Donor Experience Manager - Development and Alumni Relations officeGrade 7

Position Details

Development and Alumni Relations Office

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range 36636 to 46049 with potential progression once in post to 48822

Grade: 7

Full Time Permanent

Closing date: 15th September 2025

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 andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global 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 todevelopthrough our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programmewhichprovides allprofessionalservices staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full almost 5000professionalservices jobs in a wide-range of functionsin Edgbaston andin our campus inDubai there are plenty of opportunities foryou to be able to develop yourcareer 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 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 areand how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees andtothe success of the University and depending on the role we offer avarietyof flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible addition you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 dayspaid holidaya 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 campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool shopsplaces to eat and drinkour own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham

Background

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City offering an inspiring education to our students and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open critical thinking and the creation sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally nationally and globally. They ensure the Universitys resources are used wisely manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University supporting colleagues to network and collaborate offering opportunities to learn and develop contributing to the delivery of the Universitys objectives and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Office Overview

Our University has a proud history of philanthropy stretching back to its foundation in 1900. With a clear vision to change the lives of the people of Birmingham Joseph Chamberlain raised the funds required to build the University from citizens and corporations based locally and around the globe. Since then philanthropy has continued to play an important role in shaping the University. There have been a number of fundraising campaigns including a 1m urgent capital appeal after the Second World War and a 1.4m campaign to fund the Vale student village in the 1960s. In 2015 we closed the Circles of Influence Campaign raising 193 million making it the largest HE fundraising campaign outside Oxbridge and London.

The University has global reach including several partnerships with other leading universities around the world and is grounded in our local community having opened the first fully comprehensive University secondary school in the country in are an ambitious and successful research-intensive University (one of the top 100 research-led universities globally) and have produced 10 Nobel Prize winners including three who received their awards in here are exploring the impact of climate change helping to address global health epidemics and changing our understanding of students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from underrepresented backgrounds: one of the highest proportions in the UK.

DARO exists to support this academic and student community by engaging inspiring and celebrating alumni individuals and charitable funders who give their money time and networks to support the Universitys strategic Office which is comprised of five teams is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni organisations and individuals who are passionate about changing lives through funding various research projects supporting student bursaries mentoring students and providing internships as well as providing a versatile programme of engagement opportunities for our global alumni community.

Role Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join DARO as Donor Experience Manager helping to shape and deliver outstanding donor journeys for multiple this role youll play a key part in deepening relationships with our donors and volunteers ensuring that their experience of supporting beneficiaries is meaningful personal and impactful.

You will lead on the planning and delivery of our donor experience programme from tailored communications and impact reports to stewardship and cultivation events campus visits and administration of our Recognition Circles. With a strong understanding of donor motivations youll create experiences that reflect the transformative impact of philanthropy and build long-term engagement.

You will manage a team of two Donor Experience Officers setting individual and team objectives while providing day-to-day support clear direction and opportunities for professional development. As a team leader youll create a collaborative and high-performing culture ensuring that workload is prioritised and balanced deadlines are met and work is consistently delivered to a high standard. This role sits in the Fundraising team within the Development and Alumni Relations Office.

Working closely with colleagues across Fundraising Charitable and Corporate Partnerships (Trusts and Foundations) Communications Events Data and Supporter Insight and Campaign Management as well as academics and Professional Services colleagues across the University youll ensure a joined-up approach that puts donors at the heart of our work. Youll also support the engagement and recognition of volunteers including bespoke activity for our Alumni Leadership Mentoring Programme members.

Were looking for a creative and collaborative individual with experience in donor or stakeholder engagement event delivery and writing for impact. Youll bring a strategic mindset excellent relationship management skills and a genuine passion for enhancing the donor experience at a leading university.

Main duties

The Donor Experience Manager will lead donor engagement activity across DARO and the wider University. They will be responsible for:

• Leading the planning delivery and continuous improvement of the Universitys supporter experience programme to strengthen retention reactivation uplift and diversification across all audiences: major giving charitable partners corporates mid-value regular giving legacy pledgers and volunteers.
• Developing implementing and promoting supporter engagement strategies and policies aligned with fundraising objectives the Birmingham In Action campaign themes and University priorities.
• Managing a team of two setting clear objectives supporting professional development and ensuring a collaborative monitoring activity and building a high-performing culture.
• Leading and supporting bespoke engagement for six-figure donors including impact reports working closely with the Senior Leadership Team and major giving charitable partner and corporate Fundraisers.
• Supporting stewardship programmes for the other audiences including regular giving legacy pledgers and volunteers.
• Planning and managing supporter events including discovery days and hosted dinners while collaborating with the Events Team to deliver larger events like the Recognition Circles celebration.
• Working with the Communications Team and Student and Recent Graduate Team to produce impactful digital and print content including reports videos and thank-you collateral.
• Managing and enhancing the Recognition Circles including the Chamberlain Circle Chancellors Guild of Benefactors Rowbotham Fellowship and Leadership Volunteering Circle.
• Delivering creative and personalised recognition initiatives such as donor boards plaques digital acknowledgements and surprise-and-delight collateral.
• Building strong internal partnerships across University teams including with senior stakeholders and with academics to create engaging content and support effective and integrated delivery of donor engagement activity.
• Using insights and data to inform strategy developing KPIs to monitor impact and report on the effectiveness of engagement activity.
• Managing and reporting on the Donor Experience Team budget ensuring accurate and cost-effective delivery.
• Promoting equality and valuing diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Supporting the Universitys sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge Skills Qualifications Experience

• Qualified to Degree level or equivalent plus practical managerial experience or significant relevant experience demonstrated.
• Previous experience in a relationship management donor experience fundraising or in an account management role.
• Skilled in developing compelling written content tailored to a range of audiences across multiple platforms including impact reports event briefings speeches and digital content.
• The ability tointerpret and analyse information and data effectively.
• Experience of event management and development.
• Excellent people-management skills.
• Excellent budgetary management skills and experience.
• Highly proficient IT skills including the MS Office and website editing software. You should be confident and able to quickly learn new IT skills and software packages as required.
• Excellent interpersonal communication relationship building and influencing skills with the ability to deal confidently with a range of internal and external stakeholders/contacts.
• Excellent organisational and multi-tasking skills with a methodical approach to work and the ability to prioritise workloads in order to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrable passion for philanthropy and volunteering with a strong understanding of the importance of the supporter experience in successful fundraising and relationship management.
• Experience of working in complex environments such as the higher education or non-profit sectors with the ability to think strategically and understand sector-specific challenges and opportunities.
• Proven ability to manage programmes and deliver complex competing projects successfully through collaborative and matrix working often to tight deadlines.
• Track record of building trusted productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including supporters senior leaders academics and other Professional Services staff.
• Evidence of personal integrity flexibility and a collaborative working style including supporting colleagues delivering on KPIs and adapting to evolving priorities.
• 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.

Informal enquiries to Helen Carey email:

View our staff values and behaviourshere

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. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website.