Job Description

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work in two ways - directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK.

These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Job Title: Executive Control Tower (VCS)

Purpose of job:

Providing support (remotely) to Examiners and Test Centers during live Video Call Speaking testing. They will be ensuring that system and processes are adhered, to enable an efficient, compliant, and high-quality marking operation and ensure that Test Takers' speaking scores are delivered within the agreed time frame.

Experience areas:

• Experience of working in Exams IELTS process (any stream).
• Able to simultaneously manage tasks for multiple processes
• Be proficient with Microsoft office, especially excel and outlook
• Have great interpersonal and communication skills

Knowledge of:

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience

• Excellent communication skills.
• Analytical with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in MS office applications
• Ability to inspire and support people
• Ability to plan well and prioritize work
• Good decision-making
• Proactive approach with focus on problem analysis & resolution

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of working as part of a dispersed team to deliver a service
• Demonstrable experience of reacting positively to change

Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:

(including people management and finance)

Accountabilities:

Operations

Operations management:

The role has following key deliverable:

• Service Delivery
• Stakeholder Management
• Quality Management
• Internal Customer Focus

Service Delivery

• Schedule and allocate tests for Global Hub Examiners
• Share relevant results with Test Centers
• Act as point of escalation for Test Centre queries relating to Local Examiners
• Send Apportionment timetables to Global Hub Examiners
• Supporting Test Venues and Examiner Hubs during live tests across multiple time zones
• Approving center requests for Global Hub Examiner support
• Assists managers with implementations of new processes
• Scheduling training events, practice sessions and assessments for VCS Examiners
• This will include following a troubleshooting guide that will be provided to them to help fix and triage issues.
• Carry out "super user" tasks to help resolve test day issues
• Act as the interface between GIS/China support teams and examiners
• Act as the interface between examiners and Global Examiner hub team
• Delivering efficiency by meeting & exceeding listed KPI's.
• Process transactions as per process guidelines.
• Other responsibilities as identified during the development of the role

Stakeholder Management

• Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional disciplines (VCS, Delivery) to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.

Quality Management

• Achieving quality related KPIs of the process.
• Ensuring that Process Compliances are followed.
• Taking continual improvement initiatives in the process.

Internal Customer Focus

• Responds knowledgeably and professionally to enquiries within VCS, to ensure internal customers receive high quality, prompt, and timely service and/or advice. Refers on to others only complex enquiries, or those outside own area of expertise

Uses a range of enquiry, research, and analytical approaches to ensure they have an accurate understanding of the internal customer's business needs and concerns before providing appropriate services, advice or problem-solving support.

Qualifications:

Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience

Further Information

Pay Band - 4

Contract Type - FTC

Job Title: Executive Control Tower (VCS)

Purpose of job:

Providing support (remotely) to Examiners and Test Centers during live Video Call Speaking testing. They will be ensuring that system and processes are adhered, to enable an efficient, compliant, and high-quality marking operation and ensure that Test Takers' speaking scores are delivered within the agreed time frame.

Experience areas:

• Experience of working in Exams IELTS process (any stream).
• Able to simultaneously manage tasks for multiple processes
• Be proficient with Microsoft office, especially excel and outlook
• Have great interpersonal and communication skills

Knowledge of:

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience

• Excellent communication skills.
• Analytical with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in MS office applications
• Ability to inspire and support people
• Ability to plan well and prioritize work
• Good decision-making
• Proactive approach with focus on problem analysis & resolution

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of working as part of a dispersed team to deliver a service
• Demonstrable experience of reacting positively to change

Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:

(including people management and finance)

Accountabilities:

Operations

Operations management:

The role has following key deliverable:

• Service Delivery
• Stakeholder Management
• Quality Management
• Internal Customer Focus

Service Delivery

• Schedule and allocate tests for Global Hub Examiners
• Share relevant results with Test Centers
• Act as point of escalation for Test Centre queries relating to Local Examiners
• Send Apportionment timetables to Global Hub Examiners
• Supporting Test Venues and Examiner Hubs during live tests across multiple time zones
• Approving center requests for Global Hub Examiner support
• Assists managers with implementations of new processes
• Scheduling training events, practice sessions and assessments for VCS Examiners
• This will include following a troubleshooting guide that will be provided to them to help fix and triage issues.
• Carry out "super user" tasks to help resolve test day issues
• Act as the interface between GIS/China support teams and examiners
• Act as the interface between examiners and Global Examiner hub team
• Delivering efficiency by meeting & exceeding listed KPI's.
• Process transactions as per process guidelines.
• Other responsibilities as identified during the development of the role

Stakeholder Management

• Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional disciplines (VCS, Delivery) to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.

Quality Management

• Achieving quality related KPIs of the process.
• Ensuring that Process Compliances are followed.
• Taking continual improvement initiatives in the process.

Internal Customer Focus

• Responds knowledgeably and professionally to enquiries within VCS, to ensure internal customers receive high quality, prompt, and timely service and/or advice. Refers on to others only complex enquiries, or those outside own area of expertise

Uses a range of enquiry, research, and analytical approaches to ensure they have an accurate understanding of the internal customer's business needs and concerns before providing appropriate services, advice or problem-solving support.

Qualifications:

Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience

Further Information

Pay Band - 4

Contract Type - FTC

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's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our 'ASK HR' 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.