Department
Student Advice and Community
Location
City Centre Campus/City South Campus
Salary
£32,006 to £35,331 minimum per annum
Permanent
Post Type
Full Time
Release Date
06 August 2026
Closing Date
23.59 hours BST on Sunday 23 August 2026
Reference
S126041
About Birmingham City University
At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.
Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.
Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.
By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.
Role Summary
We are seeking two Senior Student Retention Coordinators to join our centralised Student Retention team. These newly created roles offer an exciting opportunity to contribute to the University's commitment to student experience and success, supporting both Home and International students.
In this role, you will play a key part in supporting student continuation, progression and success through the management of student engagement and retention casework. You will provide specialist case management for students experiencing barriers to engagement, attendance, continuation and progression, using professional judgement to coordinate appropriate interventions and support. Working closely with academic colleagues, professional services teams and specialist support services, you will contribute to effective retention activity, promote consistent practice and support the continuous improvement of student engagement processes.
Key Responsibilities
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Manage a specialist caseload of complex or high-risk student retention cases including students with persistent non-engagement, repeated absence concerns, withdrawal requests, acting as an escalation point for complex matters.
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Deliver targeted retention activity for identified priority student groups.
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Work collaboratively with academic and professional services colleagues to coordinate student support.
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Provide operational guidance and support to Retention Coordinators, promoting consistent practice across the team.
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Identify emerging trends through data and insight, contributing to the continuous improvement of student retention processes.
We welcome applications from candidates both within and outside of Higher Education. Whether your experience has been gained in a university or another student or customer-facing environment, you'll bring the ability to manage sensitive casework, exercise sound professional judgement and work collaboratively to achieve positive outcomes.
Essential Requirements
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Experience of managing sensitive, complex or high-risk casework requiring professional judgement, discretion and confidentiality.
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Experience of supporting students experiencing barriers to engagement, continuation or progression.
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Experience of using data, systems or records to monitor and track student activity.
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Ability to manage competing priorities and a complex caseload effectively within a busy operational environment.
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Knowledge of student support services and the ability to provide appropriate guidance and signposting.
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Ability to work collaboratively with academic and professional service colleagues to support positive student outcomes.
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Understanding of the importance of student engagement, continuation and progression within the student journey.
Desirable Requirements
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Experience of using student records systems or attendance monitoring systems.
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Knowledge and understanding of the Higher Education landscape, including TEF, Access and Participation Plans or widening participation priorities.
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Experience of providing guidance, support or operational advice to colleagues within a team environment.
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Understanding of the barriers that can impact student engagement and success in higher education.
Further Information
If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of student retention and contribute to improving student success at Birmingham City University, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Gurpri Bains at gurpri.bains @bcu.ac.uk.
Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University
Why work for us
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Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
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Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
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Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
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Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.
Visa Sponsorship
This role does not meet the minimum salary requirements for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. We are therefore unable to consider applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK.
