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 recruiting a Careers Coach to join the Careers and Student Opportunities team. You will have experience providing careers information, advice, and coaching in a person-centred way, with a strong understanding of students' needs and expectations. This role will involve actively reaching out to students, managing a caseload and delivering a variety of one-to-one and group-based employability coaching activities to enhance employability skills and make a positive impact on graduate outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver one-to-one and group-based employability coaching, tailored to student and graduate needs.
• Proactively reach out to students, manage a caseload, and remove barriers to engagement.
• Build strong professional relationships with students and stakeholders across the schools and the wider University.
• Develop, deliver and evaluate coaching activity, workshops and initiatives, using impact measures.
• Use technology to improve reach and scale of coaching and employability support.

Essential Requirements

• Proven ability to build successful professional relationships.
• Good understanding of how to engage less confident students, including those balancing work or family commitments.
• Experience developing and delivering training/coaching programmes and measuring impact.
• Experience using technology to support and scale service delivery.
• Ability to work collaboratively with Careers & Student Opportunities colleagues and faculty teams to improve student outcomes.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience supporting a diverse student population and applying an inclusive approach to coaching.
• Experience of employability coaching or careers work within a university setting.
• Experience working in a hybrid environment and managing your time across competing priorities.

Further Information

If you want to be part of a team shaping the future of the Careers and Student Opportunities team, we’d love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, contact Jo Howell at Jo.howell@bcu.ac.uk

Why not take a look on the interactive map that shows the facilities across campus.

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 enter the LGPS scheme will be able to do so and will be employed by Birmingham City University directly.

 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.

Closing Date: 20 Sep 2026

Department: Admin/Support Service

Salary: £39,002 to £44,131 per annum
Permanent