Innovation project manager jobs in Birmingham

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 its local community, having opened the first fully comprehensive University secondary school in the country in 2015. We 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 2016. Academics here are exploring the impact of climate change, helping to address global health epidemics, seeking ways to diagnose cancers earlier and create more effective personalised treatments, and changing our understanding of Shakespeare. Our students come from nearly 150 countries and our flagship outreach programmes mean that almost 25% of our student population come from disadvantaged backgrounds: one of the highest proportions in the UK.

DARO (The Development and Alumni Relations Office) 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 University’s strategic priorities. The 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 trials, supporting student bursaries, mentoring students, and providing internships. We are currently at the heart of delivering the Birmingham in Action campaign with goals to raise £600m and generate 1,250,000 volunteer hours.

As an office, we are committed to sustainability and value green working practices. The environment is an integral part of our campaign and we encourage eco-friendly ways of working in order to have a positive impact on our campus and global surroundings. 

Role Summary

We are looking for a Prospect Development Officer to join our highly successful prospect development team, working in partnership with our fundraising team to manage their prospect pools and portfolios. You will provide insight and advice on donors, trusts, foundations, corporations, and other organizations, collating and reviewing data and writing concise and informative reports for the fundraising team and senior stakeholders within the University. You will proactively identify new prospects, ensuring that biographical information is accurate and up to date. Other responsibilities include leading on the improvement and expansion of research processes, supporting with bespoke research requests, supporting the Head of Prospect Development with specialist research projects, and providing support to the philanthropic due diligence process.

 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. 

The Director of Charitable Impact is a senior leadership role responsible for defining, driving, delivering (operating), and evidencing Ben’s charitable impact. The postholder will lead the strategic and operational delivery of health, wellbeing, and support and specialist services, ensuring the charity demonstrably improves lives while strengthening its position as a credible, trusted health and wellbeing charity and thought leader for the automotive community.

Job Title: Director of Charitable Impact
Organisation: Ben – Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund (The Automotive Industry Charity)
Location: Home Based, UK (with regular travel)
Salary: c. £80,000 – £90,000 per annum + £5,000 car allowance
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports: Support Services Lead and Specialist Services Lead

This role combines strategic leadership, operational performance, service innovation, impact measurement, and external influence to ensure Ben delivers meaningful, measurable, and visible outcomes for those who need it most.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Impact

• Lead the development and delivery of Ben’s Charitable Impact Strategy aligned to organisational vision and priorities.
• Ensure the charity delivers clear, measurable, and demonstrable outcomes for individuals, families, and the wider automotive workforce.
• Embed an outcomes-driven culture focused on evidence, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Translate strategy into operational delivery plans, KPIs, and impact frameworks.

Service Delivery & Operations

• Oversee the effective delivery of all charitable programmes and services, ensuring they are high quality, accessible, safe, and impactful.
• Drive service innovation to meet emerging health, financial, and social wellbeing needs across the automotive sector.
• Ensure services are delivered efficiently, sustainably, and in line with regulatory, safeguarding, and quality / clinical governance standards.
• Use insight and data to inform service design, resource allocation, and performance improvement.

Health & Wellbeing Leadership

• Lead Ben’s evolution into a recognised, credible health and wellbeing charity for the automotive industry.
• Ensure services reflect best practice in mental health, physical wellbeing, financial resilience, and social support.
• Build partnerships with health, wellbeing, and sector specialists to strengthen service quality and credibility.
• Champion prevention, early intervention, and whole-person health and wellbeing approaches.

Impact Measurement & Evidence

• Develop and embed robust impact measurement, evaluation, and reporting frameworks.
• Ensure the charity can clearly demonstrate social value, outcomes, and return on investment to stakeholders.
• Lead production of impactful insight, data, and evidence to inform decision-making and external positioning.
• Strengthen the charity’s ability to use evidence to attract funding, partnerships, and sector influence.

