Director of Technology & Delivery Corporate

Date: 19 Feb 2024 Location: Noida, 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.


British Council Pay band LMFG/Payband 10
Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Department: Digital and Technology
Contract type: Indefinite Contract
Closing Date: 04th March 2024 at 23:59 UK Time.
Interviews will be held week commencing 11th March 2024


You must have the legal right to work in India 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


The Technology and Delivery Director will lead the end-to-end delivery and on going support of technology product and services (both new and existing) that underpin the delivery of the business areas\' (English & Exams/ Cultural Engagement/Corporate) business plan. The postholder will play an integral part in the provision of digital/systems support for the design, development and delivery of the business, ensuring the business areas\xe2\x80\x99 needs are understood and fed into organisation wide systems.
The role will be the interlocutor between the business area and Digital and Technology for ongoing technology requirements including consultancy across the programme lifecycle and capability building. It will dock into the global leadership teams. The holder will be empowered to mobilise both Digital and technology resources and manage those resources as needed.


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.
We are:

• Open and committed - We share the right information, with the right people, at the right time.
• Optimistic and bold - We define and validate value to empower our experts to make high-impact decisions.
• Expert and inclusive - We reduce digital inequalities and reduce the impact of digital disadvantage for our people, our stakeholders, and our customers.

The Product division is critical to the British Council\xe2\x80\x99s digital evolution and the Product Director, reporting to the Director of Digital & Technology, 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. Technology decisions will be based on customer needs and market opportunities.


Main accountabilities


Strategy and Planning

• Define vision and objectives for technology teams working on technology products.
• Defines the technology strategy for business area and ensures technology is informing/driving the overall business strategy.
• Informs the value proposition and value delivery system using digital expertise.

Delivery

• 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

• Technology components include Platform, Domain and Solution Architecture and associated security, aligned to Corporate technology strategy and platforms; Development, UX, Testing, and Release. Operations of products and services aligned to Digital and Technology Operations and Support.

Consultancy, analysis and problem solving

• Responsible for championing the customer experience and ensuring the user is at the heart of products and services created and delivered.
• Actively identifies demand needs from customers and stakeholders to inform development and enable the business area to meet its strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic consultancy to the relevant colleagues to evaluate new technologies and methods of delivering them \xe2\x80\x93 internal, external and sourcing in line with Digital and Technology architecture and solution principles.
• Develop an effective mechanism for prioritising and implementing technology support/development for globally and own the technology development roadmap for its delivery.

Relationship and Stakeholder management

• The role will provide a single point of contact and accountability for senior stakeholders and the Director Digital and Technology. It will aid the movement to Product Management.

• 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

Commercial and financial Management

• Accountable for the Digital and Technology delivery budgets required to deliver on the business strategy and for mobilising digital resources where required.
• Works with the SBU and Director Digital and Technology to secure investment for technology initiatives and systems/product maintenance.
• To ensure sufficient resource (staff and budget) is allocated to technology priorities from the Digital and Technology team, including making the business case for investment.
• Ensures technology strategy and delivery is achieved in line with safeguarding needs and compliant with relevant policies including Information Security
• Anticipates, mitigates and creates value from potential technology disruption of existing business models

Leadership & management

• Member of the relevant business area leadership team and wider operations network
• Leads technology teams to optimise delivery for the business area
• As a member of the technology SLT 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.
• Understanding of customer experience design
• Experience 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 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
Minimum/essential

• 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 \xe2\x80\x93 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

Desirable
Experience of working in not-for-profit, education or cultural sectors.


Language Requirements
The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required


Education
Minimum
Degree level qualification or equivalent by experience


For detailed Role Profile and any questions please reach out to: Bratati.Chakraborty@britishcouncil.org


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.