Brussels Office Manager – Research Strategy and Services Division – 106706 – Grade 8 Full Time NEW

Position Details

Research Strategy and Services Division

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £47,389 to £56,535 with potential progression once in post to £63,606

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 14 th May 2026

UK and International travel may be required for this role

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, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We 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 to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career 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 debate. We 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 are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a 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 site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of 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. As part of our professional services team, you’ll provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. We ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure that sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our 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 University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.

Research Strategy & Services Division

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.

European Office, Brussels

The European Office in Brussels is a clear demonstration of our strategic commitment to strengthening existing partnerships and cultivating new relationships with European institutions, funders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Based centrally near Square de Meeûs, it provides a dedicated platform to enhance our visibility and influence within the European research and innovation ecosystem.

As a leading UK performer in Horizon Europe Pillar II funding, the University has established a strong track record in securing collaborative research awards. The Brussels office will serve as a gateway to expand and diversify these networks, supporting early intelligence gathering, consortium development, and strategic positioning for future calls. By deepening engagement with European partners and funding bodies, the office will play a pivotal role in accelerating research excellence, increasing competitive success, and amplifying the societal, economic, and policy impact of our research portfolio.

Role Summary

We now seek an experienced Research Development professional to lead our Brussels Office as part of our wide EU Funding & Partnership Strategy.

Based in Edgbaston but with regular presence in Brussels, the role holder will connect our researchers with funders and partners in the region, working closely with the RSSD’s Research Development and Business Engagement teams. They will quickly establish themselves as a source of EU information, contacts and intelligence, ensuring that our researchers are well positioned to access funding and consortia building opportunities. The role holder will develop and sustain their own strategic network of contacts across EU institutions and industry stakeholders, fostering new collaborations and securing access to funding opportunities through EU framework programmes and direct industry partnerships.

A dynamic, agile and committed individual is required to lead this exciting portfolio. Success in the role will require strong leadership, skilled facilitation, political acuity, and the ability to negotiate effectively while working collaboratively across complex stakeholder environments. In return, we offer an innovative and inclusive working environment in a supportive community of colleagues who will work closely with the role holder to drive success across our key areas of research strength. The role holder will report into the Head of Research Strategy & Development (EU & International) but will also work very closely with the International Research Development Manager (BERI), reflective of the strategic reach of the portfolio across research and industry partners. An EU Strategy Board will provide support and strategic direction.

Main Duties

• Play a leading role in delivering the University of Birmingham’s EU Research & Innovation Strategy, contributing directly to increased European research collaborations, Horizon Europe applications and awards, and the strengthening of the University’s research profile across Europe.
• Develop a detailed understanding of the University’s major research strengths and emerging areas of excellence, working closely the RSSD Research Development teams and Academic Leaders, to identify where EU partnerships and funding opportunities offer strong strategic potential, and develop forward looking action plans for each.
• Proactively identify and cultivate opportunities for European collaboration by building relationships with EU institutions, funders, research organisations, industry partners and policy stakeholders.
• Lead the development of a programme of strategic engagement activity in Brussels, including at least four high-profile events per year aligned to key thematic areas where EU priorities and University of Birmingham research strengths intersect.
• Support the development of Horizon Europe and other EU programme bids by facilitating partner collaboration, supporting consortium development, and contributing to negotiation of partnership structures and key contractual terms in close collaboration with RSSD colleagues.
• Maintain active intelligence gathering on EU research policy, funding priorities and partnership developments, translating this intelligence into actionable opportunities for University researchers.
• Act as Secretary to the University’s EU Research & Innovation Board, developing agendas, preparing papers and recording minutes, and ensuring the effective coordination of the University’s EU research strategy.
• Bring creativity and initiative to the role by developing new approaches to strengthening engagement between University researchers and European partners, including thematic initiatives, partnership development programmes and collaborative networking opportunities.
• Assist with the running of the Brussels Office ensuring a connected and welcoming environment for staff and guests, including joint planning with the Head of Research & Development (EU) and the International Research Development Manager, to deliver effective use of the Office and available meeting rooms for staff and guests, ensuring compliance with office contractual obligations and being an active and positive member of the community and delivering general office management Duties such as hosting, liaison and procurement as required.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) plus 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.
• Understanding and experience of European framework and funding programmes, including familiarity of Pillar II and Pillar III funding calls, and the ability to navigate and guide others through complex funding calls with EU member and no-member state partners.
• Strong networking, diplomacy and consortia building skills.
• Knowledge of project lifecycle management, proposal writing, technology and knowledge transfer and innovation ecosystems.
• Excellent communication and dissemination skills, specifically in translating complex research ideas into accessible information for a range of audiences. Ideal skill to proficiently achieve this in English plus a European language.
• Experience with European funding policy development in terms of understanding timelines for action, ability to action and translating potential policy to reactive action within funding criteria and guidance.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly for a variety of audiences, and to produce and analyse source material, information and data.
• Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, including broader sector/commercial awareness.
• Experience of championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in own work area.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate the extent to which equality and diversity legislation, policies, procedures are applied.
• Ability to identify issues with the potential to impact on protected groups and take appropriate action.

Informal enquiries to Eleonore Dispersyn-Nievergelt, email: e.dispersyn-nievergelt@bham.ac.uk

View our staff values and behaviours here

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 everyone on our website