Senior Schools and Colleges Officer

Birmingham City University; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working (role dependent)

Health cash plan

Job summary

Birmingham City University is recruiting a Senior Schools and College Outreach Officer to join the Marketing and Communications team in Birmingham. You will take BCU’s story into schools and colleges, build partnerships, and deliver engaging activities that raise awareness and drive applications.

You will manage a portfolio of partner institutions, develop tailored engagement programmes, and work closely with academics, School teams and external partners to support recruitment and widening

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level, confident presenter, excellent relationship-builder, highly organised.
• Experience working with young people or schools/colleges in recruitment/widening participation is an advantage.
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver brand and subject-level messaging in schools, colleges and at on-campus events.
• Manage relationships with partner institutions and report insights, trends competitor activity.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate a year-round programme of student engagement activities.
• Ensure consistent use of BCU’s brand narrative across all materials.
• Train and supervise Student Ambassadors and act in loco parentis at events.
• Maintain accurate partner contact data and conduct risk assessments for all activities.
• Support BCU’s Access and Participation Plan and work with external widening participation partners.

Skills

Public speaking

Relationship building

Organised

Experience with young people

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Department Outreach and Partnerships Location Joseph Priestley Building Salary £39,002 to £44,131 per annum Permanent Post Type Full Time Release Date 10 September 2026 Closing Date 23.59 hours BST on Monday 05 October 2026 Reference M126028

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 a Senior Schools and College Outreach Officer to join our Marketing and communication team supporting the delivery of high-quality services across the University. In this role, you will take BCU’s story into schools and colleges, build strong partnerships, and deliver engaging activities that raise awareness and drive applications. You will act as an account manager for a portfolio of schools and colleges, developing tailored engagement programmes and working closely with academics, School teams and external partners. You’ll deliver talks, workshops and on‑campus events for school‑aged audiences, supporting both recruitment and widening participation objectives. You will be a confident presenter, an excellent relationship‑builder and highly organised. Experience working with young people, schools/colleges or in student recruitment/widening participation is an advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver brand and subject‑level messaging in schools, colleges and at on‑campus events.
• Manage relationships with partner institutions and report insights, trends competitor activity.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate a year‑round programme of student engagement activities.
• Ensure consistent use of BCU’s brand narrative across all materials.
• Train and supervise Student Ambassadors and act in loco parentis at events.
• Maintain accurate partner contact data and conduct risk assessments for all activities.
• Support BCU’s Access and Participation Plan and work with external widening participation partners.

Essential Requirements

• You will be educated to degree level, a confident presenter, an excellent relationship‑builder and highly organised.
• You must have experience working with young people, schools/colleges or have experience working in student recruitment/widening participation is an advantage.
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills

Desirable Requirements

• You will have strong communication skills and some experience working in marketing or student recruitment
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office is essential

Further Information

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 re‑enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.

Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University

Why work for us

• Work–life balance– Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
• Career development– Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
• Reward and wellbeing– Competitive pay, pension, a health cash plan, wellbeing support and a wide range of staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture– A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

Use of AI in applications

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.

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 Committed 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.