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: Test Day Coordinator – Maternity Cover
Locations: Abuja and Port Harcourt
Pay Band: 4
Role Type: Administrative
Job Category: Exams
Department: English & Exams
Duration: Fixed Term Contract – Six (6) Months
Reports to: Exams Operations Manager
Role Purpose
- The purpose of this role is to ensure effective and efficient delivery of Exams within a specified location.
- To manage Venue Supervisor engagement, relationship and performance.
- To co-ordinate and manage any risk or issue resolution, including co-ordination of customer (candidate) communication directly or through customer services.
- To be point of contact for Venues/Venue Supervisors on the day.
- This role will be required to work test days which will involve weekend work as part of the contracted hours.
- To work closely with Operations staff colleagues to ensure exam registration and paper delivery are in place for test day and oversight on posttest activities.
Geopolitical/SBU/Function Overview
- 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 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 qualifications.
- 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 platform.
Main Opportunities/Challenges for this Role:
- There is a new Global Operating Model for Exams being implemented across the business and this role will be key to ensuring delivery of our exams operations at test centre level, working with new systems and processes and ensuring that new ways of working are taken up and adhered to.
- Acting in unforeseen situations to solve problems to ensure Test Day is successfully executed.
Main Accountabilities
Product Service Support:
- Undertake the related planning and delivery functions in preparation for Test Days in line with BC process
- Receives instructions and requests from cluster operations, 5 days before (or as specified) Test Day itself and plans and organises given resources accordingly (often at short notice) to ensure that work is carried out efficiently and effectively
- Scan dashboards to monitor performance and identify issues
- Plan and deploy of engagement plan for Venue Staff
- Ensures exam materials are received at Test Centre and stored securely
- Supports decisions of Operations Resource Pool Manager with the selection of venue staff, sets performance expectations and maintains positive relations
- Supports the selection of suitable venues, with collaboration with Operations Planning Manager
- Access to and organisation of data as required (i.e. IWAS, ORS2, SRS, etc)
Customer (Candidate) support:
- Receives and responds to enquiries from/to customers (candidates) in relation to test day incident reporting, 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 them 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 service/project/task delivery or customer experience.
- Handles candidate communication regarding registration information and test day location changes. This also includes coordinating briefing sessions for schools partners, uploading requiring data in preparation for exams and creating ID cards for test day as required. (Requirements may vary per exam service).
- Coordinates post-test activities including results (i.e. TRFs for IELTS, Enquiry on Results, etc)
Relationship & stakeholder management:
- Supporting continuous improvement in the efficiency/cost effectiveness/quality of service delivery/systems in the unit or department
- Proactively work with Operations Managers 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 throughout the process. (Complaints focused on test day incidents).
- Develops good working relationships and engagement with Venue Staff and appropriate colleagues throughout the BC to facilitate effective and efficient service delivery. Support Operations Resource Pool Manager with examiner testing (i.e. jagged results).
- Act as point of contact and manage escalated issues in country from Venue Supervisors and Venues, supported by Operations Planning Manager or Head of Operations when required.
Risk and Compliance:
- Undertake contingency and risk management on the ground, liaise 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 BC and its customers at all times.
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 respond to operational needs.
- Leads wash-up meetings to review Test Day performance delivery, continual improvement and corrective actions
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 timelimited, straightforward activities, within established procedures, in order to ensure efficient delivery of services. Monitors task completion to agreed quality and time standards.
Key Relationships
Internal:
- Operations Manager, Operations Planning Manager and Operations Pool Manager and respective operational teams
- CMR and Logistics Team and Technical Support
- Exams colleagues in business development and account management
- Business Assurance
- Customer Service
- Finance and Resources Team
External:
- Examiners; Venue Staff; Customers (Candidates), School Partners and Exam Body representatives, Key Accounts Representatives, Venue Proprietors
Role Requirements
Threshold requirements:
- Passport requirements/ Right to work in country – All applicants should have a pre-existing legal status to live and work in Nigeria. The British Council will not facilitate/sponsor visa applications and work permits.
Assessment stage: Shortlisting
- Direct contact or managing staff working with children? – Yes – appropriate police check
Assessment stage: N/a
Person Specification
Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Minimum / Essential:
- Experience working in a busy operational environment delivering high levels of customer service.
- Ability to ensure compliance, risk and security standards are monitored and maintained.
Desirable:
- Experience working in Exams
- Experience of supporting on delivery of computer based exams
Assessment stage: Shortlisting
Role Specific Skills (if any)
- N/A
Assessment Stage: Shortlisting AND Interview
British Council Core Skills
- Communicating and influencing (level 1)
- Communicates clearly and effectively – Listens to others and expresses self clearly, with grammatical accuracy and awareness of a diverse audience in speaking and writing. Managing projects (level 2).
- Analyses project data – Examines project data and performance, reporting on progress and recommending corrective action as needed.
- Planning and organising (level 2).
- Plans ahead – Organises own work over weeks and months, or plans ahead for others, taking account of priorities and the impact on other people.
Assessment Stage: Shortlisting AND Interview
British Council Behaviours
- Connecting with others (Essential): Making regular opportunities to understand others better
- Working together (Essential): Ensuring that others benefit as well as me
- Making it happen (Essential): Delivering clear results for the British Council
- Being Accountable (Essential): Delivering my best work in order to meet my commitments
Assessment Stage: Interview
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Click here to download Job Details (Pdf)
Click here to download BC Behaviour (pdf)
Click here to download BC Core Skills (pdf)
Job Title: Confidential Materials Room (CMR) and Logistics Officer
Locations: Kano and Port Harcourt
Pay Band: 4
Role Type: Administrative
Job Category: Exams
Department: English & Exams
Duration: Indefinite
Reports to: CMR & Logistics Manager
Role Purpose
- The purpose of this role is to support the safe handling in accordance to compliance standards, of confidential materials by during the multiple exchanges in country/location. This includes movement and activities related to the primary storage area known as the Confidential Materials Room (CMR).
