Strategic Programme Development Manager - Executive Support - 102772 - Grade 8

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Birmingham is seeking a Strategic Programme Development Manager to lead and deliver major university-wide initiatives within the Executive Division. The role focuses on creating robust business cases, aligning governance, and driving measurable outcomes across academic and professional services units.

You will work with senior leaders to turn strategic ambitions into practical delivery plans and measurable benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering outcomes in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Ability to build consensus and influence across organisational boundaries.
• Strategic thinking with clear, persuasive communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage significant, complex university-wide initiatives.
• Develop robust business cases for executive audiences (UEB, Council).
• Collaborate with Programme/Project Sponsors to plan requirements and delivery.
• Provide thought leadership to define problems, options, and next steps.
• Scope and plan programmes of work, ensuring alignment with strategic initiatives.

Job description

Job Description

Position Details

Executive 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: 19 th November 2026

First stage interviews will take place on Friday 27th November (via Teams).

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

Strategic Programmes & Change is a high-performing team with a critical role at the heart of the University. We work with senior leaders to align stakeholders, set strategic direction and deliver outcomes — helping the University achieve its ambitions as a Global Top 50 institution and long-term financial sustainability. Our portfolio is complex, fast-moving and varied; no two days are the same.

Executive Division

Strategic Programme Development & Change sits within the Executive Division, led by the Chief of Staff. The Division brings together a varied team working collectively to drive the University’s performance and keep us on track to reach our Global Top 50 ambition by 2030. We use our convening power to lead key initiatives, maintain strong networks across academic and professional services — and beyond into the wider HE sector — and respond quickly as new priorities emerge. As part of the Division, you will benefit from access to these networks and the support of experienced colleagues across a range of fields.

We are trusted, collaborative and outward-looking, and we are seeking someone who shares our values: Ambitious, Open, Responsible, Collaborative and Innovative. We are committed to building a diverse team and believe that a mix of perspectives and experiences creates the best environment for success.

The right candidate will join over 10,000 staff at the University, with opportunities to join staff networks such as the Rainbow Network, Parents and Carers’ Network, Women’s Network, Race Equality Network, and Enabling Staff Network. They will benefit from good holidays and a pension scheme, flexibility (we are currently working to a pattern of three or four days from campus), and lots of opportunities for learning and development.

Role Summary

We are looking for a Strategic Programme Development Manager to join our highly regarded team. The successful candidate will:

• Have a proven track record of delivering outcomes in complex, fast-paced environments, with the resilience to navigate ambiguity and shifting priorities
• Think strategically — bringing clarity to ambiguity, identifying paths forward and developing creative solutions to difficult problems
• Build effective relationships across organisational boundaries, balancing competing interests to collaboratively build consensus and drive results
• Shape thinking, influence decisions and drive action – using clear, persuasive communication to build confidence, align stakeholders and deliver measurable outcomes

Our impact philosophy is simple: align with strategic priorities, lead with purpose, collaborate across boundaries, build institutional programme and change capability, and deliver measurable benefits.

The post holder will enable the development and delivery of complex, University-wide initiatives that advance the Birmingham 2030 strategy. Working with senior academic and professional services leaders, the role will turn strategic ambitions into robust business cases, practical delivery plans and define measurable outcomes.

When completing the application form, please use the person specification above to inform your answer to the section that says: This section should set out your reasons for applying, skills and experience, and other interests and activities as appropriate to the person specification. First stage interviews will take place on Friday 27th November (via Teams).

Main Duties

To be personally responsible for leading and managing significant and complex University-wide initiatives. This will involve:

• The curation of a coherent and robust business case for the intended audience (e.g. UEB, Council) that has explored all suitable options, having convened and coordinated the appropriate inputs, and ensures the alignment with all levels of governance
• Working closely with Programme/ Project Sponsors (academic and Professional Services) to identify and plan the requirements for implementation and ensuring that programmes will delivered in accordance with the plan
• Providing thought leadership, challenge and analysis to define the problem, identify ways forward and agree next steps for the benefit of the organisation
• Scoping and planning programmes of work, ensuring outputs are progressed and are integrated and aligned with the full portfolio of strategic initiatives
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