Job Description

Position Details

Academic Services


Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK


Full time starting salary is normally in the range 32,546 to 35,116 with potential progression once in post to 39,355


Grade: 6


Full Time, Permanent


Closing date: 15th June 2025


UK and International travel may be required for this role

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

The University's Student Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team is dedicated to dismantling barriers and creating an inclusive learning environment and university life for nearly 40,000 students on our UK and overseas campuses. The team works in partnership with Staff EDI within Human Resources, academic schools, Professional Services departments, student groups, and external bodies to promote greater understanding between members of our community and affect positive change within the University, our city, and wider society.


The Student EDI team is within Student Services which is in turn under the aegis of Academic Services. In addition to Student EDI, Student Services comprises a group of functional teams that support students from the point of enrolment and Welcome through the entire student journey to Graduation, for all students at all levels, including University Graduate School, Funding Graduation & Awards, Student Disability Services, Aston Webb Student Hub, Student Wellbeing Services, Go Global, International Student Team, Student Experience and Partnership, and Student Communications.

Role Summary

The Student Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer (Widening Participation) in the Student EDI team will play a key role in supporting the University to deliver our founding civic ambitions of equality of opportunity for all. This involves coordinating and delivering projects as identified in the University's Access and Participation Plan and EDI Strategy and will undertake work under the direction of the Assistant Director of Student Affairs (Postgraduate and EDI) and Head of Student EDI.


You will work collaboratively to develop, deliver, and evaluate the University's Birmingham Scholar programme for nearly 4,000 students from widening participation backgrounds as identified in the University's Access and Participation Plan. You will oversee a range of initiatives to enhance students' participation and experience of university life, with a particular focus on supporting the academic success, student experience, and graduate outcomes of Birmingham Scholars. This includes the coordination of support activities that are delivered by Careers Network, Library Services, and locally by academic Schools and Colleges.


You will also contribute as a member of the Student EDI team to the team's day-to-day operations and relevant Student EDI duties. You will engage and work closely with relevant staff posts, including key colleagues from Academic Services, Human Resources, academics, and professional services staff across the University. Moreover, you will support constant engagement efforts with stakeholders to ensure a coherent approach to deliver the University's EDI objectives and ambitions for all students.


You will be part of a team of EDI professionals and be supported by student ambassadors to enhance awareness of our EDI activities on campuses and to implement engagement and dissemination strategies to promote good campus relations among our student population. You will draw from your lived experience, understanding of other communities, and guidance from the Assistant Director of Student Affairs (Postgraduate and EDI) and Head of Student EDI to navigate EDI issues that could be emotionally invested by stakeholder groups with dispersed viewpoints.


The role is an excellent chance to expand your EDI expertise and develop your professional network in the Higher Education sector. You are required to be flexible in developing both your role and best-in-sector EDI activities. This is a challenging but exciting opportunity to be part of a well-recognised team which would suit a highly motivated, self-directed, diplomatic, and proactive team worker.


The application period is open until 15th June 2025. The selection process is tentatively scheduled to take place in person on our Edgbaston campus on 25th June 2025.

Main Duties

Coordinating the planning and delivery of relevant EDI and Access and Participation Plan activities undertaken by Academic Services and wider Professional Services departments, Schools, and Colleges; Reviewing and updating the Birmingham Scholar programme with colleagues across the University periodically to help implement new initiatives to meet the changing needs of Birmingham Scholars; Enhancing operational efficiency of the Birmingham Scholar programme by streamlining administrative processes and leveraging technology for better data management and visualisation; Delivering the University's evaluation strategies and relevant reports for the Birmingham Scholar programme, including assessment against the University's Access and Participation Plan targets, the Office for Students' widening participation toolkit, and the theory of change model; Creating programme-level communications and providing individualised follow-up interventions or engagements as needed; Providing support for the team's current or future projects and operations to enhance an inclusive campus culture and embed community cohesion; Collaborating with staff from across the University to support students who come from marginalised, disadvantaged, or underrepresented communities; Participating in work at the University to enhance inclusivity in students' academic and social experiences; Acting as a key conduit between Student EDI and the campus community; Promoting equality and values diversity, acting as a role model, and fostering an inclusive working culture; Supporting the University's sustainability agenda through resource efficient working; Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) - where no equivalent qualification is held, practical relevant experience and expertise in Higher Education will be required; Knowledge of the interaction between EDI, widening participation, and student issues in Higher Education; Strong understanding of the student experience, issues, and the student lifecycle; Ability to establish and communicate clear boundaries to students and stakeholders to ensure assistance is provided proportionally and within defined resources and limits; Excellent interpersonal skills to connect with all students and different stakeholders across the University effectively and appropriately; Ability to work as a member of a team as well as on own and in a proactive way; Proficiency in assessing and measuring the effectiveness of programmes and activities through relevant metrics and evaluation techniques; Knowledge and experience of organising online and in-person events; Knowledge and experience of developing and maintaining social media and promotional content; Working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office software and the ability to interpret and present data in reports; Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Role context

As a key liaison and co-ordination role, you will be liaising with members of the university community and beyond. This will involve regular communication between a variety of stakeholders and the development of successful working relationships to effectively affect positive change for inclusivity. You will also take the day-to-day operational decisions relating to the team's activities. The role will be required to develop initiatives and approaches proactively, and to identify and recommend improvements to the service, and work across the University as required. You will need to be self-motivated and manage your workload autonomously, whilst also keeping an awareness of the activities of the wider team.



Informal enquiries to Dr Sammy Li, email: s.li.4@bham.ac.uk


View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy

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You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone

on our website

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