Country Examinations Manager at British Council Nigeria

The British Council is the world's leading cultural relations organization and creates opportunities for people in the UK and worldwide to understand each other, to work together and learn from one another. We see this as crucial to building secure, more prosperous and sustainable futures for us all. We build trust and understanding between different countries and cultures and develop strong international links that are of benefit to people in Britain and the rest of the world.

We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Country Examination Manager

Location: Lagos
Duration: 2 + 1 years
Reports to: Country Director
Contract: 2 year posting with possibility of extension Indefinite contract

Main Opportunities/challenges for this role

• Maintain and develop relationships with key local and international stakeholders, including ministries, awarding bodies, schools agreements and continued development of the school exams business.
• Develop relationships with key HE and vocational sector stakeholders to ensure strategies for BC Tests and qualifications for employability are implemented.
• Implement market research, market development, and customer service strategies to ensure development of the IELTS business. Contribute to the review of the English strategy for Nigeria ensuring a strong connection between the development of the English offer and access to relevant qualifications.
• Work in collaboration with Arts and Education SBUs to develop a strategy for access to qualifications aligned with the major programmes under development in Arts and Skills.
• Ensure the team structure, culture, leadership and people management processes are in place to support a fit-for-purpose team able to manage and develop a fast-growing business.

Job Purpose

• To set the strategic direction and leadthe development and delivery of the Nigeria examinations business.
• Build relationships with key national and international stakeholders and contribute to the leadership of the British Council Nigeria operation.

Main Accountabilities
Product/Programme/Service delivery:

• Translates regional and SBU strategies into annual work plans and deploys resources efficiently and cost effectively to deliver required income, impact and profitability targets for a small/lower priority country operation or a substantial proportion of defined service/product/programme delivery within in a country or market segment
• Liaises closely with regional and SBU colleagues (and/or the external customer as necessary) to clarify and agree local targets in terms of quality/revenue/margin/volume/impact/time/cost
• Implements and adapts team work plan(s) in the light of revised corporate requirements, operational changes and local social/economic or political events

Customers & Stakeholders:

• Develops and maintains excellent relationships and communication with internal and/or external customers to build a clear understanding of their needs and experiences, to inform and enable continuous improvement in the quality of service/programme/product delivery.
• In accordance with agreed regional and SBU strategies, acts as a figurehead for the team/unit in local cultural relations/commercial/collaborative activities, managing a range of relationships with external stakeholders (e.g. government, sponsors, customers, partner agencies) to achieve positive outcomes for the BC and facilitate effective operational delivery
• May be formal account manager for a nominated customer/institution/agency/sponsor, as required by regional/SBU business development and partnership plans

Risk & Compliance:

• Uses standard corporate protocols, combined with previous experience and detailed knowledge of the local social/political/security context, to assess a range of risks in to service/product/programme delivery. Ensures appropriate contingency plans are in place and implemented promptly to manage delivery safely and effectively in challenging or high-risk circumstances.
• Investigates any reported instances of non-compliance with agreed corporate risk management policies (e.g. child protection, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures), and takes appropriate remedial action, including escalation to more senior colleagues as required

Analysis & Reporting:

• Uses management information, analysis and personal operating experience to identify and make recommendations on improvements to unit or country-wide ways of working, processes, procedures and/or resources that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness
• Implements a range of corporately/regionally agreed BC reporting procedures and holds staff to account for maintaining them, to ensure that results are accurately recorded, thereby enabling timely and effective operational decision-making

Commercial & Resource Management:

• Proposes annual budgets and undertakes detailed resource planning to enable cost effective, high quality in-year delivery of operational activities in the country/team/unit
• Leads the negotiation/structuring of local deals to achieve required operational goals, drawing appropriately on the input and expertise of other colleagues/external advisors as required to protect the BC’s interests effectively
• Within agreed corporate procedures and schedules of delegated authority, manages and reports on variances to plan, controlling principal local levers impacting on cost and service provided (e.g. people, processes, resources, suppliers)

Leadership & Management:

• Leads and controls a large team of people and/or range of resources in a single location, ensuring clear communication of goals and expectations. Time horizons are likely to be quarterly to annual.
• Identifies requirements and recommends training and development provision to build improved operational capability within the unit/team/area
• Puts in place processes, resources and support to ensure all staff with line management responsibilities in their area/unit deploy appropriate coaching, performance feedback and sickness/absence management techniques to maximise staff productivity and motivation in a high volume/pressurised delivery environment.
• As an experienced operations professional, actively contributes to the development of wider regional and SBU strategies and plans.
• Contributes to the leadership of the wider operation, leading cross-SBU initiatives and representing the operation with senior stakeholders.

Language Requirement

• English: CEFR level C2 / IELTS band 9 / or equivalent

Qualifications

• Minimum degree-level qualification

Knowledge & Experience
Minimum / Essential:

• Evidence of leading and developing a dispersed team
• Evidence of success in developing and implementing large-scale sales and marketing development strategies

Desirable:

• Management of exams / education-related business
• Leading role in developing customer service systems

BC Skills & Behaviours

Skills
Managing People:

• Leads a large and varied team - Experience of managing a substantial group to deliver annual business objectives. The team includes different professions and/or areas of business, and may cover multiple locations.

Communicating & Influencing:

• Uses influencing techniques - Able to employ formal and informal negotiating and motivation techniques to influenceothers’ behaviour and persuade them to think and act differently.

Finance & Resource Management:

• Plans and deploys resources - Experience of negotiating and agreeing the resources for a defined area as part of forward planning, monitoring progress and adjusting resources or priorities to meet goals.

Managing Risk:

• Develops the culture - Track record of analysing potential risks, promoting risk awareness, and holding others to account for their practices

Commercial & Business Development:

• Leads business development - Able to plan and deliver business development activities for a major and/or new market category which is significant for the Council

Behaviours

• Creating Shared Purpose (MOST DEMANDING): creating clarity internally and externally about strategy and direction and inspiring others to play their part in it.
• Connecting with Others (MOST DEMANDING): showing a drive to understand and build connections with people beyond immediate need or task.
• Being Accountable (MOST DEMANDING): Aligning oneself and others to the mission and needs of the organisation.
• Making it Happen (MOST DEMANDING): achieving stretching results for the organisation.

Salary
Pay band 8 £31,815 -£45,900 per annum plus Core International Mobility Package.

Application Closing Date
26th April 2015 at 23:59 UK time.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download job details (MS Word)