PERMANENT, FULL-TIME

Birmingham City University is a dynamic and forward-thinking institution, committed to providing our students with exceptional opportunities to excel academically and professionally. As part of our long-term vision outlined in the University 2030 Strategy, we are striving to create a pipeline of talent that drives success and innovation.
The Careers and Employability Directorate are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Careers Manger to join our management team, leading and managing a team delivering high quality careers and employability services to students individually and within curriculum.

KEY SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• Proven management experience in a careers, employability, recruitment or student services role, ideally within a higher education environment.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire colleagues to deliver results.
• Excellent understanding of the graduate employability landscape and labour market, with experience of embedding employability within the curriculum, for example work based learning, live briefs and incorporating authentic assessment etc.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to develop and maintain partnerships with academic staff, professional services colleagues, employers, and industry bodies.
• Experience in strategic planning, implementing new initiatives, and evaluating impact.
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset with a passion for improving student outcomes and enhancing employability opportunities.

ABOUT US

At the heart of our Strategy for 2030 and Beyond, it is our mission to enable our students to transform their lives and to achieve their potential. Through our education and research, and the roles our graduates go on to play in the world, we not only support individuals to transform their lives, but we also play a part in transforming society.
Located in the centre of the UK’s second city, we are a university with a long heritage of innovation and of making, dating back to our origins in 1843 when we were founded as the Birmingham Government School of Design.
Our heritage of making through innovation and its application through knowledge exchange, and of creative research and practice, today finds it expression in our STEAM agenda, in our research and enterprise, and in our commitment to challenge-based learning. Working across disciplines, and delivering impactful research and enterprise, interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the continuing transformation of our academic portfolio.

THE ROLE:

This is an important role contributing to “Talent for Tomorrow” a designated pillar within the university’s 2030 strategy. You will lead and manage a careers team aligned to academic Schools, delivering services and initiatives to improve our students employability and graduate outcomes. You will play a critical role in managing and delivering our employability strategy and framework, working with academics to embed careers and employability, work-based learning and authentic assessment opportunities into the curriculum, and ensuring that our students are well-equipped for successful careers in a rapidly changing global economy. You will work closely with academic and Careers colleagues, employers and other stakeholders to co-create flexible and impactful employability services that support our students progression into successful careers.
BCU has a diverse student population, and you will have experience of developing and delivering initiatives to improve positive graduate outcomes for all.
You will be joining a supportive and encouraging Careers management team and service, who have a real passion and desire to improve student outcomes and progression.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Team Leadership: Manage and support the Careers+ team in day-to-day operations, setting clear objectives and fostering a collaborative and inclusive working environment.
• Lead Strategy Development: Support School Senior Leadership and academics in developing and delivering the university employability strategy and framework, ensuring alignment with the university’s 2030 strategic goals.
• Work-Based Learning Integration: Lead initiatives to enhance student learning by developing placement and work-based learning opportunities, collaborating with module leads, and quality processes including curriculum mapping and revalidation processes.
• Reporting & Evaluation: Provide regular KPI reporting for the Careers+ management team and academics, to ensure the continuous improvement of the employability strategy.