apply via the ‘Apply’ button above.

Interviews for the role are envisioned to take place on the 30th of April 2026.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to enter the LGPS scheme will be able to do so and will be employed by Birmingham City University directly.