Cultural Engagement Global Operations Support

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.

Context
This role sits within the Cultural Engagement Operations team, which is part of the Cultural Engagement (CE) Strategic Business Unit (SBU) within the British Council. CE brings together our work in arts, education, English, and research. With a workforce of approximately 1000 globally and an annual turnover in 2019/20 in excess of £400 million CE delivers impact through research and insight, sector engagement, policy dialogue and a mixed portfolio of commercial and non-commercial work globally.

The purpose of the CE Operations function is to set and support an operating environment that enables CE to efficiently deliver the CE global business plan. It focuses on enabling teams to embed ways of working, good practice, continual improvement and to demonstrate compliance.

The function comprises a global team with 27 people and a wider operations network with sector/regional operations roles embedded into the regional/sector teams to support and drive the implementation of the CE operating environment. That wider network also includes roles within the central corporate teams (professional services) that have a remit to support CE to deliver its global business.

The Opportunity
Role Purpose

This role will support the transformation of the operating environment and associated ways of working required for effective and efficient delivery of the Cultural Engagement portfolio globally - specifically working with CE Head Operations Network to help implement and maintain a community of practise for the wider operations network focused on priority areas of programme management quality assurance, compliance, embedding global standards and workforce planning. It will alsoprovide administrative support for members of the CE Operations leadership team within their specialist work areas to enable the smooth running of the function.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

Leadership & management

• Plan and prioritise own work activities to ensure effective delivery of responsibilities and the team plan deliverables which ultimately contribute to the delivery of the Global Business Plan.
• Be the "go to" person for an agreed number of internal initiatives as agreed with CE Head Operations Nework.
• Support CE Head Operations Network to develop and maintain a high-level CE/Corporate framework which articulates relationship management accountabilities and service provision across CE and Corporate/professional Services.
• Support the setting up and ongoing tasks associated with the wider operations network and community of practice. Coordinate the gathering of insight and feedback from sector and regional operations colleagues to support a more streamlined and effective operating environment globally.
• To actively 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.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Work with peers and colleagues across the Operations Network, supporting its effectiveness as a vehicle to drive change and implement new ways of working. Help to identify and address challenges and opportunities so there is a more streamlined and consistent service.

Sector/subject expertise

• Support the planning, organisation and delivery of training and development opportunities that embed ways of working and support compliance and assurance in the priority areas for CE Operations
• Provide support to members of the global CE Operations Leadership Team within there specialist areas which may include, but is not limited to
  • Support the embedding first and second line assurance processes such as Management control checks.
  • Support the global sector risk management processes so that risks are collated, managed, and updated.
  • Collate information for the resourcing panels to support their effective running
  • Support the rollout of resource management mechanisms such as time logging across the sector/ business area.
  • Support the contract management team to build contract management capability in the global sector.

Function support

• Provide administrative support to members of the global CE Operations Leadership Team which may include, but is not limited to
  • Supporting CE Director Operations with occasional travel arrangements (including preparing documents/travel packs, visas etc) and large meetings
  • Leading on planning and support for occational internal team events, away days, workshops etc. Taking minutes and actions as needed
  • Information management - including document management and content editing on sharepoint sites
  • Taking on a SAP-OS role (raising purchase orders (POs), goods receipting, managing invoices and vendors), supporting tenders as needed and following procurement and contract management standards for e.g. venues, stationery, external consultants
  • Supporting internal financial planning and reporting processes (e.g. quarterly reviews/forecasts)

Role specific knowledge and experience:

• Experience of supporting and/or inputting to practitioner networks.
• Experience of providing administrative and consultative support to a range of stakeholders concurrently.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Experience of content editing of online platforms / resources.

Further Information

Pay Band - 6/G
Contract Type - Indefinite Contract

Department - Cultural Engagement
Location - UK
Requirements - Candidates must have the pre-existing right to work in location. Mobility / relocation support will not be provided
Closing Date - Sunday 2 October 2022
Interviews - Week commencing 10 october 2022

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 iscommitted 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

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