Business Assurance Manager at the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business Assurance Manager

Location: Lagos or Port Harcourt, Rivers
Contract Type: Indefinite Contract
Department: Exams

Role Purpose

• The purpose of the role is to provide professional advice and support to exams operations within Nigeria in the achievement, monitoring and embedding of Quality and Compliance Assurance (QCA), IELTS and other awarding body standards.
• The focus will be on understanding the broad range of standards and how they apply to a range of Exams policies and procedures and supporting Operations in navigating a path through them to advise on appropriate solutions to target improvements and manage risk.
• To support centres on effective implementation of action points arising from Exams compliance audits and reviews.

Main Accountabilities
Consultancy, Analysis & Problem-solving:

• Undertake a scheduled number of full QCA reviews of exam operations (i.e. self-assessments) both in onsite locations and offsite venues in Nigeria. providing clear, prioritized recommendations to support exams operations improved compliance and mitigate any identified risks.
• Support, develop and guide exam colleagues in carrying out their self-assessments. Providing ongoing guidance and updates to exam colleagues regarding corporate and board-specific standards, requirements, and risk mitigation.

Internal Customer Focus:

• Build an in-depth understanding of the specific operational context, opportunities and challenges facing Nigeria cluster, to ensure that the advice and support provided is based on informed insight into the business and operating context.
• Seek internal customer and other stakeholder feedback to monitor satisfaction with the standard of advice and support provided as well as make recommendations to the Business Assurance Lead and Cluster Head of Operations on areas of improvement.

Service Improvement:

• Identify opportunities for improvements within the established quality and compliance processes and procedures and make recommendations to the to the Head of Business Assurance and Cluster Head of Operations.
• Support the Head of Business Assurance and contribute to the maintenance and improvement of Global Compliance standards, procedures, and processes to ensure that they are aligned with changing Exam Board standards and best practice, ensuring the needs of Nigeria exams operations and working context are promoted.

Functional Expertise:

• Proactively maintains a sound working knowledge of developments in external policy, practice, and regulation within their functional discipline to build credibility, confidence, and business insight.
• May be the “go to person” for first-line advice and guidance on a specific practical process, topic or system – either within the corporate functional department as a whole or embedded within a particular geographical unit or SBU team.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management:

• Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional discipline to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.
• As required, represents the British Council in discussions and dealings with external suppliers/providers

Leadership & Management:

• Plans and prioritizes own activities, which span across a range of different work streams or internal client relationships. Responds to changing and at times competing requirements to ensure effective delivery of responsibilities over a monthly/quarterly time horizon
• Tasks and coordinates others (e.g. internal customers, colleagues or third party suppliers) to complete activities in accordance with agreed corporate procedures relevant to the functional discipline

Risk and Compliance:

• Support teams to manage their risks within the agreed risk appetite and providing the Exams management and other stakeholders with assurance that our risk taking is appropriate and that significant risks are being managed.
• Record and review risks facing exams operation in local risk registers.

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree

Desirable:

• IELTS auditing experience, either internally or in contractor capacity                                   
• Four years in an exams administration or similar role.

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

• Experience of conducting Quality and Compliance audits and/or quality reviews (including self- reviews) for example in an exams or customer focused environment
• Broad understanding of the breadth and range of examination distribution products and services delivered in Nigeria.
• In addition to ability to meet main accountabilities detailed above, good relationship and stakeholder management skills.

Language requirements:

• Proficient in English language (CEFR C1 or above) and excellent report writing skills.

Remuneration
N14,297,766.00 Annually plus benefits (Pay Band - BRC-6-F).

Application Closing Date
22nd November, 2023 (23:59 West African Time).