Job title: Head of Business Assurance Nigeria
Company: British Council
Job description: 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 2021-22 we reached 650 million people.
Head of Business Assurance Nigeria
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
Further Information
- Pay Band – BRC-7-F
- Salary: NGN 23 652 757,00 per annum plus benefits
- Contract Type – Indefinite Contract
- Department: Exams
- Locations: Lagos or Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- Internal candidates not based in the mentioned 3 countries who have interest in the role should reach out to the Hiring Manager first before submitting their application.
- Language requirements: Proficient in English language (CEFR C1 or above) and excellent report writing skills.
- Regular travel within Nigeria and occasional travel to non- represented markets.
- Occasional evening and weekend working will be needed, for example when travelling or carrying out exam’s reviews.
- Role holder must have existing rights to live and work in the country the role is based.
- Closing Date – 22 November 2023 applications will close 23:59 South Africa Time
- Please ensure you include a supporting statement that highlights your skills, knowledge, and experience. This information will be used in the shortlisting assessment.
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.
Expected salary:
Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Job date: Fri, 10 Nov 2023 03:52:17 GMT
