Student Number Planning Manager Fixed term (18 months)

Birmingham City University; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Career development

Pension and wellbeing

Job summary

Birmingham City University is seeking an experienced Student Number Planning Manager on a 18‑month fixed term contract. You will oversee forecasting, in‑year reporting and student recruitment targets, leading a small team of reporting specialists to support budgeting and planning processes.

You will work with Academic Schools, Marketing, Finance and other services to ensure accurate data and robust scenario modelling for strategic decision‑making.

Qualifications

• Degree in a numerate subject or equivalent.
• Experience of developing forecasting models.
• Experience of managing a small team.
• Advanced data analysis skills with large datasets and Excel/SQL.
• Experience creating dashboards using Power BI or similar tools.
• Able to manage workload and meet deadlines.
• Experience working across departments and building relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of student number planning and reporting analysts and manage forecasts within budget.
• Coordinate data collection for recruitment targets and reporting for committee approvals.
• Provide guidance on regulatory requirements, enrolment data and progression calculations.
• Analyse current and prior year data to identify trends and performance against KPIs.
• Develop and maintain enrolment, withdrawal and planning dashboards accessible across the University.
• Collaborate with Planning and Performance to support department priorities.

Skills

Forecasting models

Team leadership

Advanced Excel

SQL

Power BI

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in a numerate subject

Tools

SQL

Excel

SITS

Power BI

Job description

Student Number Planning Manager Fixed term (18 months)

Department Planning and Performance Department Location Joseph Priestley Building Salary £52,462 to £60,842per annum Fixed Term - 18 months Post Type Full Time Release Date 24 September 2026 Closing Date 23.59 hours BST on Monday 12 October 2026 Reference PP26001

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.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced and analytical Student Number Planning Manager to join Birmingham City University.

The post holder will be responsible for overseeing student number forecasting and in-year student number reporting, ensuring that information is accurate, timely and supports the University's planning and budgeting requirements.

You will manage the collection of student recruitment targets and student progression modelling, which will support the University’s student income model and budget. You will also manage a small team of reporting specialists who produce in-year reports covering enrolment and attrition against key performance indicators.

A key part of the role will be developing and improving student number planning products and scenario modelling. This will help the University respond to changes in student demand, demographics and Government policy.

You will work closely with colleagues across the University, including Academic Schools, Marketing, Recruitment and Communications, Finance and other professional services areas. You will provide advice and guidance on student numbers, enrolment, progression and the data used to support planning and reporting.

This is an opportunity for someone with strong analytical and forecasting experience who is able to work confidently with data, manage a small team and build effective working relationships across the University.

Main Activities and Responsibilities

• Lead a team of student number planning and reporting analysts, ensuring student number forecasts are completed accurately and within the University's budget timetable, including contributing to the Annual Financial Return required by the Office for Students.
• Work with colleagues across the University to collect performance data and student recruitment targets, ensuring the process is clearly documented and that proposed targets are presented for the appropriate committee and Board approvals.
• Provide advice and guidance to colleagues, including managers within Academic Schools, on regulatory requirements, student populations, enrolment numbers and progression calculations.
• Oversee analysis of current-year data and previous-year student statutory returns data to identify trends and performance against University key performance indicators.
• Work closely with Marketing, Recruitment and Communications on student recruitment target setting and with Finance on reporting relating to fee income.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of student enrolment, withdrawal and planning reports and dashboards, ensuring that information is accurate and accessible to colleagues across the University, including the Vice-Chancellor and University Executive Team.
• Ensure processes and documentation are kept up to date and that appropriate arrangements are in place to provide cover within the team.
• Develop scenario modelling that can be used at University, School and academic department level to support planning and decision-making.
• Assess and report on the impact of changes to academic regulations, University processes, strategy, course provision and the external environment on student number modelling.
• Work with colleagues across the Planning and Performance Directorate to support the delivery of departmental priorities and promote effective team working.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the line manager or Director of Planning and Intelligence.

You will need to demonstrate:

• A degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject, preferably with a numerate focus.
• Experience of developing forecasting models.
• Experience of managing a small team.
• Advanced data analysis skills, including experience of working with large and complex datasets and advanced Excel and SQL and/or other data extraction and analysis tools.
• Experience of creating dashboards using Power BI or other tool.
• A curious and tenacious approach to problem solving, with the ability to investigate issues and identify appropriate solutions.
• The ability to manage your own workload and the workload of others.
• Good time management and the ability to work to deadlines.
• The ability to work effectively with colleagues and manage upwards, particularly when delivering projects to tight deadlines.
• Experience of working across different departments and building effective working relationships.
• The ability to undertake duties at different University premises, including any University campus, as required.
• The ability to undertake other duties as required by the line manager or Director of Planning and Intelligence.

It would be desirable if you have:

• Experience of delivering five-year student number forecasts within Higher Education.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Experience of using or extracting data from the SITS student record
• Experience of negotiating and influencing colleagues and stakeholders.

If you have experience of student number planning, forecasting and data analysis and are looking for an opportunity to make a contribution to strategic planning at Birmingham City University, we would like to hear from you.

This is a key role in supporting the University to understand student numbers, plan effectively and respond to changes in the Higher Education environment.

• 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, wellbeingsupportand staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture– A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

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. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance;

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.

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.