Teacher of English

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.

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What's it like to work at the British Council as a Teacher?

Teacher's Success Story

Role Description/Purpose

The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, is seeking qualified teachers to join our dynamic and well-established teaching centres in Portugal. We are dedicated to creating friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries, making a positive contribution by changing lives through opportunities, connections, and trust.

Our teaching centres operate across Greater Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra, with additional partnerships in schools, offsite collaborations, and corporate clients. We deliver programmes both face to face and online for young learners and adults, with teachers often working across different programmes and sites within their city. Operating six days a week, our centres run on two shift patterns between Monday and Saturday, depending on operational needs. Each year, we deliver more than 40,000 class hours to around 4,000 students. The academic year spans three terms from late September to late June, with additional holiday programmes during Easter and summer.

Portugal functions as one integrated operation, supported by a national academic management team that drives teaching quality across the country, alongside national operational support teams. Teachers benefit from close collaboration with colleagues in their centres and opportunities to work with peers across different cities. More recently, our programmes have expanded to include connections with students in other countries through the global British Council network. Currently, there are over 40 teachers in Greater Lisbon, 30 in Porto, and 20 in Coimbra.

The purpose of this role is to promote and ensure quality teaching and effective learning of English across a range of young learner and adult programmes, while supporting the wider aims of the British Council and its cultural relations mission.

    
Role Accountabilities

The British Council is seeking dedicated and professional teachers to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring that teaching meets learner needs and expectations, while maintaining the highest standards of teaching quality, safeguarding, and risk compliance. You will be expected to build and sustain positive relationships with customers, academic colleagues, and operational support staff, while contributing to the wider activities of the teaching centre and supporting the British Council’s strategic plans. By delivering excellence in English language teaching, you will help enhance the organisation’s reputation as a world authority in ELT, and you will be encouraged to continue your professional development and share best practices with colleagues.

Your responsibilities will include planning, preparing, and delivering high-quality English language lessons in line with the British Council’s statement of approach, designated course materials, and learner needs across different life stages. Teaching will involve a variety of approaches, techniques, and media, including face-to-face, online, and blended learning. You will provide regular feedback to learners, assess their progress, and promote learner autonomy through self and peer assessment. Administrative duties such as maintaining accurate teaching records, documenting progress, and preparing termly reports are also part of the role.

Teachers will contribute to the development, evaluation, and improvement of teaching products, programmes, and curricula both locally and across the British Council network. You will actively engage in professional development and performance management to ensure high standards in teaching and learning, undertaking CPD activities such as INSET sessions, online learning, and wider ELT practice review.

A strong customer focus is essential, and you will be expected to reflect on student and customer feedback to improve your practice and suggest enhancements to products and services. You will also need to recognise and respond to incidents such as complaints, resourcing challenges, or technical difficulties, escalating issues appropriately to minimise any negative impact on service delivery.

Effective resource management is required, with teachers expected to plan and prioritise their work to ensure efficient delivery of teaching and administrative responsibilities. Finally, you must adhere to corporate risk management processes and policies in all areas, including safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, anti-fraud, and information management, to protect the interests of the British Council and its customers at all times.

Qualifications & Experience  
Essentials 

• Undergraduate/University degree.
• Certificate in Cambridge Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA); or Trinity Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification. 
• A minimum of 2 years post-certificate i.e. CELTA/Trinity cert TESOL experience gained from teaching a variety of age groups and levels from young learners through to adults.
• Proficiency in English equivalent to a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) C2 level or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Band 8/9 in each of the four sections of the academic module

Desirables

• Recognised diploma in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) i.e. Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DELTA).
• Trinity Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate (TYLEC); or NILE Teaching English in Pre-Primary Education certification.
• Bachelor of Education Degree Programme in Primary Education or Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
• Experience teaching online (e.g. via Zoom).
• Exam preparation.
• Training and teaching for corporates classes /in-company.
• IELTS preparation.

Important Information:

• Location: Lisbon. Teachers may be expected to work in more than one British Council centre. They are also likely to work in more than one location, e.g. British Council centre and a partner institution.
• Salary: The monthly gross salary begins at €811.64, payable in 14 instalments annually. Final compensation and teacher level will be determined based on qualifications and experience. . 
• Contracted hours per week: 9 hours. There is a possibility of additional hours depending on operational needs. 
• Working Hours: Teaching hours are scheduled between Tuesday and Friday in the afternoons and evenings, as well as on Saturday mornings.   
• Proof of Identity & Right to Work: Locally Recruited - Applications are welcomed from candidates currently in this location with a natural right to work. Applications are also welcomed from candidates currently based in other British Council country offices. However, please note candidates must have a natural right to work in the country, on a permanent basis, as immigration clearance and/or on-going visa support is not provided by the British Council for this role. Relocation support is also not provided
• Contract type: One‑year fixed‑term contract, with a strong likelihood of renewal based on performance and organisational needs. 
• Please note: This position involves teaching early years as well as primary groups. While some secondary and adult classes may be included, applicants should have experience with and a genuine interest in working with children.

Closing date  – Monday 1st December 2025.

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