Thought Leadership & External Influence

• Position Ben as a leading voice on health and wellbeing in the automotive industry.
• Develop insight, campaigns, and sector engagement that raise awareness of issues affecting automotive people.
• Represent Ben externally with credibility and authority across industry, health, and charity sectors.
• Contribute to policy, research, and sector dialogue to influence positive change.

Leadership & Culture

• Provide inspiring leadership to multidisciplinary teams, fostering a high-performance, values-driven culture.
• Build organisational capability in impact, service delivery, and wellbeing.
• Promote collaboration across the organisation, particularly with fundraising, engagement, and communications.
• Lead through change, ensuring services evolve with need and strategy.

Governance & Risk

• Contribute to Executive Team leadership, organisational strategy, and governance.
• Ensure services operate within legal, regulatory, and safeguarding frameworks.
• Manage operational and reputational risk relating to service delivery and impact.

Person Specification

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience within the charity, health, social impact, or related sector.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable social impact and leading outcome-driven services or programmes.
• Experience of overseeing complex service delivery / operational functions.
• Demonstrable success in leading organisational or service transformation.
• Experience developing impact measurement, evaluation, or evidence frameworks.
• Experience influencing external stakeholders and building credibility within a sector or field.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.

Knowledge & Understanding

• Strong understanding of physical and mental health and wellbeing, psychology and emotional wellbeing, prevention, and whole-person support.
• Knowledge of impact measurement, social value, and outcome frameworks.
• Understanding of safeguarding, quality, and regulatory considerations in service delivery (e.g. clinical governance requirements).
• Insight into the challenges affecting working people and communities (financial, health, social).
• Understanding of the charity sector, charity governance, and funding environment (desirable).
• Awareness of the automotive industry or willingness to quickly develop industry insight.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with strong delivery focus — able to translate vision into measurable outcomes.
• Operationally strong with ability to drive performance, quality, and improvement.
• Evidence-driven and analytical, able to use insight and data to shape decisions.
• Credible and influential communicator, internally and externally.
• Strong leadership presence with ability to inspire, engage, and lead through change.
• Collaborative and partnership-oriented.
• Strong judgement, integrity, and commitment to safeguarding and ethical practice.

Personal Qualities

• Passion for improving lives and delivering meaningful social impact.
• Purpose-driven, values-led, and mission aligned.
• Resilient, adaptable, and outcome focused.
• Curious, forward-thinking, and committed to learning and innovation.
• Empathetic and people-centred in approach.

Key Relationships

• Chief Executive and Executive Team
• Service Delivery and Impact teams
• Fundraising, Marketing & Communications teams
• Trustees and Board Committees
• External partners / organisations including automotive stakeholder or employers, health and wellbeing, welfare and charity, etc.

Success Measures

• Clear, demonstrable improvement in measurable charitable impact.
• Strong, high-quality, accessible health and wellbeing services.
• Recognised credibility as a health and wellbeing charity for the automotive industry.
• Robust impact evidence used to inform strategy, funding, and influence.
• Positive service outcomes, reach, and stakeholder confidence.

The Interim Director of Fundraising & Engagement will provide strategic and operational leadership to support the development of sustainable income growth during a pivotal transitional period as the charity begins delivery of its organisational strategy to 2030.

Job Title: Interim Director of Fundraising & Engagement (9–12 months)
Organisation: Ben – Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund (The Automotive Industry Charity)
Location: Remote, with UK travel as required
Contract: Fixed-term contract, 9–12 months
Salary: c£90,000
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports: Fundraising, Supporter Engagement and Awareness & Experience function

This role is primarily focused on strengthening and scaling voluntary income, leading a fundraising function, and building a robust, future-proofed income engine across the UK automotive community.

Marketing & Communications will play a critical supporting responsibility, ensuring strong brand positioning, audience engagement, and compelling storytelling that underpins fundraising success.

