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SalaryBusiness Development & Delivery Manager
Date: 17 Jan 2024
Location: London, UKM, GB
Company: British Council
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.
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.
Pay Band – 7 £30,839-£33,995 plus London weighting £3,300
Contract Type – 12 month FTC
Location – UK Manchester Cardiff Edinburgh Belfast London
Contract Type – 12 month FTC
Location – UK Manchester Cardiff Edinburgh Belfast London
Closing Date – 4th February 2024 23.59 UK time
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.
Role Purpose
This post is based in the English & Exams Strategic Business Unit (SBU) within Global Assessments, which oversees and manages the development, marketing, selling and delivery of British Council assessment products and services across a range of government, educational and corporate sectors and is backed by an assessment research group and advisory board. Aptis is the British Council’s English language testing product and is an established global test of English language proficiency increasingly accepted as a high quality, cost-effective means of testing large-scale populations for a variety of purposes.
This role will support British Council Exams Global Exams Strategy as outlined in the 2022-23 to 2024-25 Corporate Plan (P.24) through the consolidation of Aptis ESOL in the UK English language test taking market, in line with with Ofqual regulatory requirements for International ESOL qualifications. Ofqual rules and regulations require the British Council to deliver Aptis ESOL in test sessions on a regular basis in England in order for Aptis ESOL to maintain it’s regulatory status. Over the first two years of Ofqual recognition for Aptis ESOL as a test of English for Speakers of Other Languages for adult learners over 16 years old, the British Council has delivered Aptis ESOL through
a number of existing UK test delivery partners, with tests initially offered free as part of a pilot offer in late 2022-early 2023. With the challenges to shifting to a fee paying delivery model for Aptis ESOL in the current UK market, offering Aptis ESOL will continue to be offered as a free test for a 12-18 monthperiod before shifting to a low-fee / full-fee model.
This role will support British Council Exams Global Exams Strategy as outlined in the 2022-23 to 2024-25 Corporate Plan (P.24) through the consolidation of Aptis ESOL in the UK English language test taking market, in line with with Ofqual regulatory requirements for International ESOL qualifications. Ofqual rules and regulations require the British Council to deliver Aptis ESOL in test sessions on a regular basis in England in order for Aptis ESOL to maintain it’s regulatory status. Over the first two years of Ofqual recognition for Aptis ESOL as a test of English for Speakers of Other Languages for adult learners over 16 years old, the British Council has delivered Aptis ESOL through
a number of existing UK test delivery partners, with tests initially offered free as part of a pilot offer in late 2022-early 2023. With the challenges to shifting to a fee paying delivery model for Aptis ESOL in the current UK market, offering Aptis ESOL will continue to be offered as a free test for a 12-18 monthperiod before shifting to a low-fee / full-fee model.
Ofqual regulatory status is also being sought for the Teens variant of Aptis for the 13-15 year olds, primarily to meet demand for a high-stakes ‘recognised’ qualification in secondary school education in various key markets worldwide. The requirement to deliver this variant to under 16 year old learners will come into place when regulatory status for this variant is granted by Ofqual.
Main opportunities and challenges for this role:
Business Development
- Work with key UK and GA Team members to identify specific business opportunities in the target market segments: Learners studying on ESOL courses, adult and YL English language course students, and non native speaker YL students at international schools.
- Establish Aptis ESOL, initially as a viable free test option for learners – mainly new arrivals, refugees and asylum seekers – studying on ESOL courses at tertiary education colleges.
- Ensure that a programme of regular Aptis ESOL test sessions for adult learners (monthly or more regularly) are scheduled in an agreed number of locations.
• Manage the promotion of the for Teens variant of Aptis ESOL among key target language schools and international schools, through product sampling pilots offering a fixed number of free tests to each institution. • Identify and contact key partner institutions to offer free Aptis ESOL for Teens tests
- Pursue identified business prospects through initial call/email communication and follow up meetings to introduce Aptis ESOL and generate product interest.
- Generate new leads through networking/relationship development
- Build Aptis ESOL awareness, through communication of clear product knowledge and messaging to all stakeholders.
- Identify client needs, update value propositions and look at opportunities for retention through cross-sell as well as other initiatives
- Collect and share insights and trends within market developments
Relationship and Stakeholder Management
- Consolidate relationships with existing UK Aptis ESOL delivery partners and clients, and key contacts within (Heads of language departments, IT technical staff, teachers…) to shift delivery from sporadic sessions to a regular test session programme.
- Initiate and develop relationships with clients and stakeholders to expand sustainable business opportunities for Aptis ESOL in the UK.
- Resolve issues, add value and ensure delivery on expectations to client satisfaction
- Build and maintain relationships with key internal partners and stakeholders across UK, Regional and Global Exams Operations and Delivery, Business Development, Marketing and Communication, and Business Assurance teams, to facilitate the roll-out, administration and establishment of a regular UK Aptis ESOL test delivery programme.
Project Management
- Lead on operational planning for the delivery of Aptis ESOL through delivery partners with UK and regional operations teams.
- Manage free test pilot projects with key stakeholders who have agreed to run sample test sessions through all stages of delivery from pre-exam set up and administration, test-day administration and post-test release of results and client and test taker feedback.
• Facilitate the set-up and administration of initial test sessions with test-venue partners through test session supervision, in-house venue staff training, and test day support for institutes and test venues. • Coordinate project to establish in-house Aptis ESOL testing at British Council HQ in Stratford and/or at least one other public test venue.
Role specific knowledge and experience:
- Experience of new business sales is essential
- Experience of taking a pro-active approach to identifying & addressing ways in which a service can be improved
- Demonstrable ability to sustain and/or grow a product/service in line with specific strategies and targets
- Experience with aligning client/stakeholder needs and feedback to products/services
- Demonstrable experience of trouble-shooting issues with customers
- Ability to work unsupervised and build a programme using their own initiative, contacts and innovative approaches
What you will receive in return
- 32 days annual leave plus statutory public holidays and half day privilege Christmas leave
- Non-contractual discretionary annual performance bonus
- Extensive and generous family friendly benefits
- Extensive range of voluntary benefit options
- Outstanding defined benefit career average Civil Service Pension Scheme which includes life cover and pensions for eligible dependants, e.g., Spouse, civil partner, partner, dependent children
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.
