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.

Director Education

Location: Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Pakistan
Contract Type: Indefinite Contract

Pay Grade: 9

Closing date 30 August 2026 at 21:59 UK Time

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

Role Purpose - The Job:

Lead on strategy, planning and delivery of the country Education/Tertiary Education portfolio, including delivery of British Council global programmes - student mobility and internationalisation, tertiary education and science partnerships, and non-formal education - and client-funded programmes, ensuring they achieve impact targets.

Lead business development and income generation in Education/Tertiary Education, contributing to the successful delivery of country and global income targets, with support from the Country Director and the global team.

Manage senior stakeholder relationships and demonstrate expertise on behalf of the British Council and the UK in the sector, positioning the organisation favourably with government representatives, clients, partners, researchers and technical experts.

Build market knowledge and insight about the local education context and share this internally and externally with partners and stakeholders.

Embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) into all aspects of this work so that our people and partners experience a culture that promotes respect, inclusion and diversity, and benefits everyone.

Role Context - About The Team:

Cultural Engagement (CE) is one of two global strategic departments within the British Council. It brings together our work in Arts, Education, English & School Education and research. With a workforce of approximately 1000 globally and an income in 2024/25 of £200 million, CE delivers impact through research and insights, sector engagement, policy dialogue and a mixed portfolio of commercial and Grant and Partnership Funded (GPF) work globally. CE delivers much of its work through a suite of global programmes/ programmatic frameworks aligned to the British Council’s strategic outcomes.     

Our work in Education is organised into three strands:

• Student mobility and internationalisation: We support the Higher Education sector to attract international students to the UK and ensure lifelong engagement with UK alumni through development opportunities.  We also enrich the school experience with international perspectives, facilitating policy dialogue and partnerships and supporting the teaching and learning of modern foreign language partnerships.
• Tertiary education partnerships: We facilitate Higher Education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Science Partnerships between the UK and other countries to develop high-quality, more inclusive and globally connected education systems and contribute the UK’s knowledge to international education.
• Non-formal education (NFE): We empower young leaders and marginalised groups through skills development to contribute to trust building, cohesion and stability in their societies and represent these communities on a local and international stage.
• British Council Pakistan is one of our Top 12 operations globally and therefore a priority country. With offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, we connect all four nations of the UK through Arts, Education, English and World Class Qualifications with the whole of Pakistan.
• The Education team delivers programmes in Pakistan through grant-funded and co-funded activity and full cost recovery contracts. We work in close collaboration with UK and international partners, federal and provincial Ministries of Education, education and donor agencies, including the Higher Education Commission – through the flagship PAK-UK Education Gateway, European Commission – delivering EU TVET Phase IV, and UK Government / FCDO – developing the TNE market for UK universities.

We embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) into all aspects of this work so that our people and partners experience a culture that promotes respect, inclusion and diversity in support of mutual benefit.

This role is a senior leader in the Pakistan operation and a member of the global senior leadership team for Education. The role leads on setting strategic direction and ensuring high-quality delivery of projects and programmes in Pakistan. It also leads on senior stakeholder engagement and business development, contributing to the success of the global Education income generation plan.

Main Accountabilities:

• Lead the development and delivery of the country's Tertiary Education strategy and annual plan, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, local stakeholder needs and UK government objectives.
• Drive the successful management of the Tertiary Education portfolio, ensuring high-quality programme delivery, compliance, impact measurement, reporting and effective risk management.
• Provide technical leadership and expertise in the design, development and implementation of education programmes and partnerships, ensuring quality, innovation and sustainable outcomes.
• Champion the use of digital solutions and emerging technologies to enhance programme effectiveness, reach and operational efficiency.
• Lead business development and income-generation activities, identifying new opportunities, cultivating partnerships and securing funding through high-quality proposals and bids.
• Build and manage strategic relationships with government bodies, funders, clients, higher education institutions, sector experts and delivery partners to strengthen the organisation’s influence and impact.
• Represent the organisation as a recognised sector expert through thought leadership, research, networking, public speaking and contribution to policy and sector discussions.
• Generate and share market intelligence, research and insights on the local higher education landscape to inform strategy, partnerships and programme development.
• Ensure effective financial management of the portfolio, including budgeting, forecasting, income generation, cost control, profitability and performance reporting.
• Embed equality, diversity and inclusion principles across all programmes, partnerships and business activities, fostering inclusive practices and delivering positive social impact.
• Lead and support programme teams, consultants and partners, promoting collaboration, accountability and high performance to achieve agreed objectives and outcomes.

Requirements Of The Role:

Minimum/essential

• In-depth understanding of the education sectors of Pakistan and of the UK, and of bilateral priorities.
• Experience of delivering sizeable externally funded projects or programmes.
• Direct experience of client-funded contract pursuit and delivery.
• Experience of developing and overseeing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) within projects and incorporating lessons learned from MEL into programmes and strategy.
• Experience of building mutually beneficial relationships with diverse stakeholders, including multilateral agencies, donors, government officials, Education/Higher Education leaders, academics, researchers, alumni and students.
• Knowledge and experience of embedding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in programmes
• Degree and/or equivalent experience
• Project management or equivalent qualification or equivalent work experience

Desirable:

• Knowledge of international mobility trends of Pakistani students seeking tertiary educational opportunities.
• Knowledge of transnational educational trends in Pakistan, including academic and research partnerships with local public and private educational institutions.
• Ability to analyse relevant equality issues and identify opportunities to address these in the portfolio.

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