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Programme Manager-CheveningBritish Council
5 days ago
  • LevelMid Level
  • ProfessionsProject Manager, Administrator, Account Manager
  • TypeFull Time
  • LocationLondon, United Kingdom

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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.
Programme Manager – Chevening.
Location: London, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast Only. Pay band: 7 Salary: £30, 839 plus London Market Allowance of £3,300 per annum. (For candidates with exceptional skills, knowledge and experience (specific to the role) the British Council may consider a moderate broadening of the advertised pay range).
Benefits Include, but are not limited to:
  • 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
  • 3 days volunteering leave
  • Career average defined benefit pension scheme
Department: Chevening & Marshall Team, Cultural Engagement Contract type: Fixed Term Contract until 29th August 2025. However, we expect the contract to last the term of the Chevening contract which is until August 2027.
Closing Date: Sunday 5th January 2025 at 23:59 UK Time.
British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service.  This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.
Requirements:
You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.
There is no relocation/mobility or sponsorship support.
If you are successful for the role and on a local contract outside of the UK, in order to do the role in the UK, on a UK contract, you will need to resign from your current role.
About The Team:
This is a fantastic opportunity to join the Chevening Team, on a fixed term basis until August 2025, however we are hopeful that this contract will continue for a further 2 years.
The British Council has been awarded a contract by the FCDO to become the supplier to provide administration services for two prestigious scholarship programmes:  the Chevening Scholarship programme, owned by the FCDO; and the Marshall Scholarship programme, funded by the FCDO and owned by the MACC – an arm’s length body of government. Both programmes offer postgraduate scholarships and a small number of fellowships to international students to study in the UK. Under Chevening, around 1,500 scholarships are awarded annually to students from across the world. Under Marshall, around 50 scholarships are awarded to US citizens. Details on each programme can be found at www.chevening.org and www.marshallscholarship.org.
The British Council took on responsibility as supplier for these programmes on 1 September 2023. The contract award is for 4 years with a break clause at 2 years.
The services required to be delivered in the contract include: Communications; programme promotion; scholar selection; scholar placing assistance; pre-departure services; support to scholars in the UK; alumni engagement; impact reporting and MEL; financial reporting; partnership development; and ensuring social value.
The Programme Manager (UK) role sits within the UK Programme team, which is responsible for ensuring all scholars have a fulfilling and engaging experience while in the UK.
The British Council delivers a wide range of programmes in international higher education that promote cultural relations and understanding. These include grant-funded programmes supporting international student recruitment to the UK, trans-national education, and alumni engagement. Delivery of the Chevening and Marshall programmes will complement these activities and serve to demonstrate the British Council’s value as a partner of UK government and as a partner for the UK’s higher education sector. Facilitating the long-lasting and deep relationships between people across the world and the UK will strengthen individual and subsequent institutional connections as well as ties of friendship.
The Role:
As Programme Manager, you will ensure that cohorts of scholarship holders have a fulfilling and engaging experience while in the UK, and that they are provided with an excellent standard of service. You will supervise a small team of circa 4-6 Programme Officers who are the first point of contact between scholars and the team. The Programme Manager line-manages this team and supports them with delivery. They are the first point of escalation for scholar issues and queries that can not be handled directly by Programme Officers.
The Programme Manager works to ensure scholars stipends are paid accurately and on time, to deliver a successful scholar engagement programme, and to develop relationships with university partners. Working alongside a small number of other Programme Managers, each one will typically focus on managing one or two of these areas.
The role works closely with senior colleagues on continual policy and procedural development, with a view to improving services and the efficiency of their delivery.
Accountabilities /Responsibilities:
  • Manage the workloads and monitor the performance of Programme Officers to ensure that a consistent high level of service is provided to all scholars and UK universities to agreed timelines.
  • Work closely and report to the Senior Programme Manager (UK0 and to liaise with other members of the Secretariat senior team on internal procedures.
  • Liaise with the finance department to ensure the timely payment of scholar payments, invoices and tuition fees. Check the accuracy of payment information and approve the release of stipend payments, allowances and other awards through the finance system.
  • Assist with the design and manage aspects of the delivery of the annual orientation, farewell and partnership events.
  • Manage and monitor the implementation and evaluation of the wider engagement strategy, with events designed and delivered by Programme Officers UK.
  • Update internal policy documentation and manuals as well as external facing documentation (award documents, terms and conditions, pre-departure material) annually or as needed.
  • Contribute to and implement Chevening’s university partnerships strategy, with a view to increasing the number of Chevening awards offered each year, working under the guidance of the Partnerships team.
  • Manage the transition between scholars’ selection and their arrival in the UK, including their placement at UK universities and the provision of cashcards prior to arrival.
  • Assist senior colleagues in a range of activities such as preparing client (FCDO) reports and providing information for briefings and presentations.
Requirements of the role:
  • Ability to apply Chevening policy appropriately and consistently, and to flag any areas of existing policy that may need reviewing with senior colleagues
  • Knowledge of international higher education students.
  • Strong numerical skills, including the ability to manage financial processes, and ensure accurate vendor and student payments in line with our KPIs.
Closing Date:
Applications will close on 5th January 2025 at 23:59 UK Time.
Additional Information:
  • Interviews will be held around the end of January.
  • You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.
  • We are unable to assist with relocation/mobility and sponsorship.
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 askhr@britishcouncil.org
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.

Skills Required

  • Programme Management
  • Numerical Skills
  • Strategy

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