British Council Hiring for Director Operations Job at Islamabad Full Time

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.

Pay band: 9
Location: Islamabad
Department: Directorate
Contract type: 3 Year Fixed Term Contract
Closing date: 6 April 2022, Wednesday at 23:59 PST

Role Purpose:

The Director Operations works with the Country Director and Deputy Director/Director Programmes in setting and executing the short, medium- and long-term strategic plans of the British Council Division in Pakistan. As a member of the Pakistan Leadership Team, this role is accountable for ensuring the operation is effective, efficient, and sustainable and will maintain a strong and efficient operating platform. Working with DD, the post holder will lead the co-ordination and development of business and operational plans. The Director Operations will also oversee the effective delivery of all business support services and the performance of our operating model – ensuring strategic alignment of our resources, operating excellence and value for money, a customer-oriented focus, and effective global policy implementation. As lead for our
estates/premises management and resources functions, and matrix lead/key internal customer for procurement, finance, technology, compliance and governance and risk management, the role is also required to lead and embed business transformation, aligned with global/regional strategy and objectives.

Organisational improvement and efficiencies

• Recommend strategic policy, system and process areas for improvement within British Council Division, in order to facilitate improved business operations and/ management of risk.

Expertise and advisory excellence

• Ensures the provision of authoritative advice to the Pakistan Leadership Team on highly complex issues and problems with an organization-wide impact.
• Oversees the development of complex, specialist plans within the organisation.

Leadership & management

• With Pakistan Leadership Team colleagues, sets the vision, and provides professional/people leadership for the British Council Division.
• Establishes cultural and behavioral norms and inspires confidence in/commitment to the direction of the British Council Division in Pakistan.
• Manages performance; translates overall goals into specific objectives
• To be the contact point for Tax & Status project and liaise with the relevant teams to provide support
• To lead effective risk management and compliance in Pakistan (procurement, IT and Information management and health and safety standards), including development of strategies to build capacity in operations and improve overall performance and efficiency
• To be the focal point for Regional/Global audit teams and lead the audit preparations at country level.
• To monitor compliance to the British Council Safety, Security and Continuity System (Policy and Framework), to provide assurance to Pakistan leadership.

Role Requirements:

Essential Core Skills for the Role:

Our Values and Behaviours

British council values and behaviours are applicable across our organisation, in all roles and at all levels. They are important because they say what we stand for at the British Council and help us to deliver our strategy. We use them to guide our decision making, as well as guiding how we treat one another and the people we work with. These will be assessed in the selection process.

Our values are:
Open and Committed; Expert and Inclusive; Optimistic and Bold.

The behaviours for each values pair can be found on our Intranet SharePoint site for internal staff and at our Careers portal for external applicants.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

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 [email protected]

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.