Description Position Details Development and Alumni Relations Office Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606 Grade: 8 Full Time, Permanent Closing date: 22nd October 2025 UK travel may be required for this role. Our offer to you People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success. We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University. 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. Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries. The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens. Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham Background Our University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900. With a clear vision to change the lives of the people of Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain raised the funds required to build the University from citizens and corporations based locally and around the globe. Since then philanthropy has continued to play an important role in shaping the University. There have been a number of fundraising campaigns, including a £1m urgent capital appeal after the Second World War and a £1.4m campaign to fund the Vale ‘student village’ in the 1960s. In 2015 we closed the Circles of Influence Campaign, raising £193 million, making it the largest HE fundraising campaign outside Oxbridge and London. The University has global reach, including several partnerships with other leading universities around the world, and is grounded in our local community, having opened the first fully comprehensive University secondary school in the country in 2015. We are an ambitious and successful research-intensive University (one of the top 100 research-led universities globally) and have produced 10 Nobel Prize winners, including three who received their awards in 2016. Academics here are exploring the impact of climate change, helping to address global health epidemics, and changing our understanding of Shakespeare. Our students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from underrepresented backgrounds: one of the highest proportions in the UK. 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. Role Summary Join us in the ambitious ‘Birmingham In Action’ campaign, which commits to raising over £600 million of charitable funding and 1.25 million volunteer hours, positioning the University as one of the world leaders in university development. To help fulfil our exciting campaign ambitions, we are seeking to recruit a ‘Charitable Funding Partner’ (CFP) to maximise philanthropic funding. A key member of the Development and Alumni Relations Office’s (DARO) Charitable Funding team, you will work closely with a range of leading academics and senior leadership to: (i) identify and create new charitable funding opportunities from UK and overseas Trusts, Foundations and Charities; (ii) set up and manage the development of long-term charitable funder relationships; and, (iii) develop compelling charitable funding bids to secure support for our life-changing research, education, and capital programmes. You will be an enthusiastic team player, inquisitive about the combined worlds of research and philanthropy with the skill to spot new funding opportunities, and confident in your ability to initiate and grow complex inter-organisational relationships. You will have an enthusiasm for building relationships and co-creating initiatives with funders and the talent to showcase the amazing work of our academics and scholars. Main Duties As a Charitable Funding Partner you will excel in the following areas: Delivering against set financial targets to secure year-on-year charitable income growth and creating a sustainable pipeline of charitable funding prospects (UK and overseas Charities, Trusts and Foundations). Planning and managing a pipeline of funding applications to achieve set targets, both for in-year presence and long-term sustainability ambitions. Identifying and creating new 6, 7 and 8 figure charitable funding opportunities by connecting the interests of charitable funders with the strengths, priorities and funding needs of the University. Working in collaboration with senior leaders, academics, and professional services staff (e.g. Research Support Services Division, Public Engagement, Student Services, and our many Institutes etc.) to support and build new and existing relationships with a range of charitable funders and external advocates who will help bring such opportunities to fruition. The post-holder will be responsible for coordinating the charitable funding process from the proactive identification of philanthropic opportunities to the development and submission of compelling bids (including taking a leading role in writing proposals, coordinating budgets, organising peer reviews of documents and interviews, and coordinating quality assurance of all bid components) through to gift acceptance and/or donor feedback. Adopting a relationship-led approach to establish and manage long term, effective and profitable relationships with existing and prospective funders and stakeholders. Managing the stewardship of a set portfolio of significant University charitable funder relationships (e.g. £m UK and overseas Charities, Trusts and Foundations) in conjunction with the lead academics and DARO’s Donor Experience Manager. Developing and delivering strategic and operational plans that will increase the number of charitable funders that are engaged with, and actively supporting, the University of Birmingham. Developing relevant high-level cultivation events and discovery days that will aid the expansion and strengthening of relationships with national and international charitable funders. Working with the Director of DARO, Associate Directors and Head of Charitable Partnerships to support the strategic direction of the Charitable Funding team function. Opportunity for line management and professional development of a Charitable Funding Manager. Building effective networks across the University (both with academics and Professional Services) to share research and funding intelligence, contributing to wider institutional plans to manage collaborative asks and approaches to key funders. Working in partnership with Gift Administration, Contracts, Legal and wider Research Finance teams to ensure charitable gifts are processed in alignment to donor wishes and counted in compliance with the campaign methodology. Working in partnership with University and College senior leadership teams, academics, and Professional Services colleagues to develop authentic and