Exams Officer

Exams Officer

British Council Pay band: 6 ( 25,520 - £28,470) Plus London allowance of £3,300

Department: English and Exams

Contract type : FTC until October 2026

Closing Date : Sunday 8 th of June ( 23:59 UK Time)

Location : London ( 1 day remote working)

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

Role Purpose

The purpose of this role is to ensure the efficient and effective coordination and delivery of exams, including planning, scheduling, logistics, and test day or post-test services. The goal is to achieve the right balance of cost and customer experience while supporting continuous improvement in service delivery, cost efficiency, and quality within the Exams unit.

Role Context

The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We foster friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries, making a positive impact by creating opportunities, building connections, and engendering trust.

The English and Examinations Strategic Business Unit (E&E) within the British Council aims to build trust for the people of the UK by promoting language and cultural relationships. E&E enables individuals worldwide to access life-changing education and work opportunities through learning English or obtaining UK qualifications. Our vision is to be the world authority in high-quality English language teaching, learning, and assessment, and the preferred international distributor of UK professional and school qualifications.

The Examinations business significantly contributes to the British Council's financial sustainability. To maintain our position in a rapidly changing environment, we must continuously evolve. The UK & Ireland Exams business comprises a team of around 35 members based across the UK, delivering approximately 200,000 exams annually. The UK is the home market for the IELTS test.

Main Accountabilities

Service Delivery & Operations

• Receive instructions and requests from the operations manager and organize resources accordingly, often at short notice, to ensure efficient and effective work execution.
• Use standardized systems and processes to plan and coordinate timely, cost-effective logistical support for high-quality service delivery to a range of customers (internal and external).
• Adapt work plans as necessary to meet customer expectations.
• Direct all operations at test venues for all exam products, including staff management, procedure oversight, and problem-solving.
• Oversee and monitor test administration by supervisors and invigilators, ensuring accurate test instructions and appropriate testing environments.
• Act as a help desk for venue staff and customers/candidates.
• Support resource management across all exam products, including venue assessment, technical support for computer-based exams, and engagement with venue contacts to ensure suitability and compliance with delivery and audit standards.
• Contribute to change projects aimed at improving exam delivery.
• Support all relevant post-test services and procedures.
• Participate in a rotational duty officer role to support test day delivery, including early morning and weekend cover Customer Support

• Lead the research and resolution of customer operational complaints, coordinating with colleagues and departments as needed, and keeping the customer informed throughout the process.
• Escalate complex customer operational complaints to the Exams Operations Manager.
• Recognize and understand the impact of incidents (e.g., complaints, resourcing problems, logistical or technical difficulties) and proactively alert relevant teams to issues that may affect service delivery or customer experience.
• Manage relationships with exam suppliers and test day personnel.
• Support the achievement of Customer Experience standards by regularly gathering feedback. Risk & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to Business Assurance, Quality and Compliance Assurance (QCA), exams boards, and IELTS audit requirements.
• Follow corporate risk management processes and procedures (e.g., child protection, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures) to protect the interests of the British Council and its customers.
• Use standardized processes to monitor team/unit compliance with corporate risk management procedures.
• Conduct health and safety inspections of British Council exam venues to meet corporate and awarding body guidelines.
• Perform frequent spot checks on test days.
Provide support and reporting for audits and performance reviews.

Analysis & Reporting

• Regularly record, analyze, and report on operational activity levels and performance data using standard procedures and templates to support senior managers in making effective business decisions.
Support wash-up meetings to review test day performance, continual improvement, and corrective actions.

Leadership & Management

• Prioritize own work activities across different work streams.
• Plan and prioritize the operational activities of line managees and support team knowledge and skills development for effective service delivery.
Coordinate tasks with third-party suppliers, external partners, and internal colleagues to complete activities according to agreed service delivery, contractual, or project milestones and requirements (e.g., cost schedules, time deadlines).

Role Specific Skills and Knowledge

Skills

• Communication : Outstanding verbal and written communication abilities.
• Stakeholder Management : Excellent skills in building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders.
  

Knowledge and Experience

Minimum / Essential:

• High-Pressure Environments : Demonstrated experience working under tight deadlines in demanding environments.
• Relevant Experience : Background in a relevant field.
• Stakeholder Engagement : Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, such as exam venues.
• EDI and Recruitment : Knowledge of British Council's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and recruitment policies and standards.
• Child Protection : Experience and knowledge in child protection policies and practices.