Country Director Uganda

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK. These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Country Director Uganda
 

Pay band: PB8

Post Location: Kampala  

Department: Global Network

Contract type: Locally Engaged     

Duration: 3 Years (Fixed Term)     

Role Purpose:

British Council is currently looking for a Country Director for our operations in Uganda. Through an in-depth understanding of Uganda and the UK, the Country Director will lead the development and delivery of effective, sustainable and corporately aligned cultural relations between the two geographies, drawing on the UK’s cultural assets and thereby strengthening awareness of, positive attitudes towards and collaboration with the wider UK. 

If you successfuly secure the role of Country Director in Uganda, you will oversee and ensure the success of the British Council's operations. You will be responsible for the overall strategic direction, financial sustainability and impact of programs managed to increase social impact.

Main opportunities/challenges for this role:

Basic Education and Girls

Government of Uganda domestic financing to education is one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa despite having a strong policy environment and a sector plan that prioritises access, quality, and efficiency of delivery. Access to quality education is an issue for marginalised children, especially girls and refugees. The UK government’s Africa strategy aims to harness the potential of the continent’s young and fast-growing population by widening access to education. The British Council is strategically positioned and networked to deliver on this ambition through partnerships with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), government, education practitioners and donors. Country Director (CD) leads on relationship management with key stakeholders in the FCDO, government, public and private sectors.
 

Language for Resilience

In rural primary schools in Uganda the medium of instruction is the local language which then transitions to English in primary 4. Host schools for refugee learners struggle to support this transition despite teachers’ ability to operate comfortably in English. The British Council’s research on Language use in refugee-impacted schools in 2020 produced practical resources and recommendations that will require support from external funding sources to support professional development for teachers.
 

Tax status

The relationship between British Council Uganda and the Government of Uganda dates back to the 1990s. The MOU does not confer any status to the British Council Uganda and there is no reference to our revenue generating activity. A business case for a status and tax change project was developed in 2010/11 but has been not yet been prioritised for implementation.

Requirements
 

Essential:

• Written and spoken English at graduate level  
• Degree in relevant field (e.g. humanities, culture, international relations)

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

• An understanding of ‘cultural relations’ and how it is delivered effectively
• Demonstrable knowledge of the contemporary cultural assets of the UK (creative industries, education, English language etc)
• Previous experience of living or working in another country and understanding/ adapting to its cultural norms and differences
• Proven experience of managing a large country team with significant Duty of Care responsibilities for partners and visitors

Desirable:

• Previous experience at Area/Country Director level
• Higher level Degree in relevant field

Core Skills:

• Managing People – Candidate will need to lead a large and varied team. Experience of managing a substantial group to deliver annual business objectives is essential. The team will include different professions and/or areas of business and may cover multiple locations.
   
• Communicating and Influencing – Post holder will need to use range of influencing techniques. Candidate will be experienced in formal and informal negotiating and motivation techniques to influence others’ behaviour and persuade them to think and act differently, while respecting difference of view and culture.
   
• Managing Finance and Resources – Candidate will plan and deploy resources. Experience in negotiating and agreeing to resources for a defined area as part of forward planning, monitoring progress and adjusting resources or priorities to meet goals.
   
• Managing Risk – The candidate will need to develop a culture of managing risk. You will need to have a proven track record of analysing potential risks, promoting risk awareness, and holding others to account for their practices.
   
• Developing Business – Candidate will take the lead on business development. Post holder must be able to plan and deliver business development activities for a major and/or new market category which is significant for the British Council.

Additional Information: Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in Uganda then secure it. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. The British Council will provide visa application support when and if possible. The successful candidate will be expected to commence the role in June 2021

Closing Date: 15 April 2021 applications will close 23:59 Nigeria time
 

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality Statement

The British Council is committed to a policy of equality and to valuing diversity and is keen to reflect the diversity of the societies in which we work at every level within the organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We aim to abide by and promote equality legislation by following both the letter and the spirit of it to avoid unjustified discrimination, recognising discrimination as a barrier to equality of opportunity, inclusion and human rights. All staff worldwide are required to ensure their behaviour is consistent with our policies. 
The British Council has Disability Confident Employer Status. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. Applicants are encouraged to highlight any specific requirements or adjustments needed to enable participation in the recruitment process.

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