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.

Arts Programme Manager, Nigeria

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Contract Type: Two (2) Year Fixed Term Contract

Pay Grade: 7

Remuneration: NGN 30,426,883.00 Annual Gross

Closing date 25 June 2026 at 21:59 UK Time

Requirements: You must have the legal right to work in Nigeria at the time of application. We are unable to support with visa sponsorship and relocation.

Candidates based out of Abuja will be cater for their relocation to Abuja.

Role Context - About The Team:

British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making positive contributions to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English and School Education, Higher Education and Non-Formal Education. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity and a UK public body. We are governed by Royal Charter.

Nigeria's creative industries continue to thrive, supported by the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy and the 'Destination 2030: Nigeria Everywhere' initiative. Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world and Afrobeats is the fifth most popular music genre globally. Digital platforms dominate consumption, with 84.9% streaming film and 78% streaming music. In February 2025, the British Council and the Federal Ministry entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to leverage each other's capabilities to promote the creative arts, skills and connections amongst young people in the UK and Nigeria.

Nigeria is a Top 12 priority country in the region and the British Council's largest operation in sub-Saharan Africa, with offices in Port Harcourt, Kano, Abuja and Lagos. The March 2026 Nigerian State Visit to the UK has elevated the bilateral relationship and created strong political momentum for cultural collaboration. Building on the success of the 2015/16 UK/Nigeria Arts Season, the British Council will host a second UK–Nigeria Season of Culture in 2028 to strengthen long-term cultural relations and unlock new pathways for collaboration, trade and creative growth.

Our Arts and Culture programme works across three broad areas:

• Creative Growth – unlocking inclusive and sustainable economic growth and innovation through research, advocacy, sector development and showcase programmes.
• Art in Action – building long-lasting connections between UK and international artists and creative organisations, platforming diverse voices and exploring global challenges.
• Arts Core Offer – an inclusive portfolio of artist-led local content shared on our global platform, with digital and face-to-face activations.

In 2026/27, Nigeria is delivering six interconnected programmes spanning film, visual arts, music, literature and creative hubs research, with each programme also feeding the Season of Culture 2028.

The post holder will report to the Head of Arts and will hold operational responsibility for delivery across this portfolio, working closely with in-country, regional and global colleagues, delivery partners and HMG stakeholders. The role is central to scaling our global programmes, raising co-funding and ensuring that every programme meets British Council quality, compliance and impact standards. Significant knowledge and experience of the arts and culture sector in Nigeria is required, alongside a working understanding of the UK creative sector.

Role Purpose - The Job:

To support the Head of Arts in delivering British Council Nigeria's Arts and Culture portfolio, leading the implementation, governance and compliance of global programmes and the Arts Core Offer in country.

To manage delivery teams, partners, contracts and budgets across multiple concurrent programmes, ensuring they meet quality, impact, financial and reporting standards aligned to British Council policies and the 2026–2030 strategic horizon.

To deputize for the Head of Arts as required, contribute to securing partnerships and income, and play a leading role in operational planning for the UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028.

Main Accountabilities:

Programme planning and delivery

• Lead the implementation and day-to-day management of multiple concurrent arts and culture programmes in Nigeria, ensuring delivery against agreed scope, timelines, budgets, quality standards and impact targets.
• Translate the country arts strategy and global programme frameworks into detailed operational plans, work plans and milestones for the portfolio.
• Play a leadership role on specific components of larger programmes, including the operational ramp-up of the UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028.
• Monitor progress against plans, identify variances early, and put in place remedial actions in consultation with the Head of Arts and the regional team.
• Lead programme closure and audit readiness, ensuring lessons learned and after-action reviews are completed and inform future programme design.

Leadership and team management

• Provide motivational leadership to delivery teams and project staff, role-modelling the British Council's values and behaviours and promoting equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Provide formal line management to project managers, project officers and interns within the Arts and Culture team, including objective setting, performance management and professional development.
• Manage dispersed teams across Abuja, Lagos and other Nigerian locations, building a collaborative climate that supports delivery across the portfolio.
• Deputise for the Head of Arts on operational matters, governance forums and external engagements as required.

