Exam Assistant at British Council

Directorate or Region: SSA
Department/Country: Exams, Nigeria
Pay Band: 2/J
Reports to: IELTS Administrator, Lagos
Duration of job: Indefinite

Purpose of Job

• To support the achievement of country plan objectives in Nigeria by delivering examinations administration support and customer services.
• To maintain them at the highest professional standards as set out in the British Council's EQS (Examination Quality Standards) and by the Examination Board Partners.

Context and Environment

• Nigeria, a tier 1 country, has the largest project, programme and exams operations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We operate from 4 main office locations. Individually, the Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt Exams offices alone are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd largest exams businesses by income in SSA respectively. There are currently 36 members in the exams team, 3 of whom are in the Port Harcourt office. We operate a hub-and-spoke system in Nigeria with the main support functions (Business Support Services (BSS) and customer services) located in Lagos. Nigeria examinations work encompasses School exams, IELTS, and a wide range of academic and professional qualifications. 
• The Exams business in Nigeria has grown significantly in recent years. We doubled our income and volumes between 2011 and 2013. In 2014/15 we delivered 90,000 examinations, this financial year the target is 100,000 exams on a turnover of £8.5m.  Nigeria examinations work encompasses School exams, IELTS, and a wide range of academic and professional qualifications.
• Customer service, operational quality and compliance assurance are critical to the business. Nigeria's operating context means that risk management and contingency planning will be ongoing areas of focus. Developing flexible and appropriate delivery models will be critical in responding to the challenges of working across the country. There are a number of initiatives underway to address these needs. The Global New Operating Model for Exams (GNOME) and Global Financial Change projects are critical to our business plans.

Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Main Duties
(including people management and finance)

• As Examinations Assistant post holders will be line managed by the IELTS Administrator (or Assistant Administrator) for Lagos.
• Reliability: to ensure examinations are delivered securely according to board requirements
• Quality: to deliver a high standard of customer service to our customers, schools and exams candidates. Performance is measured by our own Exams Quality Standards and the inspection visits from Cambridge International Exams and other examination boards.
• Finance: all British Council standards for managing finances are met with relation to managing Purchase Orders, reconciling income, managing contracts and procurement.

Main Duties

• To provide services that support British Council examination candidates.

Examinations Administration:

• Providing administrative support in the delivery of examinations. This involves supporting colleagues in pre and post test/examination administration duties. This includes exams data entry, post despatch, assisting with session planning/implementation and examination invigilation.
• Supporting Exams Officers in venue staff monitoring and training.
• Conducting venue and school inspections.
• Supporting the wider British Council activities such as workshops, seminars and any other project related services in line with Exams Quality Standards (EQS)

Customer Service:

• Complaints, comments and feedback are dealt with in accordance with corporate policy and the Exams Quality Standards.
• All service registration procedures (e.g. Exams, Certification and other programme registration) are fully understood and implemented to agreed standards.

Information Knowledge Management:

• Manage information created and received in compliance with the Council’s information management standards, policies, the UK Data Protection Principles and local legislation.

Other Duties

• To assist with market testing of venues and other suppliers.
• Assisting with data collection for marketing purposes.
• To regularly attend staff meetings to both gain and impart knowledge about our customers, products and services
• To assist with any other duty examinations management deem necessary.
• To assist with refunds and payments to venue staff and clerical markers.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Lagos Exams Team, Country Exams Manager, Deputy Country Exams Manager
• External: Venue Staff, IELTS Examiners, enquirers, examinations candidates, IELTS Examiners, venue suppliers.

Person Specification
Behaviours

Essential:

• Working together (essential)
• Making it happen (essential)
• Being Accountable (essential)

Essential:

• Creating shared purpose (essential)
• Connecting with others (essential)
• Shaping the future (essential)

Assessment Stage:

• These behaviours will be needed to successfully carry out the role, but will not be assessed for recruitment purposes

Skills and Knowledge

Essential:

• Ability to use Microsoft Office Word and Excel.
• Ability to read and write in English at C1/IELTS 7.0/CAE level.
• Attention to Detail.
• Teamwork.
• Customer Service Focus.
• Organisation Skills

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the education and qualification systems in the UK and Nigeria.

Assessment stage:

• Short listing

Experience
Essential:

• Dealing with customers and enquiries in a service environment and providing service within quality standards.
• Working quickly and accurately to tight deadlines.

Desirable:

• Experience of administering examinations.
• Experience of managing/supervising a group of people to achieve a specific purpose.

Assessment stage:

• Short listing
• Interview

Qualifications

Essential:

• Completed Secondary education to ‘A’ level standard or equivalent.

Desirable:

• University Degree in any subject.
• BTEC Examinations Administration Level 1.

Assessment stage:

• Short listing