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Role Purpose

The purpose of the role is to develop a business assurance strategy, provide professional advice and support to exams operations within Nigeria in the achievement, monitoring and embedding of Quality and Compliance Assurance (QCA), IELTS and other awarding body standards. The focus is to ensure standard and quality of the delivery of examinations operation in country according to British Council and Exams Boards standards as well as advise and assist teams to exceed quality standards. Furthermore, the role will support operations and advise on appropriate solutions to target improvements and manage risk as well as effective implementation of action points arising from exams compliance audits and reviews.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:  

Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving

• To undertake and manage the quality assurance process across all products for Examinations operation in country, ensuring assessments take place, reviews are documented appropriately, action plans are devised and acted upon by assigned exams team members according to established deadlines.
• Advise centers on risk mitigation measures, new standards, and best practice - Monitor and assist with incident investigation, implementing risk mitigation measures as necessary.
• Help facilitate and support any global QCAs scheduled in country, including development of action plans and implementation of risk mitigation strategies.

Internal customer focus

• Engage key stakeholders (Director Exams, Regional Operations Manager, Assistants/Regional business assurance).
• Share regular updates and/or tailored country reports and findings on quality and compliance status, progress, and issues, ensuring risks are reported/escalated in a timely manner.

Service improvement

• Support the communication and roll out of changes to QCA, IELTS and Awarding body standards, processes and procedures with operation teams
• Identify opportunities for improvements within the established quality and compliance processes and procedures and make recommendations to the Director Exams, Regional Operations Manager, Assistants/Regional business assurance team.

Functional expertise

• Proactively maintains a sound working knowledge of developments in external policy, practice, and regulation within their functional discipline to build credibility, confidence, and business insight.
• Will be the “go to person” for first-line advice and guidance on a specific practical process, topic, or system – either within the corporate functional department as a whole or embedded within a particular geographical unit or SBU team.

Commercial & Financial management

• Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages the budget for their area of activity/service provision, and conducts monthly and year-end reporting on income and expenditure, profitability, and risk.
• Shows an understanding of value for money/cost effectiveness in the advice, recommendations or service support provided to internal customers.

Relationship & stakeholder management

• Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional discipline to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.
• As required, represents the British Council in discussions and dealings with external suppliers/providers

Leadership & management

• Lead and coordinate with the Regional Operations Manager/Regional
• Operation Support Manager and/or Assistants/Regional Business Assurance lead for confidential materials approval movements and any compliance matter/incidents/investigations.

Risk and Compliance

• Support teams to manage their risks within the agreed risk appetite and providing the Exams management and other stakeholders with assurance that our risk taking is appropriate and that significant risks are being managed.
• Record and review risks facing exams operation in local risk registers.

Safeguarding

• Ensure that safeguarding implementation standards are followed in exams structures and mechanisms that promote safety for children and adults.
• Escalate safeguarding concern the National Safeguarding Manager Pakistan.

Role specific knowledge and experience:

• Minimum 5 years of work experience in a Business Assurance or Exams Manager role.
• Demonstrable experience of promoting and managing compliance in line with corporate and external compliance frameworks.
• Significant experience collecting, analysing and presenting data to identify trends.
• Broad understanding of the breadth and range of examination distribution products and services delivered in Nigeria.
• In addition to ability to meet main accountabilities detailed above, good relationship and stakeholder management skills.

Minimum requirements:

• University Degree

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Role Purpose

The purpose of the role is to provide professional advice and support to exams operations within Nigeria in the achievement, monitoring and embedding of Quality and Compliance Assurance (QCA), IELTS and other awarding body standards. The focus will be on understanding the broad range of standards and how they apply to a range of Exams policies and procedures and supporting Operations in navigating a path through them to advise on appropriate solutions to target improvements and manage risk. To support centres on effective implementation of action points arising from Exams compliance audits and reviews.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:  

Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving

• Undertake a scheduled number of full QCA reviews of exam operations (i.e. self-assessments) both in onsite locations and offsite venues in Nigeria. providing clear, prioritized recommendations to support exams operations improved compliance and mitigate any identified risks.
• Support, develop and guide exam colleagues in carrying out their self-assessments. Providing ongoing guidance and updates to exam colleagues regarding corporate and board-specific standards, requirements, and risk mitigation.

Internal customer focus

• Build an in-depth understanding of the specific operational context, opportunities and challenges facing Nigeria cluster, to ensure that the advice and support provided is based on informed insight into the business and operating context.
• Seek internal customer and other stakeholder feedback to monitor satisfaction with the standard of advice and support provided as well as make recommendations to the Business Assurance Lead and Cluster Head of Operations on areas of improvement.

Service improvement

• Identify opportunities for improvements within the established quality and compliance processes and procedures and make recommendations to the to the Head of Business Assurance and Cluster Head of Operations.
• Support the Head of Business Assurance and contribute to the maintenance and improvement of Global Compliance standards, procedures, and processes to ensure that they are aligned with changing Exam Board standards and best practice, ensuring the needs of Nigeria exams operations and working context are promoted.

Functional expertise

• Proactively maintains a sound working knowledge of developments in external policy, practice, and regulation within their functional discipline to build credibility, confidence, and business insight.
• May be the “go to person” for first-line advice and guidance on a specific practical process, topic or system – either within the corporate functional department as a whole or embedded within a particular geographical unit or SBU team.

Relationship & stakeholder management

• Develops good working relationships with appropriate colleagues throughout the British Council and in the relevant functional discipline to facilitate the effective provision of high quality and customer-focused services and advice.
• As required, represents the British Council in discussions and dealings with external suppliers/providers

Leadership & management

• Plans and prioritizes own activities, which span across a range of different work streams or internal client relationships. Responds to changing and at times competing requirements to ensure effective delivery of responsibilities over a monthly/quarterly time horizon
• Tasks and coordinates others (e.g. internal customers, colleagues or third party suppliers) to complete activities in accordance with agreed corporate procedures relevant to the functional discipline

Risk and Compliance

• Support teams to manage their risks within the agreed risk appetite and providing the Exams management and other stakeholders with assurance that our risk taking is appropriate and that significant risks are being managed.
• Record and review risks facing exams operation in local risk registers.

Role specific knowledge and experience:

• Experience of conducting Quality and Compliance audits and/or quality reviews (including self- reviews) for example in an exams or customer focused environment
• Broad understanding of the breadth and range of examination distribution products and services delivered in Nigeria.
• In addition to ability to meet main accountabilities detailed above, good relationship and stakeholder management skills.

Minimum requirements:

• University Degree

Desirable:

• IELTS auditing experience, either internally or in contractor capacity                                   
• Four years in an exams administration or similar role.