English and School Education; ESE) Operations Manager

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Contract type:
Indefinite Contract

Hours:

Full-time, 36 hours per week

Pay band: 6

Location:

London, Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast.

Salary: £28,072, plus London Market Allowance of £3,300 for London Based candidate

Closing Date: 20th September 2026

Please note that candidates must have the pre-existing (permanent) legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Visa Sponsorship and relocation assistance is not provided.

Cultural Engagement (CE) is one of two global strategic departments within the British Council. It brings together our work in Arts, Education, English & School Education and research. With a workforce of approximately 1000 globally and an income in 2024/25 of £200 million CE delivers impact through research and insight, sector engagement, policy dialogue and a mixed portfolio of commercial and Grant and Partnership Funded (GPF) work globally.

CE delivers much of its work through a suite of global programmes/ programmatic frameworks aligned to the British Council’s strategic outcomes.

The aim of the English and School Education portfolio of work is to support the improvement of teaching and learning in formal and non-formal basic education systems. English and School Education’s work is organised into three globally-operating programmes, each of which has a range of projects all working towards common objectives and outcomes:

• English Connects – open and online professional development opportunities, communities, events and resources for school leaders, teacher educators, teachers and other education professionals
• School Systems – support to international basic education systems and governments, with particular focus on language policy and practice, foundational learning, professional development, equitable access to and utilisation of education technology, and supporting women and girls to access quality education
• Empowerment – building English language, digital and core skills where it empowers disadvantaged girls and young women, displaced people, economically and ethnically marginalised youth and disabled people.

The English and School Education team delivers these programmes in country through policy advice, research and insight, and the delivery of grant, co-funded and full cost recovery contracts and programmes in more than 50 countries in collaboration with UK and international partners, ministries of education, education and donor agencies.

This role is part of the English and School Education Operations and Programmes Delivery hub within the Central Team. This is a dispersed team, with roles in the UK and across the global network. The hub plays a crucial role in driving the development of an effective and efficient operating environment within English and School Education. Their primary objective is to enable English and School Education to deliver its business plan while aligning with the Cultural Engagement (CE) global business objectives.

This supports the growth of English and School Education and a need for streamlining of internal processes to ensure corporate compliance and effective working

The English and School Education (ESE) Operations Manager will support an effective and efficient operating environment within ESE that enables delivery of its business plan, aligned to the Cultural Engagement (CE) global business objectives. In addition, they will provide…