Geopolitical/SBU/Function Overview
- 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.
- 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 platform.
- E&E achieves this by enabling people across the world 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 qualifications.
Main Opportunities/Challenges for this Role
- There is a new Global Operating Model for Exams being implemented across the business and this role will be key to ensuring delivery of our exams operations at test centre level, working with new systems and processes and ensuring that new ways of working are taken up and adhered to.
- Driving right behavior’s in the team towards greater awareness related to maintaining confidentiality of sensitive exam related materials.
- Implementing improvement actions in the distribution and logistics of handling confidential materials.
Main Accountabilities
Product Service Support:
- 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.
- Ensures the proper procedures and documentation is adhered to when handing over to courier.
- Ensures proper script receipt tracking, packing and return OR scanning, store and shredding
- Provides timely escalation of issues, enabling the adaptation of work plans where necessary.
- Supports continuous improvement in efficiency/cost effectiveness/quality of service delivery in the team.
- Undertakes sorting and packing of exam materials to for designated test venues.
- Supports tasks to reconcile exam materials and papers received are as per plan, report and escalate any discrepancies.
- Undertake handling of suitcases and storage materials for distribution ordering and budget management.
- Supports planning for Test Day resources ordering, quality, distribution and management (e.g. process guides, stationery, branding/signage/ technical equipment – speaking test/hand scanners)
Customer support:
- Receives and responds to enquiries from/to customers (candidates, Exam Bodies, exam colleagues, etc)., 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 them 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 service/project/task delivery or customer experience.
Relationship & stakeholder management:
- Carries out instructions and requests from Operations Manager and/or CMR & Logistics Manager efficiently and effectively.
- Builds an understanding of who’s who within the country and wider region to enable effective resolution of issues when they arise
Risk & Compliance:
- Ensure adherence to CMR standards and management as set forth and carry out frequent random checks to proactively prevent issues from arising.
- Provide support and reporting for audits and performance reviews.
- 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 BC and its customers at all times.
- Create awareness within the country team on the importance of maintaining the standards around CMR and distribution of exam related materials, provide feedback if behavioural gaps are observed.
- Provides monthly CMR checks, as required by QCA (or supports CMR & Logistics Manager to achieve).
Finance & resource management:
- Manage courier SLA/performance standards and builds relationship with courier service provider in country, proactively seeking out and updating courier panel so that quality of services and cost elements are in accordance standards.
- 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 needed.
- Coordinates transportation and security requirements for the test day. Raises POs for care hire needed on test day.
- Manages stock-for-re-sale. Works closely with Customer Service Team on stock management.
- Manage exam equipment inventory (i.e. CICO tablets)
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 agreed quality and time standards
Key Relationships
Internal:
- Operations Manager, Operations Planning Manager and Operations Pool Manager and respective operational teams
- CMR and Logistics Team and Technical Support
- Exams colleagues in business development and account management
- Business Assurance
- Customer Service
- Finance and Resources Team
- Facilities team
External:
- Courier Companies and Logistics Partners
- Examiners; Venue Staff Role
Role Requirements
Threshold requirements:
- Passport requirements/ Right to work in country – All applicants should have a pre-existing legal status to live and work in Nigeria. British Council will not facilitate/sponsor visa applications and work permits.
Assessment stage: Shortlisting
- Direct contact or managing staff working with children? – NO
- Notes – Police check required due to confidential materials
Person Specification
Qualifications
Minimum / essential:
- University degree in any subject or relevant qualification
Assessment stage: Shortlisting
Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Minimum / Essential:
- Experience in a relevant role
- Experience in identifying and minimising risk
- Experience in compliance environment
- Experience of working in a high volume, busy operational environment, delivering to standard
Desirable:
- Experience of supporting on delivery of computer based exams
Assessment Stage: Shortlisting
Role Specific Skills (if any)
- Track record of working in a tightly controlled process driven environment
Assessment Stage: Shortlisting AND Interview
British Council Core Skills
- Communicating and influencing (level 1)
- Communicates clearly and effectively – Listens to others and expresses self clearly, with grammatical accuracy and awareness of a diverse audience in speaking and writing.
- Managing projects (level 1)
- Follows project management disciplines – Works with project management systems and procedures, and has a track record of compliance with them as a project team member.
- Planning and organising (level 1) Is methodical – Able to plan own work over short timescales for routine or familiar tasks and processes.
Assessment Stage: Shortlisting AND Interview
British Council Behaviours
- Connecting with others (Essential): Making regular opportunities to understand others better Making it happen (Essential): Delivering clear results for the British Council Being Accountable (Essential): Delivering my best work in order to meet my commitments Shaping the future (Essential): Looking for ways in which we can do things better
Assessment Stage: Interview
Deadline: 15th August, 2019 (23:59 UK time)
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Click here to download Job Details (Pdf)
Click here to download BC Behaviour (pdf)
Click here to download BC Core Skills (pdf)
Note
- Please state the location you are applying for in your Supporting Statement.
- In your application form, please clearly explain how you meet the essential and desirable skills, qualification and experience criteria mentioned in the person specification section of the role profile. This will help us determine your fit for the role and increase your application’s chances of success.
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