Communications Manager (Corporate)

Job Title – Communications Manager (Corporate) University of Birmingham – External Relations Location: Birmingham

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049, with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Hours: Full Time Contract Type: Permanent

Closes: 12th July 2026  

Job Ref: 107436  

Shape the story of one of the UK's most ambitious universities. The University of Birmingham has been changing lives since it received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1900.

Today, our researchers are unearthing Britain's biggest dinosaur trackways, leading global clinical trials on children's cancers, and exploring how school smartphone policies impact adolescent mental wellbeing. We've exceeded £1 billion income, secured record research funding, and risen to 76th in the QS World University Rankings. We are ambitious for more. We're looking for an exceptional Communications Manager to join our busy and dynamic Corporate Communications team to support the University’s ambitions.

The role

In this role, you'll be at the heart of how the University tells its story to the media, to policymakers, to partners, and to the world. You'll lead the development and delivery of communications strategies across corporate affairs, regional impact, innovation, and education and research initiatives, shaping narratives that enhance our global reputation and drive real progress towards our most ambitious goals. You'll work closely with senior University leaders, including members of the University Executive Board, as well as colleagues across Professional Services, external funders — including philanthropic sources — and sector bodies.

What you'll do

You'll identify and develop communications opportunities that raise the University's profile with the audiences that matter most. You'll build strong, collaborative relationships across the institution and beyond. You'll bring creativity, strategic thinking and editorial judgment to everything you do, from proactively identifying stories to fast-moving reactive moments.

What we're looking for

You'll bring substantial experience in communications practice, from media relations, corporate communications, and/or public affairs. You'll know how to find the story, frame it compellingly, and land it with the right audiences. You'll be collaborative by instinct, self-driven by nature, and creative in your approach. Experience in a complex organisation, higher education, research, public sector or equivalent, is an advantage, but your ability to make an impact matters most.

About the University of Birmingham

Our Edgbaston campus is a beautiful place to work, with impressive architecture and a green heart at its centre. We're a civic institution that is proudly of and for this city, with deep ties to Birmingham's communities, institutions and industries. We're a global university, and we’re proud to attract exceptional people from across the world, of our world‑class research, transformative education, community engagement and local civic leadership.

Informal enquiries can be made to Danann Swanton, [email protected] To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the Apply Online button.