Deputy Director Arts India

Date: 15 Mar 2024 Location: Mumbai, South Asia, IN 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\xe2\x80\x9322 we reached 650 million people.


Role Purpose


To lead on mid-scale multi-year programmes, galvanising and mentoring India\xe2\x80\x99s Arts Programme Managers to deliver an impactful portfolio nationally and across physical and digital platforms.


To deputise for the Director Arts India who leads the high value, arts and culture strategy and programmes.


To manage and have oversight of the programme portfolio delivered as part of the Arts four global programmes: Culture Connects, Spotlights on Culture, Creative Economy and Arts Responds to Global Challenges.
To represent the British Council at arts events and lead on relationships with key arts stakeholders.
To provide country level joining up across our five hubs in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore), ensuring our programme team are working to create a coherent national programme which gives value to the UK, working closely with our UK Arts team and with UK and Indian partners.
Lead the team\xe2\x80\x99s work from a business functionality, efficiency, compliance and operational perspective working in a complex multi-location, multi-cultural environment within an organisational matrix structure.
Manage team resource management development and training needs and contribute towards business development and fundraising.


Main Accountabilities:
Ma Stakeholder and Team Management

• Direct line management of Senior Arts Managers

• Ensure effective project management of programmes
• Model a transparent, consultative working culture between partners and stakeholders
• Convening programme boards and working groups
• Manage working together across the UK and India Arts colleagues and cities
• Support colleagues with high-level partnerships and in resource planning
• Ensure that India Arts team has a good working relationship with country leadership, business functions

Programme Delivery

• Provide senior programme management and leadership across the arts portfolio
• Seek delivery support from Cultural Engagement and business support functions to ensure programmes are of a high-quality and designed to produce impact
• Own the comms plan, programme copy and lead on all matters pertaining to branding and visual identity
• Monitor the impact of the programmes work and work with REF/KPI lead to ensure targets are met and data captures are put in place across the whole team
• Oversee commissioning of all research, monitoring and evaluation

Planning + Operations

• Support India\xe2\x80\x99s Arts team in managing, preparing and quality-assuring their project elements, ensuring staff are trained in and utilizing appropriate processes
• Operational standard setting and decision-making, providing internal authority for project staff and consultants
• Provide reporting information for business function areas, collating data as necessary for reporting and review for regional leadership teams
• Lead monthly reviews and attend senior internal operational meetings representing the team with delegated authority
• Lead on reporting to the region on behalf of India
• Within agreed authority levels, negotiate, procure, authorise and advise on contracts

Managing Resources, Risk and Compliance

• Cultivate a compliance culture to ensure that operational procedures are followed, risk is managed and programmes meet funding criteria
• Manage programme budgeting and forecasting
• Conduct monthly, quarterly and year-end reporting on income and expenditure
• Accountability for child protection and EDI standards across the programme
• Design systems for data capture and analysis

Business development

• Build relationships with strategic clients/partners
• Use insights to understand current and prospective business development opportunities for the British Council.
• Support management of the project pipeline for India, ensuring high quality pipeline data and documentation to the Partnerships and Contract Approvals Board.
• Lead the development of bids, proposals and business cases in country.
• Lead and/or ensure appropriate assessment, technical and commercial quality assurance and evaluation procedures for Arts programmes and tender submissions in country.
• Provide direction and support on contract negotiations and delivery on individual contracts.
• Ensure internal and client compliance including legal finance, procurement, contract management and reporting

Contribute to the development of internal and external communications materials to highlight impact and support positioning for new opportunities.


Minimum/essential Requirement-

• Relevant graduate or post-graduate qualification
• Extensive experience working in the Arts, with specialist knowledge and understanding of current trends and practices in arts and creative industrines in UK and India
• Experience and awareness of India culture and British Asian sectors
• Leadership of a mid to large-scale international programme including digital projects.
• Experience leading significant contract/partnership development particularly with governments, trusts, foundations and international funders
• Demonstrable commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Managing publicly-funded programmes or high-value contracts
• Experience in managing complex senior relationships
• Managing dispersed teams or projects taking place in multiple locations
• Excellent communication skills written and verbal
• Ability to work at pace and meet deadlines
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage compliance processes
• Commissioning evaluation

Desirable Requirement:

• Business development experience
• Experience of reporting to programme boards and a range of stakeholders
• Working in a culturally diverse environment
• Research and analyses capability

Further Information

• Number of positions: 1
• Employment Type: Indefinite contract Local
• Location: India - Mumbai
• Grade: 8/ E
• Deadline to receive applications: 5th April 2024 (23:59 Indian standard Time)

This role may require regular domestic/international travel / attendance at some evening or weekend events.
Please note that all applications should be submitted in English only.
It is advisable to apply in advance to avoid any technical issues at the last moment


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\xe2\x80\x99s 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 \xe2\x80\x98ASK HR\xe2\x80\x99 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.