British Council company
British Council Pay band: 4
Department: English and Exams
Contract type: Indefinite (Permanent)
Closing Date: Sunday 9th of March 2025, (23:59 GMT)
Location: Ethiopia – Addis Ababa
You must have the legal right to work in the stated location. We will not be providing Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance is not provided
.
British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at intervie
w
. Role Contex
t:To ensure effective and efficient delivery of Exams in Addis Ababa and remote exams office location in Ethiopia. To handle confidential materials during the multiple exchanges in accordance with compliance standards. To manage Venue Supervisor engagement, relationship and performance. To co-ordinate and manage any risk or issue resolution, including co-ordination of customer communication directly or through customer services. To be point of contact for Venues/Venue Supervisors on the Test day. To support Test Day Supervisors when require
d.
Role Purpo
se:The British Council established a presence in Ethiopia in 1942 shortly after the return of the Emperor Haile Selassie from exile in the UK. Our work in Arts, English and Exam, Education and Society is delivered across Ethiopia’s 11 regions. We work with partners – UK, Ethiopian and international – to the benefit of individuals, the UK and Ethiopia. There is a growing demand for IELTS amongst individuals wishing to improve their study and career opportunities. There is a growing recognition amongst public and private sector organisations of the advantages of benchmarking students’, teachers’ and employees’ langua
ge.
The English and Examinations Strategic Business Unit (E&E) is one of three strategic business units in the British Council (the others being Arts and Education & Society) all of which have the remit to build trust for the people of the UK by building relationships through aspects of our language and culture. E&E achieves this by enabling people across the world 2 to access the life-changing education and work opportunities that are created by learning English or gaining valuable UK qualifications. Promoting the English language also provides a medium for communication, helping break down barriers of misunderstanding or mistrust between cultures. The British Council’s 2020 vision for English & Examinations is to be the world authority in high quality English language teaching, learning and assessment, as well as the International distributor of choice for UK professional and school qualificati
ons.
The Examinations business makes a significant contribution to British Council financial sustainability, and as such, it is essential that the business evolves in order to maintain its position in a fast-changing operating context. There is a need to standardise and automate activities across the globe to deliver efficiencies, and there is also a requirement to develop new digital products and services to meet changing customer demands and competitive pressures. In a cost and resource-constrained environment, balancing the on-going requirements and allocation of funds will be critical, as will the integration and planning of the implementation of the different changes across a global network of 110+ countries charged with the on-going delivery of impact and income whilst changing key elements of the supporting operational pla
tform
Main Accountabilities/Responsibilities but not limited to the foll
owing:
Product Service
Support▪ Undertakes the related planning and delivery functions in preparation for Test Days in line with BRITISH COUNCIL pr
ocesses
▪ Receives instructions and requests from cluster operations, 5 days before Test Day and plans and organises given resources accordingly (often at short notice) to ensure that work is carried out efficiently and eff
ectively
▪ Scans dashboards to monitor performance and identi
fy issues
▪ Deploys engagement plan for Venue Staff. Supports decisions of Operations Manager Ethiopia with the selection of venue staff, sets performance expectations and maintains positive
relations.
▪ Supports the functions of confidential materials handling and the Confidential Materials Room (CMR) to ensure British Council standards are met in set up and day to day
operations.
▪ Undertakes sorting and packing of exam materials to for designated test venues. Ensures exam materials are received at Test Centre and sto
red securely
▪ Supports tasks to reconcile exam materials and papers received are as per plan, report and escalate any d
iscrepancies.
▪ Undertakes handling of suitcases and storage of materials. Ensures the proper procedures and documentation is adhered to when handing over to courier or t
est day staff.
▪ Ensures proper script receipt tracking, packing and return or scanning, store and shredding ▪ Supports the selection of suitable venues, planning for Test Day resources ordering, quality, distribution and management (e.g. process guides, stationery, branding/signage/ technical equipment – speaking test
/hand scanners)
▪ Provides timely escalation of issues, enabling the adaptation of work plans
where necessary.
Customer support▪ Receives and responds to enquiries from/to customers and may be a specific point of reference on queries relating to an area of nominated expertise or responsibility. Identifies where more complex issues require resolution by others and refers th
em on accordingly
▪ Recognises and understands the impact of incidents arising (e.g. complaints, resourcing problems, logistical or technical difficulties) and proactively alerts the team leader to any issues of concern that are likely to impact test delivery or cu
stomer experience.
Relationship & sta
keholder management▪ Supports continuous improvement in the efficiency/cost effectiveness/quality of service delivery/systems in the
unit or department
▪ Proactively works with Operations Manager Ethiopia to deliver satisfactory and timely resolution of customer (internal or external) complaints, coordinating input from other team members as required. Ensures the customer is kept informed thr
oughout the process.
▪ Develops good working relationships and engagement with Venue Staff and appropriate colleagues throughout the BRITISH COUNCIL to facilitate effective and effic
ient service delivery
. ▪ Acts as point of contact and manages escalated issues in country from Venue Supervisors and Venues, supported by Operations Manager / Cluster team when require
d. Risk and Compliance
▪ Undertakes contingency and risk management on the ground, liaises with Customer Service, Examiner or Venue Staff to ensure alignment on communications Leads in providing support related to compliance or investigations on Test
Day and related issues.
▪ Follows agreed corporate risk management processes and procedures when delivering services (e.g. child protection, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures) to protect the interests of the BRITISH COUNCIL and its
customers at all times.
▪ Ensures adherence to CMR standards and management as set forth and carry out frequent random checks to proactively pre
vent issues from arising.
▪ Provides support and reporting for audit
s and performance review
s.
Analysis & Reporting▪ Uses standard procedures and templates, regularly records, analyses and reports on operational activity such as venue staff performance to support senior managers in making timely and effective business decisions that re
spond to operational needs.
Finan
ce & Resource Management▪ Monitors and takes responsibility for small-scale resources/cash/stock, following established procedures and ensures that equipment and materials are available
and ready to use when need
ed
Managing self & others▪ Plans and prioritises own work activities, which span across a range of different work streams, responding to changing and at times competing requirements to ensure effective delivery of responsibilities over a
weekly/monthly time horizon.
▪ Tasks and coordinates others (e.g. internal colleagues or external contractors/suppliers) to complete time limited, straightforward activities, within established procedures, in order to ensure efficient delivery of services. Monitors task completion to agre
ed quality and time standard
s.
Additional Job Requirements:This role will be required to work test days which will involve weekend work as well as evening a
s part of the contracted hours.
Role Sp
ecific Knowledge a
ds are mon
delivery of computer
