Graduate Management Trainee - Executive Office - 53753 - Grade 6

Position Details

Executive Office

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £32,296 to £34,866 with potential progression once in post to £39,105

Grade: 6

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2027 

5 Positions available

Closing date: 26th January 2025 

Please note: To apply for the scheme, you must be eligible to work in the UK.

 

Background

Our two-year programme includes a rotation of placements across different areas of the University’s Professional Services, complemented by a tailored training and development package and mentoring from a university senior leader. Trainees will learn the necessary skills to run a global university and will gain direct experience of a number of university services. 

An information session about applying for the scheme has been arranged for Wednesday 27th November at 6pm and will take place on Teams. If you would like to attend, please sign up: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/3b2dcc9b-f107-4e54-9cfe-dc3f092fbda4@b024cacf-dede-4241-a15c-3c97d553e9f3 . An information session about applying for the scheme has been arranged for Wednesday 27th November at 6pm and will take place on Teams. If you would like to attend, please sign up:

Working in Higher Education

Working in higher education brings with it a huge and exciting range of opportunities, allowing for career development that expands far beyond the traditional education and research functions of Higher Education Institutions. With over 300,000 people working in more than 170 higher education institutions across the UK alone. There are an incredible variety of jobs available, from academic to professional, administrative, and other roles which are all vital in maintaining the reputation and success of these institutions.

As the sector continues to transform, we face new and unprecedented challenges. At the University of Birmingham, we are ambitious in our aims and innovative in our approach to these challenges. We are constantly adapting and looking forward to the future, taking a collaborative approach to problems and pioneering solutions.              

The success of the higher education institutions is underpinned by their professional service function. They are critical in facilitating academic and institutional success. Colleagues working in Professional Services are highly motivated individuals who can operate across a variety of dynamic and challenging roles within their capacity.

Role summary

The scheme

Trainees will undertake three 4-month placements in Professional Services, followed by a year-long placement. Placement portfolios are structured to give exposure to a variety of roles and perspectives, both within central departments (such as student services, marketing, business engagement and human resources) and academic structures (the Colleges and Schools that are home to our academic departments). 

Although responsibilities within each placement will vary, all will stretch and challenge to allow you to rapidly develop high-level skills. In the first year, the shorter placements will give you a clear project and opportunities to showcase what you have achieved, with a strong developmental element.

In year two, the longer placement will enable you to build on the skills and knowledge you have already developed, allowing more substantial work to be undertaken alongside the regular cycle of business, and the chance to work with a department through a full academic year. You will receive regular support from your placement supervisor and line manager but are expected to be proactive and take ownership of your projects. 

The University anticipates appointing up to five Trainees for 2025-27 who will be treated as a cohort and receive specific developmental opportunities. 

"We are really lucky with the opportunities that we have. There are so many experiences across the University outside of our placements. We are encouraged to broaden our horizons – it’s a really privileged position to be in” – Amanda, Former Graduate Trainee

Person specification

We are looking for future leaders, and our ideal candidates are intelligent, inquisitive graduates who are passionate about the ideals of both the University and the city of Birmingham and its wider region. We value diversity, and recognise that by embracing different perspectives, thoughts, ideas and values, we will be more effective in achieving our objectives. We provide equal access to opportunity and welcome applications from people who identify with any of the Protected Characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.

You should be able to demonstrate the following qualifications, attributes, and skills:

• At least a 2.1 in a first degree in any subject in the past three years (between 1st January 2022 – 1st August 2025), or a postgraduate qualification completed in the same period, having previously achieved at least a 2.1 in a first degree.
• An interest in, and understanding of, Higher Education issues;
• A high degree of initiative, resourcefulness, flexibility and a self-motivating approach; 
• The ability to form effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues
• Ability to think analytically, to apply skills and knowledge in new contexts, and to problem solve by thinking beyond traditional solutions;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively through oral and presentational skills as well as excellent writing skills;
• Resilience and adaptability to work effectively in new environments.
• Good IT skills;
• Good standard of numeracy;
• A willingness to learn and embrace opportunities.

