Team Lead: PMO

Location: London (hybrid)

Role Description and Purpose: 

This role leads and directs a Programme and Project Delivery Team responsible for the design, development, planning, and management of large-scale projects and programmes across English & Exams. Working through a matrix of internal and external resources and partnerships, the role ensures that delivery is aligned with strategic business objectives. It oversees the effective design and implementation of programmes and manages or influences virtual, dispersed teams to deliver high-quality products and services on a global scale. 

The role sits within a team accountable for the design, development, and performance management of both digital and analogue products that support the For Schools, Higher Education, and Work propositions. This team ensures that the product portfolio is strategically aligned, commercially viable, scalable, and responsive to customer, delivery, and technology needs. It plays a critical role in ensuring the right mix of quality and innovation to support the direction set by Proposition Directors. 

Role Accountability: 

The role provides leadership across programme and resourcing functions, working closely with business leads and stakeholders to define a clear vision and roadmap for delivery. It ensures alignment with wider British Council policies and proposition plans. The postholder leads the development of project delivery plans that meet corporate priorities and performance standards, while negotiating realistic timelines and targets based on market analysis, feasibility, and resource availability. They are responsible for ensuring that programmes are structured, resourced, and motivated to deliver efficiently and effectively. 

The role also provides expert advice to internal clients, supporting the development of new initiatives from business case through to delivery. It contributes to business improvement planning and ensures that quality assurance, reporting, and evaluation processes reflect best practice and deliver value for money. The postholder builds external networks to bring in professional insights and continuously improve project management methodologies across the organisation. 

In terms of performance and resourcing, the role leads the planning and acquisition of resources, working with corporate functions, regional teams, and external partners. It defines and communicates performance expectations and benefits, and leads retrospectives and post-launch reviews to embed learning and improve future delivery. The role also leads senior relationships across the British Council and with external partners to ensure joined-up delivery and stakeholder alignment. 

Risk and compliance are central to the role, with responsibility for identifying and mitigating operational risks and ensuring compliance with all relevant internal and external standards. The postholder also plays a key role in embedding the British Council’s commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism, fostering a culture where people feel valued, supported, and treated equitably—particularly through periods of change. 

Essential Core & Role Competencies

Minimum: 

• Finance & resource management 
• Managing Projects 
• Managing Risk 
• Project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2 or agile etc).  
• Demonstrable experience of leading and successfully managing large (£-multi-million) projects concurrently for a multi-national organisation with considerable global reach.  
• Experience of leading projects using a variety of methodologies – e.g. Agile, Scrum at Scale, Scaled Agile, Waterfall  
• Experience of leading digital/online/technology projects or programmes on a global scale  
• First degree or equivalent qualification/ experience  
• Professional programme management qualification(s), such as Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Practitioner, or equivalent programme qualification (MPA / PMI, etc).  

 Desirable: 

• Experience of delivering learning and / or assessment programmes and projects  

 Essential: 

• Fluency in English
• Unlimited right to work in the UK without visa or sponsorship
• Flexible for hybrid working from our Stratford office in London