Operations Planning Manager

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.

British Council Pay band: 7 (£30,839 - £37,152)

Benefits Include, but are not limited to:

Join a dynamic team that is passionate about helping thousands of people to achieve their ambitions in work, study or life, through various English exams and UK qualifications.

An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and/or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world.

32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays

3 days volunteering leave

Career average defined benefit pension scheme

Department: English and Exams

Contract type : Two years, Fixed Term Contract

Closing Date : Sunday 28th July 2024 (23:59 GMT)

Location : UK Wide (Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester or London)

Interviews to be held 14-15 August 2024

You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.

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 interview.

Role Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to plan and track exams capacity requirements against demand. The role will translate demand into capacity/resource requirements for venues, people and test materials to fully optimise operations and margins while maintaining service levels, maximising agility and ensuring contingency.

Role Context:

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 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.

Main Accountabilities/Responsibilities but not limited to the following:

Product Service Delivery

▪ Translates demand into capacity plan for venues, venue staff, papers, etc

▪ Sets venue strategy, profiles and works with Procurement and Venue proprietor

▪ Identifies and shares examples of process / procedural best practice with appropriate colleagues to drive continuous improvement in operational capability, efficiency and cost effectiveness in conjunction with Business improvement colleagues.

Customer service

▪ Ensures achievement of Customer Experience standards and performance by regularly gathering feedback to drive improvement, working closely with customer services

 ▪ Takes end-to-end accountability for researching and obtaining satisfactory and timely resolution of complex/escalated customer (internal or external) operational complaints and issues, coordinating input from other colleagues/departments/managers as required, to do so. Ensures the customer is kept informed throughout the process.

Risk & compliance

 ▪ Uses standardised processes to monitor team/unit compliance with agreed corporate risk management procedures relevant to service delivery (e.g. child protection, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures) to always protect the interests of the BC and its customers.

 ▪ Uses standardised processes to monitor compliance with agreed corporate risk management procedures relevant to service delivery

Analysis & reporting

 ▪ Conducts analysis of business information and compiles business reports for business planning and as required for audit, incident & investigation.

 ▪ Presents complex information clearly to enable evidence-based operational decision-making and planning.

 Commercial & resource management

▪ Operates and runs regular reports on range of standard, corporate financial processes and procedures to enable effective budget and resource management for the team, unit or project(s) – e.g. purchase order system, FABS, SAP, procurement processes.

▪ Actively seeks to maximise value for money when acquiring resources, goods or services

Leadership & management

▪ Motivates and encourages team performance in virtual (non-face to face situations).

▪ Coaches and guides towards team performance of the country operations team, working with country leadership to address skills or motivation gaps as it arises.

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

Minimum/Essential

Experience managing small teams (or demonstrated management potential)

Experience working in Exams environment

Identifying ways in which services can be improved, and taking these forward

Excellent communications skills

Desirable

Experience of translating demand requirements to ensure capacity can be met to deliver operationally within a business

Experience or ability to manage large remote teams of non-permanent resource including oversight of performance

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement