EDUCATION & TRAINING JOBS | Examinations Officer – Schools (Maternity Cover) at British Council Nigeria

The British Council is the world’s leading cultural relations organization and creates opportunities for people in the UK and worldwide to understand each other, to work together and learn from one another. We see this as crucial to building secure, more prosperous and sustainable futures for us all. We build trust and understanding between different countries and cultures and develop strong international links that are of benefit to people in Britain and the rest of the world.

We are recruiting to fill the below position below:

Job Title: Examinations Officer – Schools (Maternity Cover)

Location: Lagos
Reports to: Schools Examinations Manager, Nigeria
Duration of Job: Maternity Cover (June 2016 – December 2016)
Pay Band: Country Appointed PB4

Purpose of Job

• To support Examination Services in Nigeria in delivering exams and tests and to maintain them at the highest professional standards as set out in the British Council’s EQCA (Examination Quality & Comliance Standards), examinations boards and partner standards.

Context and Environment
Nigeria, a tier 1 country, has the largest project, programme and exams operations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).  We operate from 4 main office locations. Individually, the Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt Exams offices alone are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd largest exams businesses by income in SSA respectively. There are currently 36 members in the exams team, 3 of whom are in the Port Harcourt office. We operate a hub-and-spoke system in Nigeria with the main support functions (Business Support Services (BSS) and customer services) located in Lagos.  Nigeria examinations work encompasses School exams, IELTS, and a wide range of academic and professional qualifications.

The Exams business in Nigeria has grown significantly in recent years. We doubled our income and volumes between 2011 and 2013. In 2014/15 we delivered 90,000 examinations, this financial year the target is 100,000 exams on a turnover of £8.5m.  Nigeria examinations work encompasses School exams, IELTS, and a wide range of academic and professional qualifications.

Customer service, operational quality and compliance assurance are critical to the business.  Nigeria’s operating context means that risk management and contingency planning will be ongoing areas of focus. Developing flexible and appropriate delivery models will be critical in responding to the challenges of working across the country.  There are a number of initiatives underway to address these needs.  The Global New Operating Model for Exams (GNOME) and Global Financial Change projects are critical to our business plans.

Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Main Duties

• As Schools Exams Officer, the post holder will be line managed by the Schools Examinations Manager, Nigeria.
• This role will support delivery of Schools Examinations administered form the Lagos office.
• All administrative procedures are in full compliance with Examination boards, Partners and EQCA standards.
• Reliability: to ensure Schools examinations in Nigeria are delivered securely according to board requirements
• Quality and Compliance: to deliver a high standard of customer service to our schools and their candidates. As measured by our own Exams Quality Standards, Customer Service Standards, and inspection visits from Cambridge International Exams and other examination boards as required.
• Finance: all British Council standards for managing finances are met with relation to income reconciliations, cash handling, managing POs, managing contracts and procurement.
• Information Knowledge Management:  Manage information created and received in compliance with the Council’s information management standards, policies, the UK Data Protection Principles and local legislation.

Main duties will include:

Administration of examinations in Lagos:

• Overseeing the taking delivery of examinations materials and checking them prior to exams commencing, packing and returning scripts daily, maintaining logs appropriately.
• Answering enquiries about exams.
• Preparing candidate registration forms.
• Exam registration procedures including receiving and collating registration forms for the Lagos area, entering and retrieving data on CIE Direct and other exam board registration portals, payments and exams correspondence including dispatch of results.

Exam delivery:

• Delivering  examinations on test days which includes:
  • Supervision of venue staff
  • Ensuring adherence examination day procedures

Post-Examination administration:

• Secure and accurate despatch of test answers and materials to the examination board. Maintaining accurate logs of examination paper movements.
• Effective delegation of duties when absent on leave or through illness etc.
• To assist Schools Exams Manager in keeping a database of suspected malpractice cases

Venue Staff:

• Venue staff creation and payment.
• Assist with monitoring and training of invigilators.
• To be part of the recruitment, training and monitoring team for venue staff.
• To schedule venue staff for examination sessions.

Schools support:

• To assist in planning teacher training events for attached and potential attached schools.
• To assist CEM/GFS (Grant Funded Services) project managers in delivery of Schools-specific events.
• To manage CIE secure websites and ensure schools have regular access to support materials
• To assist in developing and managing a Nigeria-wide network of teachers.

Marketing & Customer Service:

• To assist Schools Exams Manager in collecting qualitative and quantitative marketing data in order to contribute to the marketing action plan and support business development.
• Seeking and using customer feedback to improve service delivery.
• To assist the Schools Exams Manager in appropriate marketing of School examinations in Nigeria.
• To follow a programme of visits to schools to build relationships with existing and potential clients to expand the business.

Finance:

• To prepare and submit income reconciliations to agreed timescales.
• To record income correctly on the FABS (Finance and Business Support) system and in a timely manner.
• To comply with Contract and Procurement standards.

Key relationships:

• Internal: Outreach Schools Officer, Country Exams Manager, Deputy Country Exams Manager, Schools Exams Manager, Centre Manager Port Harcourt, Schools Officers in Port Harcourt and Abuja, Customer Service Staff Nigeria, Finance Manager Nigeria. Schools and ELT Project Managers.
• External: CIE, Edexcel, AQA  UK and SSA representatives, School Principals, Schools examinations co-ordinators, AISEN, APEN and other professional teaching associations, venue staff, enquirers, candidates, Regional Exams Manager.

Other important features or requirements of the job
(e.g. travel, unsocial/evening hours, restrictions on employment etc)

• Travel to administer/monitor examinations in centres outside of Lagos may be required.
• Overnight stays and weekend working may be required.
• Flexible working hours during peak periods (May/June & November/December) is required.
• Examination delivery deadlines are absolute; therefore, out of hours working may be required in order to meet these deadlines.

Person Specification
Behaviours

Essential:

• Working together (essential): Establishing a genuinely common goal with others.
• Making it happen (essential): Being Accountable (more demanding)

Assessment stage:

• Interview

Desirable:

• Creating Shared Purpose (essential)
• Shaping the future (essential): Look for ways in which we can do things better.
• Connecting with others (essential): Making regular opportunities to understand others better.

Assessment stage:

• These behaviours will be needed to successfully carry out the role, but will not be assessed for recruitment purposes

Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• Marketing and Customer Service – Level 1
• Computer Skills – Level 1
• English Language proficiency to IELTS band 7.5
• Strong Attention to Detail.
• Customer Service Focus.
• Strong Organisation Skills

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the education and qualification systems in the UK and Nigeria

Assessment stage:

• Short listing & Interview

Experience
Essential:

• Dealing with customers and enquiries in a service environment.
• Providing and monitoring service within quality standards.
• Working quickly and accurately to tight deadlines.
• Experience of handling and reporting on payments from customers

Desirable

• Experience of delivering examinations in a timely and secure manner.

Assessment stage:

• Short listing & Interview

Qualification
Essential:

• Secondary School education up to ‘A’ Level standard

Desirable:

• A first Degree or equivalent (including via work experience)
• A qualification in examinations management.

Assessment stage:

• Short listing

Application Closing Date
23:59 UK time; 22nd April, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should APPLY