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 one of our many strengths, 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
Although the formal job description is aligned to a Senior Administrative Officer role, we are seeking a candidate with charitable fundraising / “Development Officer” experience who can support the delivery of ambitious fundraising and donor engagement activity at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire during a period of maternity leave.
Birmingham City University’s Development Office is seeking a personable, proactive and goal-oriented Development Officer to support the Head of Development in delivering significant growth in charitable support through a fundraising campaign for the Conservatoire.
Working closely with the Head of Development, you will play a key role in generating philanthropic support for a range of fundraising priorities and projects including student hardship, learning and participation, and new performance opportunities. You will manage and grow your own pipeline of prospects, including individuals, members and grant-making trusts, delivering strategies to engage supporters and contributing towards agreed income and activity targets.
You will also support donor stewardship and regular giving programmes, including an existing membership scheme, growing an annual fund and working on a range of stewardship opportunities and events. This role provides an excellent opportunity for someone working in the arts, charity or higher education sectors who is looking to further develop their career in fundraising and development on a fixed-term basis.
The successful candidate will be a confident written and verbal communicator with excellent relationship management skills, able to present complex information effectively to different audiences and work collaboratively with colleagues and external stakeholders. You will be organised, entrepreneurial and motivated by achieving challenging goals and deadlines.
Roles and Responsibilities
You will:
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Develop and manage relationships with prospective donors, members and grant-making trusts to support fundraising priorities.
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Maintain, grow and manage a pipeline of prospects, supporting engagement strategies, donor cultivation and stewardship activity.
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Support fundraising campaigns and projects, working towards agreed income and activity targets.
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Research and identify new fundraising opportunities and potential sources of support.
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Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior colleagues, donors and partners.
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Support the delivery of donor stewardship and regular giving programmes, ensuring a positive supporter experience.
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Coordinate fundraising events, meetings and engagement activities.
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Produce high-quality reports, presentations, briefing documents and correspondence for a range of audiences.
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Collect, analyse and present data to support fundraising activity, reporting and decision-making.
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Maintain accurate records, databases and information systems to support effective relationship management.
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Support effective administrative systems for key activities, projects and fundraising initiatives.
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Provide operational support for committees, project boards, meetings and similar groups.
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Maintain accurate financial records and support budget monitoring and reporting.
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Respond to enquiries and requests for information professionally and efficiently.
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Work collaboratively across the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and wider University to support development objectives.
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Maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with information governance requirements.
Essential Criteria
You will have:
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A good first degree or equivalent relevant experience and achievements.
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Experience of working in a development, fundraising, relationship management or customer-focused role.
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Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with a range of stakeholders.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with different audiences.
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Strong interpersonal skills, with a professional, confident and diplomatic approach.
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Experience of managing projects, activities or events.
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Experience of producing high-quality written communications, reports, presentations or briefing documents.
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Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines.
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Excellent attention to detail and the ability to maintain accuracy while working at pace.
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Experience of using data and information to support decision-making and reporting.
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Excellent IT skills, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
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Experience of managing electronic and paper-based information systems.
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Ability to work independently, use initiative and manage a varied workload.
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Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
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Understanding of information governance principles.
Desirable Criteria
It would be advantageous to have:
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Experience of fundraising within higher education, arts, cultural or charitable organisations.
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Experience of developing donor, supporter or membership relationships.
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Experience of working with fundraising databases or CRM systems.
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Experience of supporting philanthropic campaigns or income-generation activity.
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Experience of working with senior stakeholders, donors or external partners.
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Knowledge and understanding of the higher education or creative arts sector.
Further Information
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Terry Gibson, Head of Development at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire at [email protected]
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Why work for us
Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).-
Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
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Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, a health cash plan, wellbeing support and a wide range of staff benefits.
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Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.
Visa Sponsorship
This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. For further information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.
Disability Confident Employer
Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.
