Meet the team

Tom joined Birmingham Business School in 2021 from the private sector. Prior to joining the University of Birmingham Tom had 9 years of experience as a project manager and management consultant working for two international consultants, Atkins and Arup, in the energy and transportation sectors. During this time Tom has supported all stages of the graduate recruitment process for Atkins and Arup, both Times Top 100 Graduate Employers. Tom also held roles as the project management graduate lead and as a graduate line manager for Atkins. Prior to his professional career Tom completed an undergraduate degree in Business Management with a year in industry and study abroad semester in Guangzhou, China.

As Postgraduate Careers Consultant, Tom leads the delivery of careers activity to our postgraduate students ensuring we meet the needs and career objectives of our business school students.

Stef joined BBS Careers in February 2025 to lead the Undergraduate Careers Team at Birmingham Business School. With eight years of experience working across careers teams in higher education, she collaborates closely with academics to embed employability into the curriculum. Her role focuses on ensuring students have positive experiences throughout their studies and are well-prepared to secure graduate roles after university.

She is passionate about supporting students to reach their full potential, with a particular commitment to those from widening participation backgrounds. Stef holds a professional qualification in career guidance and brings extensive expertise in career development to her work.

Sonia joined the University of Birmingham in 2018, working within the Postgraduate team at Careers Network, before joining the Birmingham Business School team in 2024.  Sonia has worked in a variety of careers and employability-related roles within the education and careers sector over the past thirteen years.

Prior to joining the university, Sonia project managed a number of national initiatives and careers and employer-led projects in collaboration with a number of educational establishments, local, national and global employers, senior stakeholders and partners within the public and private sector.  She also previously managed, led and co-ordinated the Skills Show - the nation’s largest careers, apprenticeship and skills event. 

Sonia enjoys supporting students to develop vital skills required to succeed in today’s competitive job market. Sonia is passionate about ensuring students receive excellent learning, guidance and student experiences, so they can make good choices relating to further study and employment, thus best preparing them for their future and the world of work.

 Melanie spent 15 years in the financial and professional services industries, working in variety of roles across HR, training, and recruitment. Her role as Graduate Recruitment Manager for KPMG in the Midlands provided a route into higher education, and she joined the University of Birmingham in 2005 as a Careers Adviser. Melanie has been in the BBS Careers team since 2011 and holds a professional qualification in career guidance.

Melanie currently works with MBA students in the Business School, providing practical advice and support to help them achieve their career aspirations. 

George joined Birmingham Business School in 2024 following a transition out of the private sector. George comes from a HR background with multi-industry experience. 

Prior to working at the University of Birmingham, George worked for Goldman Sachs; initially, George joined the firm as a recruiter within the EMEA Diversity Recruitment team, and then pivoted into the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team as a DEI Advisor. 

With experience in 360 recruitment processes coupled with exposure to fast paced industries across both public and private sectors, George aims to provide careers advice support to the PG community. 

Julie began her employment at the University of Birmingham in July 2014, joining the BBS Careers team a few months later. She has over 20 years’ experience of administration with various public sector organisations. This included eight years at a museum whilst also working as a local history researcher.  Currently she helps run a tree consultancy business on a part-time basis with her husband.

Julie is a first point of contact for students reaching out to the careers service.  She provides general administrative support to the careers team, including assisting with and promoting the programme of events and activities.

Ben joined Birmingham Business School in 2022. Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Ben worked in the charity sector supporting the families of police officers and staff who lost their lives on duty. During this time he helped deliver communication and engagement programmes for beneficiaries, supporters and volunteers. Prior to working in the third sector Ben was a journalist for more than 10 years covering a wide range of stories and helping ensure people's voices were heard.

Ben is a first point of contact for students reaching out to the careers service. He provides general administrative support to the careers team, including assisting with and promoting the programme of events and activities.

Daisy joined Birmingham Business School in January 2025, bringing experience in careers support, teaching, and recruitment. Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, she worked within the Careers Service at another higher education institution, supporting student employability and contributing to placement programmes. Daisy also has teaching experience where she supported students in their academic development and university preparation, enhancing her understanding of student needs.

Outside of education, Daisy has experience in recruitment consultancy and employer engagement, giving her a strong understanding of graduate recruitment. With experience of student support, programme delivery, and stakeholder engagement, Daisy is passionate about supporting undergraduate students to navigate the labour market and secure meaningful employment.

 Sylwia joined Birmingham Business School in October 2025, bringing over 12 years of experience in Higher Education across student support, business development, partnership management (both domestic and international), careers services, and project delivery.

Before joining the University of Birmingham, Sylwia led international mobility initiatives at another UK university, enabling hundreds of students to access global experiences that enriched their academic journey and enhanced their employability.

In her current role as Placements and Employability Adviser, Sylwia is dedicated to supporting undergraduate students at Birmingham Business School in exploring and securing meaningful placement and employment opportunities, helping them build confidence and career readiness.

Kam joined the University of Birmingham in 2014 and worked within Careers Network managing a team of College Internship Officers, tasked with supporting students on finding relevant work experience, placements, and graduate opportunities. In addition to this, Kam also managed key employer relationships and projects including a pilot for the UK’s first ever Virtual Internships, a Global Internship Scheme spanning ten countries, and supporting with locally focused internships with SMEs, start-ups, and social enterprises.

Kam now works as a Placements & Employability Adviser in BBS Careers and continues to support students in getting relevant work experience opportunities and supporting through the recruitment process. Prior to joining the University, Kam worked for over ten years for a central careers service supporting secondary school and college students in getting relevant work experience opportunities and building links with local employers to account manage their work experience programmes.

Jodie did both her BA English and MA in English Language at the University of Birmingham and since 2016 has worked in various roles at the University; starting as a Graduate Trainee in Professional Services, moving on to Central Careers, the Development and Alumni Office and joined BBS Careers in 2022.

Jodie’s area of specialism includes engaging with industry and managing relationships, with a passion for bringing companies into the curriculum to help enhance students learning and commercial awareness. 

Tripp Martin joined Birmingham Business School in July 2014 as the Postgraduate Careers in Business Manager after working two years as the MBA Careers Consultant at Aston Business School. Prior to that time, he spent 15 years with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in the United States and the UK working in graduate recruitment, learning & development, human resources, and operations.

In 2022, Tripp transformed the team from postgraduate only into the current BBS Careers offering which aims to make a difference for all Birmingham Business School students.