Partner, stakeholder and relationship management

• Lead relationships at programme level with delivery partners, suppliers, grantees and consortia, holding them to account against contractual obligations and shared outcomes.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal partners and stakeholders across the British Council, including regional and global Arts teams, Cultural Engagement and operational functions.
• Engage proactively with external stakeholders in the Nigerian arts and culture sector, including government ministries, cultural institutions, creative businesses, civil society and HMG counterparts (FCDO, DBT, DCMS).
• Represent the British Council at sector events, working groups and partner meetings, and contribute to thought leadership on the Nigerian creative economy.

Business development and income generation

• Actively contribute to identifying, scoping and securing new partnerships, co-funding and income opportunities aligned to the Nigeria arts strategy and global programmes.
• Support the Head of Arts in leading complex bid development, partnership negotiations and contracting decisions, ensuring alignment with global programme priorities.
• Maintain pipeline data, opportunity tracking and partner intelligence to inform planning, resourcing and investment decisions.

Compliance, risk and safeguarding

• Ensure every programme and project is compliant with all internal British Council policies and processes, including safeguarding, EDI, supply chain management, social value, anti-fraud, data protection and conflict sensitivity.
• Lead supply chain management for the portfolio where applicable, including due diligence, procurement and partner onboarding.
• Identify risks across programmes and develop and implement risk mitigation plans with the Senior Responsible Owner.
• Uphold safeguarding standards across all delivery, ensuring partners and suppliers meet British Council requirements.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL)

• Support the design of results-based programmes, including the development of Monitoring & Evaluation plans and results frameworks aligned to global programme theories of change.
• Undertake programme-specific data collection, quality assure all data and conduct basic analysis to inform decision-making and reporting.
• Lead the production of internal and external reports, case studies and impact stories that demonstrate the value of the portfolio to the UK, Nigeria and global stakeholders.
• Embed monitoring, evaluation and impact storytelling into the operating rhythm of the team from programme inception.

Financial management

• Manage and control the agreed portfolio budget, expenditure and income against plans, ensuring accuracy of forecasts and reports.
• Lead monthly finance reviews and contribute to quarterly business reviews, working with the Head of Arts and Finance colleagues.
• Ensure sound financial management across grants, contracts and partner agreements, including the timely release of tranches and reconciliation of partner spend.

Requirements Of The Role:

Minimum/essential

• Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in an Arts, Culture, Humanities, Social Sciences or related subject area, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
• More than three years' experience managing projects or programmes in the arts and culture sector in Nigeria.
• Experience of managing multi-country or large in-country programmes that have met project closure and audit standards.
• Knowledge and/or experience of working with at least two types of funding sources within a structured compliance regime (e.g. grant in aid, partner co-funding, FCDO, trusts and foundations, corporate sponsorship).
• Experience of client management, partner management and contract management.
• Experience of managing a wide range of stakeholders, including government, delivery partners, sector bodies and creative practitioners.
• Experience of identifying risk in a programme and developing successful risk mitigation with the SRO.
• Experience of managing teams, including dispersed teams.
• Understanding of MEL principles, results frameworks and theories of change.
• Experience of conducting lessons learned reviews / after-action reviews to inform future programme design.

Desirable:

• A Master's degree in a creative industry, cultural policy or international development related area.
• Foundation level project management qualification (in-house training or evidence of CPD in this area will also be considered).
• More than five years' experience managing projects or programmes in the arts and culture sector.
• Knowledge of the UK creative sector and its enablers of growth and partnership.
• Demonstrable understanding of the funding landscape for the Nigerian arts and culture sector.
• Established credibility in the field of arts and culture in Nigeria.
• Experience supporting bilateral cultural seasons, festivals or large-scale showcase programmes.

Role specific skills

• Able to translate strategy into operational plans across a varied arts and culture portfolio.
• Strong project and programme management skills, including planning, budgeting, risk management and reporting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear reports, briefings and partner-facing documents.
• Strong financial literacy and the ability to manage multi-stream budgets.
• Strong digital literacy, including Microsoft 365, project management tools and basic data analysis.

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