British Council
About the job
We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.
Kindly note – This role is only for below mentioned locations –
South Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal
To lead the Empowerment portfolio of contracts and programmes across the region, supporting the English & School Education team to deliver a sustainable and impact driven business, especially in the areas of English in relation to: girls’ education, access to education for marginalised communities and education in crisis. This role will lead and support country teams in key geographies to engage in business development and bring relevant expertise and experience to meet commercial targets.
This role will share knowledge, expertise and best practice from the country with the regional and global teams and externally to ensure alignment and positioning of our work
Main Accountabilities
Strategy and Planning
- Work closely with the regional Director of English & School Education and the global team to support regional and corporate strategy.
- Translate the local business development plan into a set of targets for teams working on Empowerment projects across the region. Closely monitor achievement against the plan and intervene to take remedial actions where necessary.
- Ensure that projects related to the Empowerment programme bring demonstrable benefit to the UK through partnerships with the UK sector and leveraging grant through partnership funding.
Leadership & management
- Develop the vision, direction and annual business development plan for the Empowerment programme in the regional portfolio.
- Have a formal role in supporting the development of wider strategy within the global English & School Education team in the region.
- Provide technical input and design to contracts, programmes and projects, assuring quality and impact and managing issues and risks.
- Be Senior Responsible Officer for related projects/programmes as required.
- Ensure the regional portfolio achieves agreed impact measures, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning is in line with Cultural Engagement’s Strategy and FCDO key performance indicators.
- Leads an inclusive organisational culture where staff have opportunities for continuous professional development and are actively contributing to the British Council’s anti-racism action plan and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) strategy to mainstream EDI in our programmes.
- Lead by example and model compliance with British Council policies and processes, Code of Conduct, values and behaviours in all day-to-day activities and in the management and liaison with colleagues and external stakeholders.
Relationship & Stakeholder management
- Lead key account/partner relationships to support the achievement of agreed commercial and impact targets.
- Build and maintain excellent relationships with internal partners and stakeholders within and across the regional portfolio, to ensure effective, integrated and joined-up delivery of agreed business objectives as well as pursuit of new opportunities.
Sector/subject expertise
- Use relevant expertise to provide insight and content for corporate responses to public consultations, representing British Council’s perspective and demonstrating our thought-leadership in relevant external forums.
- Provide up-to-date and well-informed senior-level briefings on current and emerging matters in area of expertise, conducting detailed analysis and research, contributing cutting-edge sector knowledge and content to proposals.
Brand and market positioning
- Build professional and personal networks with relevant stakeholders across the region to ensure a clear understanding of their needs. Use those insights to understand business development opportunities for the British Council and to inform decision making.
- Define (with the regional marketing team) the marketing and communications strategy for the portfolio, and ensure its effective implementation across the region.
Business development
- Support management of the regional pipeline for Empowerment projects, ensuring high quality pipeline data and documentation to the Tripartite Approvals Board.
- Lead the development of bids, proposals and business cases in region.
- Ensure appropriate assessment, technical and commercial quality assurance and evaluation procedures for programmes and tender submissions.
- Provide direction and support on contract negotiations and delivery on individual contracts.
- Ensure compliance including legal finance, procurement, contract management and reporting.
Commercial & Financial Management
Produce and communicate regional business performance reports related to relevant projects, including income, cost management and results and support the mitigation of identified variances by working with Country Leads.
Further Information
- Role - Head of Empowerment in Education, South Asia
- Number of Positions - 1
- Employment Indefinite Contract Local
- Location: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan & Nepal
- Grade: 8/E
- Deadline to receive applications: 12 September 2024 (23:59 Indian standard Time)
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders will need have, or be able to obtain, a valid special work permit issued from Government of India (GOI) to work in the British High Commission (BHC). BHC will not be able to sponsor work visas or obtain/ assist with the special work permit from GOI. Offers of employment made to OCI card holders will be conditional upon candidates obtaining a special work permit.
Note: For requisite special permission to take up employment in any foreign Diplomatic Missions in India, OCI Cardholder must visit https://ociservices.gov.in
Please note that all applications should be submitted in English only.
It is advisable to apply in advance to avoid any technical issues at the last moment
A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement
The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.
The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.
We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.
Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.
Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.