Academic 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.

Pay Band: British Council Pay band - T5 Teacher Pay Range

Country/Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Department: English and Exams - Teaching

Contract Type: Fixed term contract

Contract Duration: Two years (renewable)

Closing Date: Sunday, 04 October 2026- 23:59 Philippine Time (GMT +8)

Role Description/Purpose

To drive the continuous improvement of product and service delivery within the market, ensuring they meet customer needs, while maintaining consistency and high standards in the delivery of both new and existing products and services and supporting the achievement of proposition and product performance targets. The role also plays a key part in contributing to and delivering elements of Teaching Excellence, with a particular focus on the delivery of face-to-face courses and their integration with assessment, leading to enhanced teaching performance and the highest standards in teaching, learning, and assessment environments.

Role Accountabilities

The British Council’s English and Examinations (E&E) Strategic Business Unit plays a vital role in building trust between the UK and countries around the world through education, culture and language. As a global leader in English language teaching, learning and assessment, E&E helps people access life-changing educational and professional opportunities through high-quality English language programmes and internationally recognised qualifications. Operating as a commercially driven business, E&E works across Proposition, Network and Functional teams to deliver innovative learning solutions, exceptional customer experiences and sustainable business growth. We are seeking an experienced academic and product excellence professional to drive the continuous improvement of products and services across the market, ensuring they meet customer needs, achieve performance targets and maintain the highest standards of quality, consistency and innovation.

In this role, you will work closely with colleagues across Teaching Excellence, Proposition and Product teams to enhance teaching quality, learning outcomes and assessment standards. You will provide academic leadership to teaching teams, support the implementation of Teaching Excellence initiatives, oversee quality assurance processes, and contribute to the development and enhancement of products and services. You will monitor product performance, support the testing and rollout of new products and pilots, utilise customer and market insights to inform strategic decision-making, and help drive continuous improvement through effective performance management and reporting. The role also requires strong stakeholder management skills, working collaboratively with operational, marketing and customer service teams to enhance customer experience and business performance. As a member of the market leadership community, you will champion academic excellence, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, talent development and compliance, while helping to ensure the British Council remains recognised as a global authority in English language teaching, learning and assessment.

Qualifications & Experience

Education:

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent by experience (Essential)
• Masters in English Language Teaching / Assessment or other relevant field (Desirable)

Certification and Professional Qualifications: TEFL-Q (Cambridge DELTA/Trinity Diploma TESOL) or British Council recognised equivalent (Essential)

Knowledge and Experience (Essential):

• Demonstrated experience working in an English Language learning management or assessment development role.
• Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders across multiple sites / countries to achieve objectives.
• Proven experience and demonstrable success in coordinating/supervising/influencing others in an international educational context.

(Desirable)

• Use of data, dashboards, and action on interpretation of customer insights to drive customer experience improvements and business performance.

Further Information

Language: English at C2 level

Right to Work: This role is open to all applicants including those who need to relocate to undertake the role. Candidates who do not have a natural right to work in the country will be provided with immigration clearance and visa support. Please note visa approvals are beyond the British Council’s control so any job offer will be subject to securing the required right to work.

Relocation support as set out in the British Council international relocation policy is available.

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

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement

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 in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email askhr@britishcouncil.org