Regional Exams Communications Manager at British Council

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations. The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We call this cultural relations. We build trust and understanding for the UK to create a safer and more prosperous world. In terms of our reach and impact, we are the world’s leading cultural relations organisation. Cultural relations is a component of international relations which focuses on developing people-to-people links and complements government-to-people and government-to-government contact. We use English, Arts, and Education and Society - the best of the UK’s great cultural assets - to bring people together and to attract partners to working with the UK. The British Council has over 7,000 staff working in 191 offices in 110 countries and territories. The British Council in Nigeria The British Council was established in 1934 and has been in Nigeria since 1943. We currently operate from offices in Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port-Harcourt and continue to engage in cultural relations work, building links between citizens of the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Our activities are delivered through our Arts, Education, English and Society business units as well as a thriving exams unit providing opportunities for thousands of Nigeria to acquire globally recognised qualifications.

British Council Pay band:  6

Role Purpose:

The Communications Manager will be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of communication strategies for Exams across the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. This includes managing external communications efforts such as media relations, public relations, and events, as well as stakeholder communications across all Strategic Business Units (SBUs). The role will require close collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders to implement strategies that enhance and unify the marketing initiatives for Exams. The aim will be to engage current audiences, attract new ones, and raise awareness of the British Council in the region.

Role Context:

Marketing and Communications at the British Council is a strategic function that drives awareness, understanding, and engagement with our diverse audiences. By leveraging market insights, customer knowledge, and data analysis, we ensure our work, products, and services resonate with the right people in the most impactful way. We take the lead in developing our brand and use our expertise to tell inspiring stories that enhance our global reputation, foster lifelong relationships, engage staff, and demonstrate our impact.

Main Accountabilities/Responsibilities but not limited to the following:

Strategy and Planning

•  Supports the development and implementation of the Exams communications strategy and plan, ensuring alignment to global communications strategy and plan.
• Manages the delivery of Exams external and internal communications campaigns, advice and activities, ensuring that messages are consistent and support regional and global communications strategies as part of overall Marketing strategy and plans.
• Provides strategic oversight in communicating the British Council’s Exams profile to internal and external stakeholders working closely with Country Directors.
• Manages media relations activities for Exams across the region.
• Ensures that Exams communications maintain the reputation of the British Council.
• Ensures that Exams internal, media and stakeholder communications risks and issues are effectively managed and mitigated with support from the Regional Head of Communications.
•  Ensures that Exams communications messages are consistent,  aligned to global and regional communications strategy and support the British Coucil brand.

Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving

• Applies advanced communications expertise to provide advice to key stakeholders and develop and deliver agreed programmes of work
• . Applies analytical approaches to identify and assess current state of communications, define opportunities for improvement, develop and implement agreed projects and initiatives, ensuring consistency with regional communications strategies, plans and approaches and global strategy where appropriate.
• Develops appropriate communications initiatives and interventions to support business needs, aligned to global and regional communications strategies, plans and approaches.
• Presents complex information clearly, producing tailored presentations, which convincingly influence decision-makers about the case for cluster communications initiatives.
• Builds an in-depth understanding of the operational context, opportunities and challenges for communications.
• Makes appropriate linkages to issues across the broader organisation and region, to ensure that the development of communications projects and initiatives is based on informed business insight and joined-up thinking.
• Proactively seeks colleagues and other stakeholder feedback to monitor satisfaction with the standard of communications/media relations and PR advice and business support provided, enabling improvements to be made where issued are identified.

Subject/Sector expertise

• Ensures joined up planning and delivery of communications projects and initiatives.
• Ensures consistent application of agreed global communications and brand standards, templates and processes.
• Reviews impact and effectiveness of communications projects and initiatives and identifies opportunities for improvement.
• Provides expert advice, support and challenge on communications to internal customers and other stakeholders.
• Develops high quality and effective communications plans and solutions using established processes, tools and systems to ensure consistency.
• Proactively pursues an annual cycle of formally recognised Continuing Professional Development to maintain and deepen their professional expertise.

Commercial & financial management

•  Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages the budget for certain communications projects and initiatives.
• Where required, conducts monthly and year-end reporting on progress against plan and deliverables, budget, and management of issues and risks.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Ensures solid and beneficial relationships with marketing and communications professionals globally.
• Actively participates within the Marketing Community of Practice and communications networks.
• Develops peer/personal networks within and outside Marketing to enhance own knowledge and expertise.
• Proactively builds and maintains excellent relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Leadership and management

• Plans and prioritises own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to annual time horizon.
• Determines work plans and coordinates input from others (who may be outside the direct management line) to meet specific objectives.

Minimum/Essential:

• Relevant degree e.g. communications, journalism, marketing, or equivalent level of experience
• Significant experience in managing communications within a large and complex organisation or agency
• Demonstrable experience in providing expert advice and guidance on internal and external communications
• Experience in managing and mitigating communications risks and issues
• Proven record of editorial experience (i.e. proofreading,
• Demonstrable creative approach to developing, implementing and evaluating communication activities
• Practical experience of using social media to extend reach of an organisation including through campaigns;

Desirable:

• Experience in a global organisation
• Project management skills

Method of Application