The application process

There are three key stages of the application process:

Stage 1: Online application 

For the first application stage you will need to complete a brief online form and upload a current CV and cover letter through the University's online jobs portal. Please note that your CV and covering letter should be uploaded as one document. 

In your cover letter you should answer the following questions:

• Why are you interested in a career in Higher Education and, in particular, why at the University of Birmingham?
• What is your proudest achievement to date?
• Can you describe a time when you showed initiative?

Your cover letter should be no more than 1000 words.

Please note: Each year we receive, read and consider hundreds of applications for our scheme. We are interested in each applicant's unique perspective, motivation and potential, and this is what we are considering when we shortlist candidates. Cover letters which have been written by, or run through generative AI, are easy to spot, produce generic answers and will not score highly enough to be shortlisted.
 

If you decide to use Generative AI (e.g. Chat GPT or CoPilot) as part of your application preparation, please use it only for research. The text generated in this way should not be used in any part of your written application.
 

Stage 2: Assessment centre 

The assessment centre involves a variety of activities designed to enable you to show the skills and qualities that we are looking for in our Management Trainees. It is also an opportunity for you to meet members of the senior leadership team and previous trainees, learn more about working at the University, and decide whether a career in Higher Education is for you. The assessment centre will take place on one day and will involve activities such as group discussions, individual interviews, and a written task. It is designed to be both enjoyable and challengin

Stage 3: Individual interview 

After the assessment centre we will invite successful candidates to an individual panel interview with members of the senior leadership team - the final stage of the recruitment process. The interview will last approximately 45 minutes.

Career Pathways 

The Graduate Management Training Scheme is an excellent way to accelerate and enhance your career. The versatility of roles on offer will allow you to obtain a broad range of experiences that will each present the opportunity to learn different skills and values through your placement for well-rounded experience and understanding of the different functions of the university. 

The fast-track and generalist design of the scheme allows you to develop transferable skills such as people management, effective influencing in the workplace, dealing with ambiguity, self-confidence and more. These transferable skills, alongside your consistent professional development, sufficiently equip you to progress into professional leadership and management positions upon completion of the Graduate Management Training Scheme. 

Many of our Trainees have progressed their careers by continuing to work for the University of Birmingham after the two-year term of the Management Training Scheme. Our Trainees advance into various roles in a range of departments across the institution. Please refer to the ‘Our Graduate Trainees’ section of this website to read specifically about the roles that our previous trainees have undertaken after the Scheme and their wider journey throughout. 

Additional Opportunities/ Benefits

At the University of Birmingham, we are home to a thriving community and fast-paced environment. We encourage you to be an active member of this community outside of your placements through the various extracurricular activities you can participate in. 

There are student facing opportunities such as assisting with graduation ceremonies, the clearing process and university open days. 

You may also choose to join a staff network where you can engage in discussion with other colleagues and find support. Examples of these include the Staff Enabling Network, Race Equality Network and Rainbow Network. As a community of over 145 nationalities, the University is committed to equality and diversity and now holds an Athena Swan Bronze Award. Our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme provides everyone in Professional Services with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.

Find out more about what it is like to work at the University, the benefits and staff networks you can become involved with.

Ready to apply?

To apply visit the University's online jobs portal. You will need to upload a current CV and a cover letter which addresses the questions outlined above. 

Please note that your CV and cover letter should be uploaded as a single document.

Please note: Each year we receive, read and consider hundreds of applications for our scheme. We are interested in each applicant's unique perspective, motivation and potential, and this is what we are considering when we shortlist candidates. Cover letters which have been written by, or run through generative AI, are easy to spot, produce generic answers and will not score highly enough to be shortlisted.

If you decide to use Generative AI (e.g. Chat GPT or CoPilot) as part of your application preparation, please use it only for research. The text generated in this way should not be used in any part of your written application.

To find out more about the scheme you can visit our website http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/jobs/gmts or email gmts@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

 

View our staff values and behaviours here 

 

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.