Member, Education Advisory Group

To help us with the quality and independence of our thinking, we draw on the expert advice of our sector advisory groups. There are separate sector advisory groups to reflect each of the main areas of the British Council's work in Education, Arts and Creative Economy and English Language. The groups report to the British Council's Trustees. Members of these groups serve in an advisory capacity and have no decision-making responsibilities. The British Council's work in Education Our work in Education is far-reaching and covers nearly all 110+ countries in which we do business. Our education programmes, which are core to our charitable purpose, are built to give people opportunities, make connections to the UK and ultimately engender trust. The British Council believes that by delivering education programmes that are mutually beneficial to the UK and other countries, we will create more understanding and links between peoples, making a brighter future for all of us. Structurally, we run the Education Directorate through the following portfolios: ISMM, Alumni and Scholarships (encompassing our work with Schools, HE Agents, Alumni UK, our major scholarship programmes and other global projects); Tertiary Education and Science Partnerships (incorporating TVET); and Non Formal Education. The Director Education and Education Advisory Group Secretary is Maddalaine Ansell. Our equality commitment The British Council is committed to a policy of equality, diversity and inclusion. We are actively working to improve diversity across all our governance structures so that they reflect the societies in which we work. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We aim to abide by and promote equality legislation by following both the letter and the spirit of it to avoid unjustified discrimination, recognising discrimination as a barrier to equality of opportunity, inclusion and human rights. All staff worldwide are required to ensure their behaviour is consistent with our policies. The British Council has Disability Confident Employer Status. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. Applicants are encouraged to highlight any specific requirements or adjustments needed to enable participation in the recruitment process. The opportunity The role of the Education Advisory Group (EAG) is to advise the Education leadership team and influence how the British Council's vision and strategy are developed. As a member, you will contribute to fulfil the group's purpose and objectives as outlined in the Terms of Reference. Terms and Conditions Members are appointed for an initial three-year term. This may be renewed in exceptional circumstances. The role is not remunerated but reasonable UK travel and expenses will be reimbursed at standard British Council rates. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. Key focus areas of the post include:

• Participating in Education Advisory Group meetings, normally three per year
• Contributing to fulfil the Group's purpose and objectives as outlined in the Terms of Reference.
• Advising on our strategic direction and approach
• Supporting our objective of embedding EDI into all areas of our work
• Acting as advocates for the British Council's work undertaken in the UK and globally
• Keeping the British Council abreast of major developments in the Education sector
• Serving as a channel of professional advice within his/her own area of expertise
• Identifying new opportunities and trends
• Creating links between the British Council and the communities within the Education sector for whom our work has particular relevance.
We welcome expressions of interest from across the Education sector, in particular:
• Practitioners who can represent their sector from the perspective of Wales.
• Practitioners with experience in the area of TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training).
• Practitioners with specific experience of widening participation; social mobility; gender and equality; inclusive education; anti-racism.
  
  Seniority within their field and significant leadership experience (i.e. University Vice-Chancellor, Head of Institution, CEO, Senior Leader).
• Commitment to the mission of the British Council to create a friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and wider world
• Significant recent experience of the Education sector, particularly in the area(s) of Schools, HE, Science or Non-Formal Education, domestically and/or internationally
Desirable:
• Experience and expertise in international cultural relations
• Understanding and knowledge of one or more of the main geographical regions in which the British Council works
  
  We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021-22 we reached 650 million people., The British Council was founded to create a friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and wider world by making a positive contribution to the countries we work with, and in doing so making a lasting difference to the UK's security, prosperity and influence. The British Council is a registered charity incorporated and governed by a Royal Charter. It is led by a Board of Trustees that is accountable to the UK's Charity Commission for its activities. Read more about our work and access our annual reports here., Please apply by sending a copy of your CV and a covering letter addressed to the attention of EAG Secretary Maddalaine Ansell, by email to catherine.miller@britishcouncil.org, by no later than 09:00 UK time, Friday 25 October A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world. Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities. 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; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

Pay band: Unremunerated but reasonable UK travel and expenses reimbursed Requirements: Candidates must have the right to work in the UK Duration: Three-year initial term Closing date and time: 09:00 UK time, Friday 25 October