Role Profile
Job Description
Ref. No: 15/01/033
Job Title
Director Education and Society
Directorate or Region
Bangladesh
Department/Country
Programmes and Partnerships
Location of post
Fuller Road
Pay Band
PB 8 (locally appointed)
Reports to
Deputy Director
Duration of job
Indefinite
Purpose of job:
 Working to Deputy Director, provide strategic leadership for British Council Education and Society
programme areas in Bangladesh, increasing the scale of our income and impact across both these
Strategic Business Areas.

To identify and build relations with strategic stakeholders and partners, including for programme
funding.

To position the British Council and the UK as the partner of choice for Government, Education and
Civil Society institutions in Bangladesh.
Context and environment:
As the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational
opportunities, the British Council works with public and private organisations across the world to
build mutually-beneficial relationships. The successful design and implementation of our
programmes and projects is increasingly dependent on partnerships for income and impact.
Bangladesh is a priority country for the UK.
By promoting quality education, sharing international best practice and facilitating dialogue between
policymakers, practitioners, and education leaders we influence whole-system reform to help improve
learning outcomes.
In our society work we support non-governmental organisations, networks of organisations, and
community leaders to collaborate locally and internationally and contribute to the development of more
inclusive open and stable societies.
The post holder will be responsible for extending our income and impact nationwide through the design
and implementation of our global, regional and country projects across Education and Society. Education
programmes include Higher Education projects, skills and employability development, and bilateral
Schools and Education UK links between UK and Bangladesh. Society programmes include our youth
work with our nationwide ‘Active Citizens’ programme, ‘Youth Parliament’, our ‘Next Generation’ project
and our work in Social Enterprise and Civil Society.
This role will play a pivotal role in leading these major areas of work, adapting corporate and regional
guidelines to the Bangladesh country context, liaising closely with our Heads of Arts and English .
This role will also work closely with the Marketing and Communications and Business Development
teams, exploiting opportunities for donor funding, strengthening our reputation and profile, communicating
key messages, positioning our brand, and ensuring effective communication with our audiences both
externally and internally.
Working innovatively, strategically and proactively is key for this role.
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This role requires an excellent understanding and experience of the national Higher and Secondary
Education sectors, the Civil Society infrastructure and major areas of NGO work in Bangladesh, and
an awareness of Governance principles
The post holder should have experience in leading and managing successful teams, native English
standard spoken and written English and highly developed communication and presentational skills.
Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:
 To provide strategic leadership to the Education and Society strategic business units.
 To lead in the development of medium to long term strategy for the British Council Bangladesh
Education and Society strategic business units in line with global and regional strategy.
 To ensure that financial and operational targets are achieved in a timely manner by the SBU through
accurate planning, financial management and reporting.
 To develop and manage strategic relationship with the key partners, donors, Govt. of Bangladesh,
etc.
 To identify opportunities for collaboration and partnership, positioning British Council for major donorfunded projects, building new partnerships and securing funding to support Education and Society
strategies.
 To represent Bangladesh at the regional and corporate levels and to ensure the Bangladesh
Education and Society perspective contributes to, and benefits from, corporate and regional
initiatives.
 To ensure continuous project improvement through monitoring and evaluation and reporting on
project outcomes to internal and external clients and customers
 To provide specialist professional expertise and thought leadership on behalf of British Council in
Bangladesh.
 To ensure that Education and Society team have the right capacity and capability to achieve the
short, medium and long term objectives.
 To lead and manage the Education and Society teams (16 staff).
Key Relationships:
Internal: Deputy Director, Business Development Team, Regional South Asia Management Team Heads
in Education and Society.
External: Government Ministries and other Departments relating to British Council Education and
Society programmes, the University Grants Commission, University Vice Chancellors and Senior Faculty
in both Public and Private Universities, Director DFID, Head INGOs and NGOs in relevant fields
Other important features or requirements of the job
 The post holder will understand and make decisions which are affected by Equal Opportunity and
Diversity (EO&D) legislation and policy. Additionally he/she will exploit opportunities brought by
diversity and build them into all planning.
 The post holder will understand the importance of child protection and ensure polices and processes
are in place to offer maximum protection of young people at all relevant events and venues and
ensure compliance with BC Child Protection policy.
 The post holder will need to be flexible in terms of national & international travel and weekend and
evening work.
Please specify any passport/visa
and/or nationality requirement.
Bangladesh / Must be legally entitled to work in Bangladesh
Please indicate if any security or
legal checks are required
for this role.
ID, local/international police record check qualification and reference
checks are required for external candidates.
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“The British Council believes that all children have potential and that every child matters - everywhere in
the world. The British Council affirms the position that all children have the right to be protected from all
forms of abuse as set out in article 19, UNCRC, 1989”
Person Specification
Essential
Behaviours
Please see The
Behaviours
Dictionary for
behaviour
definitions and
levels
Behaviours assessed during
interview stage of recruitment
process
Creating Shared Purpose – most
demanding
Shaping the Future – most
demanding
Being Accountable – most
demanding
Behaviours not assessed during
recruitment process
Skills and
Knowledge
See Core skills
for details
Making it Happen – most
demanding
Connecting with Others – more
demanding
Working Together – more
demanding
.
Developing Business (Level 3)
Desirable
Assessment stage
The position holder
will be required to
demonstrate all six
behaviours, on the job.
These will be
assessed during year
end performance
evaluations.
Behaviours to be
assessed during the
interview stage of
recruitment are
mentioned.
Short listing
and/or Interview
Managing Accounts and
Partnerships (Level 4)
Managing Finance and
Resources (Level 4)
Planning and Organising (Level
3)
Managing Projects (level 4)
Managing People (Level 4)
Excellent spoken and written
English language skills.
Excellent presentation skills.
Specialist knowledge of
Bangladesh Education
infrastructure and good awareness
of governance and youth-oriented
society sectors
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Very good knowledge and
understanding of major donors’
priorities in Education and Society
sector in Bangladesh.
Excellent interpersonal and team
leadership skills.
Experience
At least 5 years’ experience in a
similar position in Education or
Society sectors.
Experience of designing and
developing education or society
programmes and evidence of
success in developing and
sustaining high level, strategic
partnerships and relationships.
Qualifications
Masters level qualification
Submitted by
Robin Davies
Substantial
experience of work in
schools and higher
education, or in
Society projects
Short listing
and/or Interview
Short listing
Date
June 2014
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