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.
Role Description & Purpose
Join the British Council’s English and Examinations team and contribute to delivering world-class learning and assessment experiences. This role focuses on driving continuous improvement in the delivery of products and services, ensuring they consistently meet customer needs, maintain high standards, and achieve performance targets across global markets.
You will play an important part in advancing Teaching Excellence, with a particular emphasis on the delivery of face-to-face courses and their effective integration with assessment. Your work will support enhanced teaching quality and outstanding learning environments.
Working within a global, commercially driven business generating over £700 million annually, you will collaborate across proposition, network and functional teams to align global strategy with local market needs, ensuring both customer impact and sustainable performance. This is an opportunity to contribute to an organisation that builds trust worldwide through education, supports access to international opportunities, and leads the field in English language teaching, learning and assessment.
Role Accountabilities
Working closely with Proposition, Product and Teaching Excellence colleagues, you will guide teaching staff to embed the latest pedagogical innovations and assessment practices into delivery, ensuring consistency, quality and integrity of services.
You will partner with academic teams to implement Teaching Excellence initiatives, including teaching standards, observation frameworks, TEAP quality plans and the Teaching Performance Review Project system, using performance data to drive continuous improvement. A key focus of the role is talent development, where you will identify high-potential academic staff, support career pathways, contribute to succession and workforce planning, and design and deliver targeted learning and development that builds capability and shares best practice across the network. You will also promote safeguarding, EDI and SEND priorities and contribute to thought leadership that strengthens the organisation’s reputation.
In addition, you will oversee the effective implementation of products across centres, contribute to product development processes, and manage pilots to support continuous improvement. You will monitor performance against targets, embed KPIs into reporting, provide market insight to inform strategy, build strong cross-functional relationships, and ensure full compliance with corporate risk and governance policies.
Qualifications & Experience
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated professional who combines strong academic expertise with the ability to lead, collaborate and drive impact in a global, education-focused organisation.
Essential Experience and Skills
- Strong background in English language teaching, assessment and academic leadership, particularly within young learner contexts
- Demonstrated experience in an English language learning management or assessment development role, with a strong focus on young learners
- Proven ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders across multiple sites and countries to achieve shared objectives
- Experience in coordinating, supervising or influencing others, with a track record of success in an international education environment
- Fluent English at C2 level
- TEFL-Q (DELTA from Cambridge / DipTESOL from Trinity College London).) or a British Council recognised equivalent qualification
- TYLEC or an equivalent Young Learner qualification
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience
Desirable Experience and Qualifications
- Master’s degree in English Language Teaching, Assessment or a related field
- Experience using data, dashboards and customer insights to drive improvements in customer experience and business performance
Important Information
- Location: the position is based in Tokyo, Japan.
- Contract Type: This is a two-year fixed term contract, full-time position.
- Renewals: In deciding whether or not to agree to renew your employment, the British Council will take into account following factors:
(a) your workload at the time of the end of the employment term;
(b) your job performance and work attitude;
(c) your ability and competence;
(d) business conditions of the British Council;
(e) progress of your work;
(f) your level of constructive cooperation/teamwork with both your colleagues and your line manager; and
(g) any other factors that the British Council may reasonably consider relevant to the decision to renew or not.
The Maximum Number of Renewals: There is no limit on the number of renewals.
- Possible Changes to Your Duties
You may be assigned to different duties designated by the British Council to meet operational demands.
- Possible Changes to Your Place of Work
You may be transferred to a different workplace designated by the British Council to meet operational demands.
- Salary: 620,000 to 749,000 depending on qualifications and experience.
- Benefits: Annual paid leave is 35 days plus 14 public holidays. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), National Health Insurance.
- International Transfer: 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.
- Background Screening: all successful candidates are obliged to undergo comprehensive background screening
- Closing Date: 11th July 2026
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 [email protected]
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