Business Engagement Partner (Medicine and Health) Research and Strategy Services 53814 Grade 8

Position Details

Research and Strategy Services

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range 47389 to 56535 with potential progression once in post to 63606

Grade: 8

Full Time Permanent

Closing date: 27th April 2026

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

Research Strategy & Services Division (RSSD)

The Research Strategy & Services Division (RSSD) was established to provide a cohesive expert and agile research support ecosystem for the University of Birmingham. Since 2022 the Division has evolved into a vibrant high-performing community that supports all aspects of research innovation and business engagement across the institution.

Business Engagement & Research Impact (BERI) Team overview

Within the Research Strategy & Services Division the Business Engagement and Research Impact (BERI) Team has been established to bring together the functions of Business Engagement (Strategic Industry Partnerships Research Innovation Partnerships and Access to University expertise); Research Impact (Impact Strategy & Operationalisation REF Impact Case Studies Impact Acceleration Accounts) and Strategic Regional team capitalises on driving change through innovation and building partnerships to build on impactful research collaborations with research that matters to our partners. It will contribute to a significant step-change in research income through the development and expansion of new and existing research partnerships and collaborations; bring together teams that work across different research portfolios to improve the Universitys engagement with external partners and collaborators and support the development and delivery of an institutional Industry Engagement Strategy the embedding of a positive research impact culture across all disciplines and a new approach to ensuring the University can deliver research that matters to industry partners and policymakers.

Role Summary

TheBusiness Engagement and Research Impact (BERI) Teamplays a central role in growing the Universitys networks with international national and regional business to increase our reputation and impact. Our existing industry partnerships have had a meaningful impact on the University and have allowed us to support and further our research enabling our academics to make crucial breakthroughs to provide an enhanced student experience through internships and to offer academic consultancy and professional development for our partners.

The role of Business Engagement Partner requires an enthusiasm for people the skill to interact with high-level corporate professionals and academics experience of delivering against KPIs along with the ability to passionately translate complex information into a compelling case for support in both verbal and written form.

As part of the Research Strategy & Services Division the Business Engagement Partner will report to the Assistant Director for Business Engagement and Research Impact (CMH) and work closely with College Hub Research Support Managers and colleagues who provide comprehensive research support across the full project lifecyclefrom proactive research development and partnership building to proposal preparation costing and pricing duediligence checks and research agreement negotiations.

Working to individual team and institutional performance targets and alongside a central team of Business Engagement Partners the role will identify internal opportunities and align them with suitable industry partners. The post holder will be expected to build strong relationships with both existing and prospective partners supporting the development of corporate and strategic collaborations and contributing to the Universitys wider vision.

Within the College of Medicine and Health you will collaborate with colleagues to increase research income enhance impact and strengthen the Colleges position across the funding landscape. You will work particularly closely with key members of the College Hub RSSD team to expand industry-funded research and maximise research impact. A major driver for research and collaboration at the University is Birmingham Health Partners a network of six NHS Trusts two Universities and the West Midlands Health Innovation Network. To be effective in this role the successful candidate will require knowledge and experience of working across and developing funded collaborations with academia the NHS and industry. Experience with clinical trials and the NHS research and innovation environment and wider Life Sciences industry would be advantageous.

Main Duties

Developing corporate relationships:

• Co-deliver a College Business Engagement strategy with College Assistant Director for Business Engagement and Research Impact (BERI) and the College Business Engagement Partners
• Work with senior academic colleagues to bring relationships to fruition securing income and opportunities that deliver against targets.
• Build effective co-ordinated working relationships with a range of external stakeholders: Key partners in regional collaborative ventures relevant to the Colleges research themes ensuring co-ordination of promotional and business engagement activities and opportunities; Major corporates in industries relevant to the College across a range of sectors; Relevant city regional national and international business networking and brokerage organisations; Public sector funders who provide funding for engagement and collaboration with business.
• Deputising for the College Assistant Director of BERI as and when required.

Institutional relationships:

• As a member of the Research Strategy & Services Division to work productively with colleagues from across Professional Services to remove barriers to business engagement ensuring that the University can deliver to the timelines required by business;
• Support practitioner colleagues across the Research Strategy & Services Division to ensure that business-university projects progress effectively through internal systems and processes making recommendations for internal business improvement where required and making an active contribution to subsequent change processes;
• Work in partnership with the RSSD College Hub to ensure that there is a strong and effective link between the development of a business-university relationship and the operationalisation of this via approved contracts and established projects;
• Advocate for research and business engagement across the institution across the Professional Services and the Academy.

Organisational Understanding:

• Understand the breadth of the University and appreciate the differences in personalities roles and ways of working throughout the University and its constituent Colleges.
• Recognise the distinct but complementary roles of Business; Public; Civic; Community; and Cultural Engagement within the institution and understand how to leverage the benefits of each of these to enhance the Universitys offering to potential partners and clients.
• Show an appreciation of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)

Strategic Thinking and Perspective:

• Understand and convey the Universitys Strategic Framework its education and research priorities and the implications for projects.
• Recognise and enhance the value of local regional national and international partnerships to deliver value for projects/University.
• Understand and keep up to date with legislation and funding calls as relevant to the University.
• A highly developed capacity for short medium and long-term strategic planning.
• A practical understanding of the strategic management of business partnerships from the identification of opportunities through to completion and sign off.

Communication:

• Assist in the provision of expert credible and influential advice to the most senior internal and external stakeholders including the Chancellor the Vice Chancellor Heads of College and academic colleagues.
• Be an able and willing internal and external ambassador for the University who can use external networks for personal and institutional benefit.
• Demonstrate high level of self-awareness of own impact and modify behaviour accordingly listen and respond constructively to the realities and needs of others by using a range of communication skills and strategies.
• Display tact diplomacy and the ability to challenge convention and persuade others to consider alternative perspectives and approaches and gain commitment to a change or course of action.
• Able to deal constructively with conflict to reach a workable consensus and delivery of agreed objectives.

Performance and Resource Management:

• Ensure that the best possible business engagement service is delivered to the College Professional Services and the University.
• Maintain detailed records on the CRM database.
• Demonstrate experience of working collaboratively with others to deliver goals within an agreed timescale.
• Agree with the College Assistant Director for Business Engagement and Research Impact stretching but achievable targets and maintain a clear focus on activity which will achieve them.
• Take personal responsibility with the College senior team for ensuring that agreed outcomes are delivered on time and effectively.
• Actively manages equality diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.
• Supports the Universitys 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)
• Significant relevant practical experience where no equivalent qualification is held substantial practical relevant experience and expertise in a series of progressively more demanding roles will be required.
• Experience in planning and organising a comprehensive pipeline of industrycollaboration opportunities ensuring these are effectively managed to deliver against stretching project targets.
• Ability to balance the reactive and proactive aspects of the role generating own work but also responding the requests from the College Assistant Director for Business Engagement and Research Impact and external business partners.
• Have an understanding of the different drivers for business and academic stakeholders and how they can be brought together successfully.
• Ability to prioritise work under pressure
• Ability to take decisions and think creatively/laterally
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team
• Good understanding of the UK Higher Education funding environment with a particular focus on Industry
• Confidence in using research management systems and data to inform decision-making and service improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to interact with a range of stakeholders both internal and external to the University.
• Experience of championing Equality Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.

Informal enquiries to Florence Gannon email:

View our staff values and behaviourshere

Use of AI in applications:We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

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.