Senior Consultant (Going Global)

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.

Senior Consultant, Going Global

Role Type: Education Business Delivery
Pay Band: 8 

Salary: £38,820 (+ £3,300 market allowance if based in London)
Contract Type: Indefinite Contract
Location: London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast. Successful candidate must be within a commutable distance to a British Council offce.

Requirements: Candidates must have the pre-existing (permanent) right to work in location.
Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided. If you are currently sponsored by the British Council, in a country or regional role, please check with your local / regional HR colleagues if you are able to remain in your current location for this global role.

Closing date: 7th May 2024, 11:59pm UK time

Benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme
• An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and / or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world!

Context

Education is a powerful vector for cultural relations activity – especially as access to high quality education at all levels is more important than ever. The UK’s strength in education makes it an excellent partner for people-to-people, institution-to-institution, and government-to-government connections. It is one of the three core pillars of the British Council’s cultural engagement activity.

Our Insight & Engagement global programme supports the positioning of the UK as a contributor and convenor of knowledge about international HE and TVET globally and supports delivery of KPIs. The Going Global conference is a major component of this programme.

Going Global attracts approx. 400 leaders from across 80 countries. It is a truly global network bringing together Ministers, vice chancellors, pro-vice chancellors, thought leaders and researchers, policy makers and chief executives of international higher and further education institutions and membership bodies to discuss the policy opportunities and challenges of tertiary education, at a global, regional and national level.

Role Purpose

Ensure global delivery of the Insight and Engagement programme through the operation of appropriate processes, standards, systems, and policies to meet financial and non-financial targets. This includes delivery of the British Council's Going Global conference series for leaders of international tertiary education supporting the positioning of the UK as a contributor and convenor of knowledge about international HE and TVET globally, and positining the British Council as a leading player in international education.

Manage effective relationships with high level UK and overseas speakers, contributors and stakeholders, including politicians, policy makers and leading academics.

Develop the strategy and plan to ensure all production milestones are met allowing the conference to be delivered to scope, on time and within budget.

Oversee the commercial sponsorship and exhibition strategy – working with the trading arm of the British Council and adhering to aid and trade compliance regulations.

Lead a team and work collaboratively within a matrix structure with regional Education teams, providing support and advice, and working in accordance with British Council values, and where EDI is a strong component of the culture.

Programme Manage the overarching Insight and Engagement global programme through the operation of appropriate processes, standards, systems, and policies to meet financial and non-financial targets.  This includes both compliance with corporate standards/policies and developing/maintaining programme specific approaches globally.

Main Accountabilities

Programme Management

• Develop, deliver, and evaluate the Going Global conference to position the British Council as a leading player in international education.
• Project manage the production of high-quality content-driven debates and discussions as part of the conference. 
• Develop the strategy and plan to ensure all production milestones are met allowing the conference to be delivered to scope, on time and within budget.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Manage effective relationships with high level UK and overseas speakers, contributors, and stakeholders, including politicians, policy makers and leading academics, to achieve positive outcomes for the British Council.
• Build positive relationships with British Council colleagues globally and work effectively with them to plan and deliver a successful event, responding to feedback and communicating effectively.
• Working with the communications and press teams, ensure positive coverage of the conference and its outcomes.

Leadership & management

• Lead the Going Global team, ensuring clear communication of goals and expectations.  
• Identify requirements and support learning and development to build improved operational capability within the team, ensuring that EDI and anti-racism standards are met and actively promoted.
• Put in place processes, resources, and support to ensure all staff with line management responsibilities deploy appropriate coaching, performance feedback and management techniques to maximise staff productivity, well-being, and motivation in a pressurised delivery environment.
• As an experienced operations professional, actively contributes to the development of wider regional and SBU strategies and plans.

Risk & compliance

• Use standard corporate processes, experience, and knowledge of context to assess a range of risks to programme delivery.  Ensuree appropriate contingency plans are in place and implemented promptly to manage delivery safely and effectively in challenging or high-risk circumstances.
• Investigate any reported instances of non-compliance with agreed corporate risk management policies (e.g., safeguarding, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures, information management, EDI), and takes appropriate remedial action, including escalation to more senior colleagues as required.

Analysis & reporting

• Use management information, analysis and personal operating experience to identify and make recommendations on improvements to ways of working, processes, procedures and/or resources that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Implement a range of agreed British Council reporting procedures and hold staff to account for maintaining them, to ensure that results are accurately recorded, thereby enabling timely and effective operational decision-making and provision of essential impact data.

Commercial and financial management

• Oversee the commercial sponsorship and exhibition strategy – working with the trading arm of the British Council and adhering to aid and trade compliance regulations.
• Propose annual budgets and undertake detailed resource planning to enable cost-effective, high-quality delivery of operational activities.
• Lead 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.

Role specific knowledge and experience

• Experience managing large scale conferences and events, including developing content and convening high level stakeholders.
• Experience of working in international education – with considerable knowledge of the sector.
• Experience of setting standards and leading diverse project teams to delivery agreed targets for impact and income, particularly client-funded and/or partnership projects.
• Experience of managing teams and projects in line with Centre of Excellence Project Management Standards.
• Experience of promoting and embedding EDI and anti-racism standards within large scale projects or programmes.
• Experience of leading evaluation activities within projects, including lessons learnt exercises, and implementing change based on insights to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Role specific knowledge and experience

• Applied knowledge and experience of UK and international higher education markets, student mobility, and internationalisation of HE.
• Motivation and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and anti-racism, demonstrated through an understanding of the British Council’s approach and of equality considerations relevant to the role, and examples or behaviours and decisions or actions that contribute to a more inclusive organisational culture or to a more inclusive programme, product or services.

Closing date: 7th May 2024, 11:59pm UK time

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 askhr@britishcouncil.org

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.