15 Oct
British Council
Senate House
Job description
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.
Location : London, Manchester, Cardiff, Belfast, and Edinburgh (All offices in the UK)
Department :
Digital & Technology
Contract type : Indefinite (permanent)
Closing Date : 25th July 2024 at 23 : 59
You must have the legal right to work in United Kingdom at the time of application. There is no relocation or sponsorship support.
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
In this role, the postholder will support the British Council’s work internationally in arts and culture, education, and English language programmes by leading the delivery and ongoing support of technology products and services for our Cultural Engagement business unit.
This exciting role spans the value chain, from providing technology consultancy to teams supporting or bidding for large international programmes,
to partnering with teams innovating in international collaboration within cultural relations.
The postholder will be an important, trusted and passionate advocate for our cultural engagement teams and their work, acting as a senior leader and liaison within Digital and Technology.
The postholder will have the authority to mobilise and manage technology resources as needed and will be a strong voice within our technology community.
Role context
The Digital and Technology (D&T;) team collaborate with other parts of the British Council to foster a digitally enabled, customer centric organisation.
As a digitally inclusive team, we strive to ensure our people, and those we work with, are enabled to feel digitally confident.
We do this by empowering our people with digital skills and support to help them rise to important challenges, regardless of role or location.
Our people steer our ambition, drive our successes and manage us through periods of great change. Together, we strive to build an inclusive environment that upholds our values and supports us in our work.
The Product division is critical to the British Council’s digital evolution and is central to realising the digital and transformational aspirations of the organisation.
The Director will ensure a customer focused vision and strategy and embed this in the development of product and technology solutions across both commercial and cultural relations work.
This role works closely with the Cultural Engagement (CE) Strategic Business Unit (SBU). CE brings together our portfolio of work in arts, education,
English, and research.
Our portfolio is delivered through a set of globally led programmes that locates our work and impact within our strategic framework.
These programmes deliver our key performance indicators and impact ambitions.
All programme management roles deliver activities and projects within this global programme and strategic framework. Our programmes are funded by the British Council’s grant in aid, through partnerships and external clients.
Main accountabilities
Accountable and advocating for the technology needs for Cultural Engagement within Digital & Technology and the wider organisation.
Actively championing the customer experience and ensuring the user is the alignment point at the heart of products and services created and delivered.
Provide strategic consultancy to the relevant colleagues to evaluate new technologies and methods of delivering them internal, external and sourcing in line with Digital and Technology architecture and solution principles.
Work closely with the Cultural Engagement senior leadership and wider unit to define the vision and objectives for digital and technology teams.
Defines the digital and technology strategy for Cultural Engagement and ensures technology is informing / driving the overall business strategy.
Accountable for end-to-end delivery and ongoing support of technology products and services. This includes the development / delivery of the technical capability requested as part of digital transformation.
To play an integral part in the provision of digital / systems support for the design, development and delivery of the business, internally and externally
Actively identifies demand needs from customers and stakeholders to inform development and enable the business area to meet its strategic objectives.
Develop an effective mechanism for prioritising and implementing technology support / development for globally and own the technology development roadmap for its delivery.
The role will provide a single point of contact and accountability for senior stakeholders and the Director of Product. It will aid the movement to product led delivery.
Working collaboratively with the relevant colleagues to input and inform how technology innovation will change the competitive landscape for the business as a whole and influence business leads to adopt and adapt as part of their global delivery.
To play an integral part to ensure that business needs are effectively fed into organisation wide systems being rolled out globally
Accountable for the Digital and Technology delivery budgets required to deliver on the business strategy and for mobilising digital resources where required.
Collaborate with senior colleagues to secure investment for technology initiatives and systems / product maintenance.
Ensures sufficient resource (staff and budget) is allocated to technology priorities from the Digital and Technology team, including making the business case for investment.
Ensures solutions are achieved in line with safeguarding needs and compliant with relevant policies including Information Security
Leads digital teams to optimise delivery for the business area
As a member of the Digital & Technology leadership contributes to corporate technology strategy and performance
Foster an outcome focused, accountable environment where activities and plans are conducted in accordance with the British Council values and where equality, diversity and inclusion are a strong element of the culture
Role specific skills
- Strategic approach to delivery.
- Expert in customer experience design
- Expert in digital product management
- Strong technical knowledge and skills and able to evaluate and deliver immediate, mid and long-term technology solutions and articulate options with these differing horizons, calibrated to strategic priorities and investment resources.
- Professional confidence. Able to present clearly to senior stakeholders, as well as challenge and secure agreements.
- Ability to build trust and understanding with those who hold differing views and at different levels.
- Highly collaborative in nature.
- Able to challenge existing business assumptions and show the value of alternate technology paradigms
- Possess the maturity and credibility to represent the British Council, the business and Digital and Technology Directorates at external meetings and discussions with key business and institutional stakeholders.
- Portfolio and programme management
- Financial planning and management
Role specific knowledge and experience
- Proven experience in Agile / Product delivery with deep understanding of what best-in-class digital experiences look and feel like.
- Strong consultancy skills
- Proven experience managing business relationships and stakeholders
- Proven experience in end to end digital and systems delivery across a complex organisation from investment to implementation and BAU
- Managing technical teams and ability to understand and translate technical paradigms to a lay audience.
- Building and transforming delivery teams
- Creating / contributing to investment cases and justifying technology expenditure including options appraisals
- Experience of working in a matrix structure
- Ability to engage and influence C Suite technology and business leaders
A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement
▶️ Director of Technology & Delivery
🖊️ British Council
📍 Senate House