Job Description

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.

Job Title – Arts & Education Manager

Pay Band – PB6

Closing Date – 1st June 2026

Closing Time – Applications will close at 23:59 IST on 1st June Monday

Location – Dublin, Ireland

Contract – Fixed Term Contract

Purpose of job:

This role offers an opportunity to support the British Council’s Ireland cultural relations work by managing and delivering impactful Arts and Education projects and events. The role involves stakeholder management, portfolio planning, communications, financial oversight, and ensuring projects meet British Council quality and governance standards, including contributing as Safeguarding Focal Point for the PEACEPLUS CONNECT project. Working within the EU regional network, the position also collaborates closely with colleagues across Ireland, and wider British Council global network to strengthen bilateral relationships and multi-country programme initiatives.

Main opportunities/challenges for this role

Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:

Relationship & Stakeholder management

• Manages and maintains strong relationships with partners, colleagues and stakeholders, in Ireland and across in EU Regions, including the Irish government, including FCDO, DCMS, DfE, DFAT, arm’s length bodies and key representative organisations in the sectors we work in, providing sector expertise at a country level and feeding relevant insight upwards.
• Acts as a British Council champion, and recognised cultural relations authority, working to support our soft power and cultural diplomacy presence.
• Manages and provides well-informed and up-to-date briefings for senior colleagues on current and emerging themes in Arts/ Education in country.
• Works with colleagues in the region to influence decision-making across regional Arts / Education in Cultural Engagement, building strong internal relationships and networks within the British Council working to develop a strong self-supporting eco-system across Regions.
• Demonstrates Marketing and Communications awareness and skill.
• Contributes to the PEACEPLUS CONNECT project as Safeguarding Focal Point.
• Works well as a team member in country and across the British Council international network, assuming duties as required.

Project Management

• Manages and maintains country portfolio planning working closely with regional and in-country colleagues, ensuring portfolio is tailored for in-country relevance/delivery and aligns to global strategic framework.
• Owns and delivers Project Management Plans for Arts/ Education portfolio work.
• Identifies risks in a project or programme and puts together mitigation strategies with SRO.
• Ensures compliance, governance and any processes required for procurement are followed.
• Responsible for portfolio data management including timely data entry, quality assurance of data, undertaking basic analysis of monitoring data, SCALE data and developing progress reports to meet funding needs.
• Undertakes programme-specific data collection as needed. This includes working with colleagues to identify monitoring and evaluation indicators and tools for data collection, quality assuring all data, and undertaking basic analysis.
• Contributes to the PEACEPLUS CONNECT project as Safeguarding Focal Point and works closely with the PEACEPLUS FCR team to acquit any duties related to this role.
• Assumes other duties as needed by local country office and works closely with Country Director, local and global team to deliver on our cultural relations purpose in Ireland.

Commercial and Financial Management

• Ensures sound financial planning, working closely with finance teams to ensure British Council and client financial year plans are up to date.
• Ensures accurate and timely monthly (re)forecasting by running regular reports in the SAP system on actuals, monitoring outstanding purchase orders, reviewing commitments, analysing and monitoring monthly finances, including income and expenditure.
• Leads on British Council, partner or client reporting (including, with Finance Manager, financial reporting) and ensure reports are delivered on time, to budget and to a high standard.
• Manages compliance to British Council financial policies and procedures.
• Supports the development of high-quality bids/ proposals.
• Ensures timely reporting, communication and acquittal of externally-funded contracts/grant funded initiatives.
• Participates in programme and project reviews and closure activities, helping to ensure learning is embedded in the development of new business.

Equality, Inclusion & Diversity (EDI)

• Actively contribute to an inclusive and anti-racist organisational culture, being aware of your own biases, and taking action to mitigate against these. Ensuring people feel valued and are treated equitably, with support for people’s well-being and mental health.
• Understand the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to your role and make time for learning and development relating to EDI and anti-racism.

Language Requirement The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.

Role specific knowledge and experience

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Interpersonal effectiveness
• Ability to build, maintain, and navigate relationships
• Adaptability
• Strong problem solving and multitasking ability
• Self-starter, strongly driven by initiative
• An empathetic disposition and ability to function as a collegiate and valued team member
• Values-aligned.

Minimum/Essential:

Experience demonstrable experience in:

• Developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships and partnerships in Arts and/or Education.
• Managing and delivering effective high-quality, complex projects from start to finish, on time and within budget in Arts and/or Education.
• Monitoring, managing and reporting project finance and compliance in Arts and/or Education.
• Procurement, contract management, monitoring and evaluation in Arts and/or education.
• Knowledge and understanding of Arts and/ or Education in Ireland and the bilateral context.
• Marketing and communications in Arts and/or Education.
• Fluent English.

Desirable:

• Additional language(s).
• Experience of living and working in the ireland, and / or other countries.
• Experience of working in cultural relations and cultural diplomacy.
• Experience of working in Irish government.

Requirements:
Please note that candidates must have the pre-existing, legal right to work in Ireland. Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided.
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.

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 askhr@britishcouncil.org