/ Role Profile
Job Title / Country Exams Manager, Philippines
Directorate or Region / East Asia / Department/Country / Examinations Services, Philippines
Location of post / Philippines / Pay Band / 7
Reports to / Country Director, Philippines / Duration of job / Fixed Term, 1 year
Purpose of job:
To provide leadership for the British Council’s Examsbusiness in the Philippines, with a primary focus on business development for both IELTS and Aptis.
Context and environment:
The British Council offers a wide range of exams in the Philippines, including Professional and University Exams, IELTS and Aptis. We have an in-house team of nearly twenty people, all based in Manila.
The largest part of the operation is IELTS, which we deliver to more than 20,000 candidatesevery year andin nearly twenty locations across the country.The majority of IELTS candidates take the test in order to work overseas. Over 70% are referred to the British Council by private review centres that help them prepare for the test. The IELTS market in the Philippines is strongly impacted by the immigration policies of English-speaking countries.
The Philippines is one of the largest English speaking countries in the world. A large number of Filipinos (around 10% of the population) make use of their English language skills to work overseas. The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector has also grown rapidly over the past ten years and now employs more than one million people in the Philippines, which has become the world’s largest provider of voice services. The Philippines is also starting to emerge as a destination for studying English, attracting a growing number of foreign students from South Korea, Japan and other countries in East Asia.
Nevertheless, there are concerns that English levels may be declining in the Philippines, potentially eroding an important competitive advantage for the country. However, it is difficult to assess trends because at present English language levels are not widely assessed.In this context, business development priorities for the Country Exams Manager will include:
  • Implementing new programmes that improve the experience ofour IELTS candidates, especially by supporting high quality English language teaching within the private sector;
  • Identifying new opportunities to support the English language in the Philippines by making use of the British Council’s thought leadership and expertise in language assessment;
  • Expanding our Aptis business with both public and private sectororganisations where there is a need for flexible and affordable English language assessment;
  • Maintaining and expanding our partnerships with local IELTS review centres.
  • ImplementingQuality & Compliance Assessment (QCA) in all Exams to meet QCA standards; ensuring monitoring assessments are carried out regularly as per guidelines and action plans are followed through according to defined schedules; identifying areas of non-compliance and taking ownership to mitigate risks.
  • Actively promoting and developing work-life-balance and wellbeing in the exams team.
This is a one-year role that involves providing cover for a member of staff on sick leave, but there may be opportunities to extend.
Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:
Business Development
  • Develop and implement business development strategy for the Philippines Exams operation, focused on the priorities outlined above, in order to meet financial and non-financial targets.
  • Identify, build and manage relationships with key stakeholders and partners in orderto support business development objectives.
  • Enhance the quality of our management information and customer insights in order to inform business development and operational decisions.
  • Work closely with marketing team to ensure that business development priorities are reflected in our communications and in the audiences that we reach.
  • Work closely with colleagues in English and Education teams to jointly identify opportunities and follow-up with a unified approach.
Financial Planning and Monitoring
  • Track and report performance on a monthly basis and take action to improve underperformance or increase capacity to improve business results.
  • Plan, forecast, report on and be accountable for financial and impact targets for Exams.
Team Leadership & Operations
  • Provide strategic leadership for the Exams team in order to meet financial and non-financial targets, including provision of guidance to the operations team in order to streamline and improve processes.
  • Encourage a culture of pro-active performance management, settingand monitoring challenging deliverables and supporting individuals in their professional development.
  • Manage and be accountable for business risks that relate to exams.
  • Act as the Senior Responsible Owner for any exams change projects being implemented
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Support the mainstreaming of the British Council’s EDI policy and standards in carrying out all internal and external duties.
Key relationships:
Internal (Philippines): Country Director, Philippines; Exams Business & Partnership Manager; Exams Services Manager; Marketing Team; Manager, English for Education Systems
Internal (East Asia): Regional Exams Colleagues
External: IELTS Agents & Review Centres; BC Tests (Aptis) Partners and Customers; Universities; Language Schools; Government Agencies
Other important features or requirements of the job
Regulartravel within the Philippines and occasional travel within East Asia. Representation of British Council at relevant networking and promotional events within Philippines.
Please specify any passport/visa and/or nationality requirement. / N/A
Please indicate if any security or legal checks are required
for this role. / National Police checks, Criminal record check from country of origin, DBS checks (for UK citizen)

Person Specification

Competencies / Essential / Desirable / Assessment stage
Behaviours / Shaping the future (more demanding)
Exploring ways in which we can add more value.
Making it happen (more demanding)
Challenging myself and others to deliver and measure better results.
Connecting with others (more demanding)
Activelyappreciating the needs and concerns of myself and others / Shortlisting & Interview
Creating shared purpose (more demanding)
Actively appreciating the needs and concerns of myself and others.
Working Together (more demanding)
Ensuring that others benefit as well as me
Being Accountable (more demanding)
Putting the needs of the team or British Council ahead of my own. / Performance management
Skills and knowledge / English & Exams / Shortlisting & Interview
Familiarity with the field of English language assessment. / Familiarity with British Council and competitor English language assessment products.
Core Skills / Shortlisting & Interview
Commercial and business development (Level 3)
Defines and develops products/programmes/services which deliver British Council goals on impact, income and surplus within a defined area of business that responds to market opportunities and aligns to wider corporate strategies.
Finance and resource management (Level 3)
Monitors and controls an agreed budget within a defined area, producing reports and analyses and contributing to planning.
Communicating and influencing (Level 3)
Provides full line management to a team where all members are working in a similar area of expertise or business. Scope includes planning, setting objectives, role modelling an inclusive culture, recruitment, and development and performance management. / Knowledge of SAP or other financial management software.
Knowledge / experience of leading teams through a process of change.
Experience / Strong business development (B2B and / or B2C) and team leadership experience within English or Exams or within a similar field.
Experience of managing staff and working with partners within a cross-cultural context / Operational experience within a large Exams business. / Shortlisting and interview
Qualification/ Education/ Training / Education to degree level or above / Marketing or Business Development qualifications
ELT qualifications / Shortlisting
Submitted by / Nick Thomas / Date / April2016

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales). SC037733 (Scotland).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

1 of 4