Head of Business Assurance at The British Council

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.

Job Position: Head of Business Assurance, Nigeria

Job Location: Lagos and Port Harcourt – Rivers

Job Description

1. The purpose of the role is to develop a business assurance strategy, provide professional advice and support to exams operations within Nigeria in the achievement, monitoring and embedding of Quality and Compliance Assurance (QCA), IELTS and other awarding body standards.
2. The focus is to ensure standard and quality of the delivery of examinations operation in country according to British Council and Exams Boards standards as well as advise and assist teams to exceed quality standards.
3. Furthermore, the role will support operations and advise on appropriate solutions to target improvements and manage risk as well as effective implementation of action points arising from exams compliance audits and reviews.

Job Responsibilities
Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving:

1. To undertake and manage the quality assurance process across all products for Examinations operation in country, ensuring assessments take place, reviews are documented appropriately, action plans are devised and acted upon by assigned exams team members according to established deadlines.
2. Advise centers on risk mitigation measures, new standards, and best practice – Monitor and assist with incident investigation, implementing risk mitigation measures as necessary.
3. Help facilitate and support any global QCAs scheduled in country, including development of action plans and implementation of risk mitigation strategies.

Internal customer focus:

1. Engage key stakeholders (Director Exams, Regional Operations Manager, Assistants/Regional business assurance).
2. Share regular updates and/or tailored country reports and findings on quality and compliance status, progress, and issues, ensuring risks are reported/escalated in a timely manner.

Service improvement:

1. Support the communication and roll out of changes to QCA, IELTS and Awarding body standards, processes and procedures with operation teams
2. Identify opportunities for improvements within the established quality and compliance processes and procedures and make recommendations to the Director Exams, Regional Operations Manager, Assistants/Regional business assurance team.

Functional expertise:

1. Proactively maintains a sound working knowledge of developments in external policy, practice, and regulation within their functional discipline to build credibility, confidence, and business insight.
2. Will be the “go to person” for first-line advice and guidance on a specific practical process, topic, or system – either within the corporate functional department as a whole or embedded within a particular geographical unit or SBU team.

Commercial & Financial management:

1. Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages the budget for their area of activity/service provision, and conducts monthly and year-end reporting on income and expenditure, profitability, and risk.
2. Shows an understanding of value for money/cost effectiveness in the advice, recommendations or service support provided to internal customers.

Relationship & stakeholder management:

1. Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional discipline to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.
2. As required, represents the British Council in discussions and dealings with external suppliers/providers

Leadership & management:

1. Lead and coordinate with the Regional Operations Manager/Regional
2. Operation Support Manager and/or Assistants/Regional Business Assurance lead for confidential materials approval movements and any compliance matter/incidents/investigations.

Risk and Compliance:

1. Support teams to manage their risks within the agreed risk appetite and providing the Exams management and other stakeholders with assurance that our risk taking is appropriate and that significant risks are being managed.
2. Record and review risks facing exams operation in local risk registers.

Safeguarding:

1. Ensure that safeguarding implementation standards are followed in exams structures and mechanisms that promote safety for children and adults.
2. Escalate safeguarding concern the National Safeguarding Manager Pakistan.

Job Requirements

• University Degree

Role specific knowledge and experience:

1. Minimum of 5 years of work experience in a Business Assurance or Exams Manager role.
2. Demonstrable experience of promoting and managing compliance in line with corporate and external compliance frameworks.
3. Significant experience collecting, analysing and presenting data to identify trends.
4. Broad understanding of the breadth and range of examination distribution products and services delivered in Nigeria.
5. In addition to ability to meet main accountabilities detailed above, good relationship and stakeholder management skills.

Application Deadline
22nd November, 2023 at 23:59 South Africa Time

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

1. Internal candidates not based in the mentioned 3 countries who have interest in the role should reach out to the Hiring Manager first before submitting their application.
2. Language requirements: Proficient in English language (CEFR C1 or above) and excellent report writing skills.
3. Regular travel within Nigeria and occasional travel to non- represented markets.
4. Occasional evening and weekend working will be needed, for example when travelling or carrying out exam’s reviews.
5. Role holder must have existing rights to live and work in the country the role is based.
6. Please ensure you include a supporting statement that highlights your skills, knowledge, and experience. This information will be used in the shortlisting assessment.