The postholder will also shape the future fundraising operating model and support a smooth transition to a permanent Director.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Growth

• Lead the development of an ambitious, income-led Fundraising Strategy aligned to the 2030 organisational strategy
• Drive growth across a diversified voluntary income portfolio, including:
  • Individual & Regular Giving
  • Legacy fundraising
  • Corporate partnerships across the UK automotive sector
  • Community fundraising and events
  • Digital fundraising and supporter journeys
• Build and scale compelling fundraising propositions tailored to the automotive community
• Strengthen income pipelines, forecasting, and KPI frameworks, ensuring clarity on short, medium, and long-term revenue generation
• Embed a culture of performance, accountability, and income optimisation, using data and insight to drive decision-making
• Identify and unlock new income opportunities, partnerships, and funding streams.

Supporter Engagement & Income Enablement

• Lead the development of end-to-end supporter journeys that drive acquisition, retention, and lifetime value
• Ensure audience insight and segmentation are embedded across all fundraising activity
• Strengthen supporter stewardship, ensuring high-quality engagement that translates into long-term income growth
• Foster innovation, testing, and continuous improvement across fundraising channels

Marketing & Communications

• Work with senior leaders and managers to refine and document insight-led marketing and communications delivery plans to increase awareness and engagement
• Strengthen digital reach across the UK automotive workforce and retired community
• Enhance brand positioning, messaging, and storytelling to grow both service uptake and supporter engagement
• Oversee audience segmentation and insight to inform engagement and behaviour change
• Ensure high-quality campaigns and content across digital, PR, social, and partnership channels.

Cross-Organisational Leadership

• Model collaborative, high-performance leadership aligned to organisational values
• Work closely with Impact and Service teams to ensure engagement activity reflects real community needs and insight
• Contribute to organisation-wide planning, budgeting, and transformation.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead and support Fundraising, Supporter Engagement and Awareness & Experience teams through a period of transition and change
• Identify capability gaps and implement solutions (training, reshaping, recruitment)
• Strengthen systems, processes, and performance reporting to support long-term sustainability and growth.

 Key Deliverables (9–12 Months)

• A costed, income-led Fundraising Strategy aligned to the 2030 organisational strategy
• Scalable supporter and beneficiary engagement journeys reaching tens of thousands annually
• Clear recommendations for future team structure, roles, and investment
• Strengthened income pipelines and improved forecasting accuracy
• Enhanced brand visibility and digital engagement within the automotive community
• Smooth transition to a permanent Director with strong foundations, documentation, and operational frameworks in place

Person Specification

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience in Fundraising and MarComms within the charity sector
• Proven track record delivering fundraising strategies and measurable income and engagement outcomes
• Demonstrable success across individual giving, corporate partnerships, and digital fundraising
• Strong experience in brand, marketing, and digital engagement
• Experience leading teams through organisational change or transition
• Experience building and leading high-performing, multidisciplinary teams
• Ideally, experience engaging large communities, workforce-based audiences, or membership groups.

Knowledge & Understanding

• Strong understanding of supporter engagement, audience insight, and behaviour change
• Knowledge of multi-channel fundraising and modern marketing approaches
• Understanding of charity sector strategy, governance, and income models (desirable)
• Appreciation of the health and wellbeing challenges affecting working people and communities.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strategic thinker able to translate long-term ambition into practical delivery
• Strong leadership and team development capability, particularly during change
• Commercially and analytically minded with strong planning and forecasting skills
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and influencing skills
• Able to build clarity, confidence, and momentum within teams
• Collaborative and cross-organisational in approach.

Personal Attributes

• Calm, supportive, and steady leadership style suited to transitional environments.
• High emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skills.
• Resilient, adaptable, and delivery focused.
• Purpose-driven with commitment to improving the wellbeing of the UK automotive community.

Success Measures

• Delivery of a clear, Board-approved Fundraising & MarComms Strategy aligned to 2030 goals
• Stronger, more sustainable voluntary income pipelines
• Increased brand reach, engagement, and supporter growth
• Improved supporter and beneficiary journeys and experience
• Clear future organisational design and capability roadmap
• Effective and smooth transition to permanent leadership.