meaningful funding proposals that align to institutional strategy. Working closely with the wider Charitable Partnerships Team and Prospect Research Team to identify charitable funder principal gift level opportunities. Maintaining detailed records of all actions taken and information collected on the CRM database, reporting against pre-agreed KPIs. Responsible for ensuring all due diligence and gift acceptance procedures are fulfilled. Responsible for adhering to relevant fundraising regulation and current data legislation with a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct. Efficiently using CRM to record and report on activity – feeding into campaign data, team reporting and management information for the senior leadership team. Understanding the priorities for the University Strategic Framework, and its implications for Colleges, DARO and the University. Actively managing equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour. Supporting the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working. Any other duties commensurate with the grade. Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience Relevant degree or relevant equivalent professional qualification or substantial relevant experience evidencing the experience required in this role Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, including broader sector/commercial awareness. Strong track record of securing 6-figure and, possibly, 7-figure gifts/research funding for charitable causes. Evidence of understanding and translating complex information to create compelling funding proposals, and the ability to present information, in both written and verbal form, in an engaging and accessible manner. An ability to identify, build, and develop new and existing charitable funder networks in the UK and internationally. Demonstrable experience of building strong mutually beneficial relationships with senior level individuals both internally and externally (e.g. academics, senior leaders, Trustees). Extensive experience of working to and delivering against financial targets, with minimal supervision to deadlines. Experience of developing strategic funding plans. Demonstrable experience of working with, inspiring, and influencing senior-level individuals both internally (e.g. Vice-Chancellor, Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Heads of College, leading academics) and externally (e.g. charitable funders and their networks). Strong negotiation skills and the ability to persuade and influence with sensitivity. The ability to represent the Colleges and the University internally and externally with confidence, diplomacy and authority. The ability to work with initiative, to take decisions, and think creatively and laterally. Substantial experience of engaging, and collaborating, with internal and external stakeholders. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and negotiate effectively with a range of stakeholders Highly proficient IT skills, including the MS Office suite. You should be confident and able to quickly learn new IT skills and software packages as required. Excellent people management skills, with proven experience of leading, motivating and managing teams. High level of self-motivation and personal accountability with ability to plan and deliver goals to deadlines under pressure. Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area. Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied. Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action. Role context Roles at this level provide authoritative professional advice across a range of activities and/or will lead and manage diverse team(s) and resources. You will use your professional skills to resolve problems where the solution is not immediately apparent. Significant evaluation and independent thought is therefore required to resolve ambiguity. You will have wide discretion to decide on direction whilst ensuring activities are broadly consistent with operational policies. You will be able to influence policy through advising on the impact of policy change and implementation in your area of work. You will need to assess the impact of your activities across your area, with related areas and to ensure they fit with the broader objectives of the University. Core competencies/transferable skills Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully use the following core competencies/transferable skills in each of the areas shown below. You will be expected to take ownership for getting things done, including calling on or joining others to assist. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University. Planning and organising provide professional expertise, and manage resources and/or a diverse team; integrate and co-ordinate work across different parts of the department/university; lead and manage staff who are likely to be carrying out diverse duties, and ensure collaborative working to deliver a successful service; project manage activities to facilitate major changes; develop policy within functional guidelines, and contribute to strategic development within own area; be accountable for the quality and professionalism of service delivery, with an appreciation of longer term issues. Problem solving and decision making anticipate, interpret and assess customer needs, identifying trends, generating original ideas and testing innovative solutions; deal with significant people management issues such as change programmes; resolve issues which may not have arisen before through use of experience and judgement. Organisational understanding has an excellent understanding of their own working area and a broad understanding of the contribution other areas make to the success of the University; has an excellent understanding of how the University operates, together with an understanding of how academia operates in the UK; demonstrates empathy with the academic endeavour and seeks to encourage others to do so. Relationships and communication use coaching skills to motivate and develop staff; proactively and sensitively manage the performance of their team and create a motivating environment; influence others (including across the University) to follow a particular course of action; represent the department at internal and external meetings/events/network with colleagues in other institutions to share best practice. Informal enquiries to Gemma Armstrong, email: g.m.armstrong@bham.ac.uk View our staff values and behaviours here 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 everyone on our website .