Head of Education

Date: ‎19-Jun-‎2022
Location: Cairo, Middle East and North Africa, EG
Company: British Council
The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people
in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the
English language.

We work in two ways - directly with individuals to transform their lives, and
with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term,
creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young
people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to
realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive
communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education
and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and
culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative
enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the
world with the UK.

These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of
the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in
the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be
strained. We work on the ground in more than ‎100 countries. In ‎2019-‎20 we
connected with ‎80 million people directly and with ‎791 million overall,
including online and through our broadcasts and publications.
Role context
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 and education. 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.

This role sits within the Cultural Engagement (CE) Strategic Business Unit
(SBU). CE brings together our portfolio of work in arts, education, English,
and research. Our portfolio is delivered through a set of globally led
programmes that locate our work and impact within our strategic framework.
These programmes deliver our key performance indicators and impact ambitions.

Role Purpose
Provides integral operational management & leadership across a small to medium
sized team, driving successful development, delivery, impact (incl. MEL) and
financial sustainability of a mixed portfolio of education partnerships,
programmes or contracts at regional or global level. Services corporate [or
regional] outcomes; ensures value add and mutual UK benefit as well as
compliance with published programme management standards across all areas of
financial and operational risk. Can act as account manager for a major client
or stakeholder.

Main Accountabilities:
Leadership & management
* Provides technical input and design to Education (could be specific sector here) contracts, programmes and projects, assuring quality and impact and managing issues and risks.
* Uses digital platforms and technological advancements to improve efficiency, impact and quality of project and/or programme design and delivery
* Incorporates specific actions to address equality, diversity and inclusion priorities in programme delivery
* Manages portfolio day-to-day ensuring global standards on programme and contract management are achieved
* Direct line management where applicable, with matrix management support provided to sector programme teams in country/across the region as required.
* Ensures effective financial management and compliance -manages and delivers to target, budgets, profitability, timelines, and to corporate quality standards in all areas
* Senior Responsible Officer for smaller projects/programmes, relating to the sector specialism, as required
* Monitors, reviews and ensures that the portfolio is achieving agreed impact measures, and monitoring, evaluation and learning and reporting is in place against Cultural Engagement's Strategy ‎2025 and FCDO "Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office" 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 EDI strategy to mainstream EDI and become anti-racist in our cultures and practices within our organisation and in our programmes, particularly through a time of change.
* 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.

Strategy and/or planning
* Leads on planning process for designated portfolio within region according to global sector strategy and programming
* Contributes to pillar/region business strategy
* Strategic leadership of design, development, delivery and closure of projects and or programmes as needed
* Develop and nurtures internal relationships across Cultural Engagement and in the wider organisation to ensure strategic objectives are aligned, understood and achieved
* Considers the role of digital products, services and channels in optimising the impact and sustainability of the portfolio, working with regional marketing and digital colleagues.

Relationship & Stakeholder management
* Builds and maintains business critical relationships with key clients and partners and with leading partners in the sector with a view to identifying new business opportunities and partnerships for the British Council
* Builds and maintains the government and institutional relationships that the UK needs to succeed in region/country
* Leads on relationships with a range of senior stakeholders and partners at a sector level, including representing and communicating about the UK sector, significant programmes in this field and the British Council at senior external level
* Represents the British Council externally and internally, including in x-Embassy coordinating bodies as required

Sector/subject expertise
* Uses sector 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 fora
* Provides 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, potentially contributing to the body of literature in their area of expertise
* Is able to communicate on a wide range of internal and external fora within the sector and is recognised as having sector expertise
* Identifies and develops opportunities for the sector to build their work in country/region
* Promotes mobility of individuals and knowledge exchange
* Supports internal capacity building, ensuring that teams can access appropriate and timely sector advice and cost-effective L&D opportunities and grow their sector knowledge and skills

Brand and market positioning
* Promotes and positions the UK education sector in country/region
* Ensures British Council's value proposition and support to the UK sector is clear, agreed and communicated.
* Ensures that British Council's reputation for quality and as a valued not-for-profit partner remains high and contributes to our organisational mission of building trust between the UK and other countries.
* Ensure an appropriate level of market analysis, thought leadership / research is generated and commissioned and meets strategic objectives to underpin the UK's education engagement with country/region, working with the Research and Insights Unit

Business development
* Builds relationships with strategic clients/partners within area of influence.
* Uses insights to understand current and prospective business development opportunities for the British Council.
* Owns the pillar pipeline for the country, ensuring high quality pipeline data and documentation to the Partnerships and Contract Approvals Board.
* Leads the development of bids, proposals and business cases in country.
* Leads and/or ensures appropriate assessment, technical and commercial quality assurance and evaluation procedures for programmes and tender submissions in country.
* Provides direction and support on contract negotiations and delivery on individual contracts.
* Ensures internal and client compliance including legal finance, procurement, contract management and reporting
* Contributes to the development of internal and external communications materials to highlight impact and support positioning for new opportunities.

Commercial & Financial Management
* Proposes annual budgets and undertakes detailed resource planning to enable cost effective, high quality in-year delivery of operational activities
* 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 British Council'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)
* Utilises reporting from across the portfolio area to enable the development of robust medium-term investment decisions.
* Responsible for [balancing] the overall profit & loss account for own area of work/portfolio

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
* Contribute to an inclusive and anti-racist organisational culture, being aware of your own biases, and taking action to mitigate against these. Ensuring people feel valued and are treated equitably, with support for people's well-being and mental health.
* Understand the British Council's approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to your role and make time for learning and development relating to EDI and anti-racism.

About you (essential requirements for the role):
* Degree and/or equivalent and/or equivalent experience
* In depth understanding of international education market
* Experience of oversight for monitoring and learning for adaptive management
* Extensive experience of working in International Education - with considerable knowledge of the sector
* Demonstrable expertise in medium to large scale programme management in the relevant Education sector
* Extensive knowledge of UK and international policy in the sector and approaches to internationalisation.
* Demonstrable expertise in undertaking detailed analysis of specific sector-related data and applying understanding to form recommendations and shape decisions.
* Active and up-to-date network of senior level sector contacts
* Previous experience of building effective networks across organisations
* Experience of collaborating effectively with others to develop solutions to issues where there is not an established framework
* Experience of leading diverse and dispersed teams and championing learning and development (experience of matrix working and influencing through others more important as a sector lead, may not have direct reports)
* Confident user of information technology (Word; Excel; PowerPoint), Microsoft ‎365 functionality and working knowledge of British Council SAP system (aptitude if recruiting externally)
* Able to lead digital events on basic platforms (Microsoft Teams) ensuring all corporate standards are met, including those for accessibility and safeguarding
* Ability to analyse relevant equality issues and identify opportunities to address these in the portfolio

Further Information
* Number of positions: ‎1
* Location: Egypt
* Contract: FTC
* Deadline to receive applications: July ‎4, ‎2022

Applications are welcomed from candidates currently in this location with a
natural right to work.

Please note candidates must have a natural right to work in the country, on
a permanent basis, as immigration clearance and/or on-going visa support is
not provided by the British Council for this role. Relocation support is also
not provided.

The role may include occasional travel within the country, region or
internationally

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.

If you have any problems with your application please email
[email protected]

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.