Academic Development Manager

Department

Centre for Teaching Excellence

Location

Joseph Priestley Building

Salary

£44,131 to £51,182 per annum

Permanent

Post Type

Full Time

Release Date

27 November 2025

Closing Date

23.59 hours GMT on Tuesday 16 December 2025

Reference

C525003

Academic Development Manager

Birmingham City University is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead academic development within our Centre for Teaching Excellence. This is an exciting opportunity to support and enhance teaching, learning, and curriculum design across the University, promoting innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in higher education.

Job Purpose

The Academic Development Manager will lead and support academic development across a group of schools and subject areas, providing expert guidance and practical support to colleagues in the design, delivery, and evaluation of effective teaching and assessment practices. The role plays a key part in advancing the University's Education Strategy by enhancing academic capability, fostering pedagogical innovation, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead academic development for designated schools, acting as a trusted advisor to academic staff.
• Provide expert, practical support to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment practices in line with institutional priorities.
• Promote evidence-informed, innovative, and inclusive approaches to curriculum design, assessment, feedback, and digital pedagogy.
• Design and deliver impactful development activities, including workshops, communities of practice, peer learning initiatives, and bespoke support for individuals and programme teams.
• Support colleagues in achieving professional recognition (e.g., Advance HE Fellowship) and reflecting on their teaching practice.
• Analyse data, feedback, and sector trends to inform targeted academic development initiatives.
• Collaborate across the University to contribute to institutional strategies, policies, and enhancement projects.
• Maintain professional knowledge of sector developments, trends, and best practice in higher education learning and teaching.
• Represent academic development internally and externally, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.
• Championing inclusive pedagogies that affirm the identities and experiences of our diverse student body.
• Driving teaching practice that address inequities and promote social justice.
• Collaborating across disciplines to embed equity and sustainability into the heart of our educational mission.

Essential Criteria

• Recognised teaching qualification or Advance HE Fellowship (FHEA); Senior Fellow (SFHEA) or equivalent desirable.
• Extensive experience of teaching and assessment in higher education, with a track record of enhancing academic practice.
• Proven ability to design and deliver effective academic development initiatives at individual, programme, and institutional levels.
• Strong knowledge of pedagogical theory, sector trends, and current challenges in higher education including equity and inclusion in higher education.
• Ability to build effective, supportive relationships with academic staff across disciplines.
• Experience contributing to education-related strategy, policy, or quality enhancement projects.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire.
• Commitment to inclusive, student-centred education and continuous professional development with readiness to challenge deficit narratives and embed equity-focused approaches.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in leading equity-focused initiatives that address awarding gaps and promote belonging for racially minoritised students.
• Knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive curriculum design.
• Experience in using data and student feedback to inform interventions that improve outcomes for diverse student groups.
• Track record of scholarship or research in inclusive teaching and learning.
• Ability to facilitate communities of practice and lead professional development on anti-deficit and equity-driven approaches.
• Experience working in a highly diverse institution, with understanding of structural inequalities and strategies to mitigate them.

BCU is a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 30,000 students from more than 100 countries. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment. In this role, you will play a key part in delivering excellence in education, research, and sustainability.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from racially minoritised backgrounds. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking, those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets and potential.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

The University is proudly Disability Confident. This means amongst other things that we commit to offering a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who fully meet the essential criteria for each role.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to enter the LGPS scheme will be able to do so and will be employed by Birmingham City University directly.