Job Description

Expression of Interest- International Expert Trainer (IET) Opportunity

Making the Transition to English (MTE) Project – Ethiopia

Independent Trainer (Non-Permanent Worker – NPW) Assignment

Location: Ethiopia (with some remote delivery from trainer’s home location)

Contract Type: Consultancy Agreement (Independent Consultant/NPW)

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide through education, the English language and the arts.

About the Making the Transition to English (MTE) Programme

The British Council is seeking expressions of interest from experienced teacher/teacher educator trainers to support the Making the Transition to English (MTE) Project in Ethiopia, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

The project aims to support the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, Regional Education Bureaus and other education sector institutions in strengthening the transition to English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) for learners in Grades 7 and 8.

The project will focus on:

• Improving teachers’ English language proficiency.
• Strengthening teaching and learning practices.
• Developing sustainable teacher professional development systems.
• Building national capacity for continuous professional development (CPD).

A key project objective is to develop:

• 100 National Expert Trainers (NETs) who will become national teacher/teacher educator trainers.
• More than 7,000 Transformation Coaches who will train and support approximately 36,000 teachers across Ethiopia.

To support this ambitious project, the British Council intends to engage the services of up to six International Expert Trainers (IETs).

About the Training Assignment

The International Expert Trainer (IET) will provide specialist training and materials development expertise in:

• English Language Teaching (ELT)
• Teacher professional development
• Teacher educator development
• Materials development
• Training programme design and delivery

This is an independent training assignment and does not constitute employment with the British Council.

Successful trainers will provide agreed consultancy services under a consultancy agreement and will be responsible for delivering defined outputs and professional services. This will involve being set up as a vendor on the British Council financial system.

The assignment will follow a "Jet In – Jet Out" delivery model, combining:

• Scheduled in-country delivery periods on the ground in Ethiopia.
• Remote technical support and preparation activities from the trainer’s location.

The duration, deployment schedule and level of input will be confirmed based on project requirements.

Scope of Training Services

The International Expert Trainer will provide expertise across the following areas:

1. Professional Development Design

The trainer will:

• Design and develop professional development resources for National Expert Trainers.
• Adapt existing British Council and Ministry of Education materials.
• Create additional learning resources aligned with programme objectives.
• Support the development of sustainable training approaches.

2. Technical Advisory Support

The trainer will provide specialist advice and technical input to:

• National Expert Trainers
• Transformation Coaches
• Other education sector stakeholders if/when required

Areas of advice may include:

• Supporting the transition to EMI
• Teacher and teacher educator development approaches.
• Teacher educator competency frameworks.
• Training programme design and implementation

3. Training Delivery and Facilitation

The trainer will:

• Deliver/Co-deliver intensive face-to-face National Expert Trainer training programmes in Ethiopia.
• Deliver virtual workshops, technical sessions and other training activities as required.
• Support additional collaborative professional development activities.
• Provide coaching and developmental feedback to the National Expert Trainers and other project participants if/when required.

4. Capacity Strengthening

The trainer will support National Expert Trainers to:

• Design effective training programmes.
• Develop facilitation skills.
• Mentor and support Transformation Coaches.
• Improve training delivery through observation and feedback.
• Build sustainable national training capacity.

5. Monitoring, Reporting and Knowledge Sharing

The trainer will:

• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning activities.
• Participate in programme review meetings when required.

Essential Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate:

• A university degree or equivalent qualification.
• Cambridge DELTA or equivalent recognised ELT diploma level qualification.
• Significant professional expertise in English Language Teaching.

Desirable Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates with:

• Master’s degree in ELT, Education or related equivalent.
• Qualification or accreditation in teacher training, adult learning or trainer development.

Essential Professional Experience

Applicants should have experience in:

• Teacher and teacher educator training and development.
• Training programme design and delivery.
• Materials and learning resource development.
• Working in overseas contexts

Desirable Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous:

• British Council English language teaching and/or education programmes.
• Large-scale teacher/teacher educator development initiatives.
• Ethiopia or Sub-Saharan Africa education contexts.

• Online and/or blended professional development programmes
• Delivering training together with local teacher educators

Engagement Details

Engagement Type: Independent Trainer / Non-Permanent Worker (NPW)

The successful trainer will:

• Work under a consultancy agreement.
• Deliver agreed deliverables and outputs.
• Not be directly employed by the British Council.
• Be responsible for meeting their own professional and statutory obligations.
• Provide specialist expertise on an assignment basis.

Expression of Interest Process

Interested trainers are invited to submit an Expression of Interest by applying via this link after completing their trainer profile. Applicants are only required to submit:

• An up-to-date CV.
• A short Expression of Interest outlining their relevant experience and suitability for the role.
• Two to three strong examples of training materials they have developed recently that demonstrate the quality and scope of their work.

Submission of an expression of interest:

• Does not constitute an offer of work.
• Does not guarantee future engagement.
• Will be subject to programme approval, funding availability and operational requirements.

The British Council is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from qualified professionals from diverse backgrounds.