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.

British Council Payband 8

Contract Type: International Assignment until June 2028, UK Nationality required

Location: Yangon, Myanmar

Closing Date: 19th July 2026 16.59 UK Time

This role will be offered on long-term strategic international assignment terms which includes visa and transfer support and benefits such as assignment allowances, housing, and utilities, and schooling

Please note Visa approvals are beyond the British Council’s control so any job offer will be subject to securing the required right to work.

The full International Assignment package is offered at the discretion of the British Council and may not be available to candidates who are currently already based in another location but have significant connections to the host location. Applications for locally hired candidates are welcome but if successful will not qualify for the international assignment package and will continue local terms and conditions of service.

Role Purpose

This post will be the Senior Programme Manager for the EU-funded MyJustice III programme in Myanmar, delivered by the British Council under the PAGoDA framework. The post holder will provide oversight and leadership of programme management, contract management, business management and delivery management standards to achieve excellence across this programme. This is a highly attractive opportunity for someone interested in programme management in the field, working with development issues in the contract business in in country affected by conflict.

S/he will act as the lead programme role, coordinating internal and external resources to meet business targets, delivery milestones and client deadlines. Using the British Council’s standards, policies and frameworks, the programme manager will ensure that the MyJustice III programme is managed in a way that maximises profitability, client satisfaction, compliance with British Council internal policy, compliance with the EU contract requirements and contribution to cultural relations impact.

Reporting to the East Asia Senior Justice and Youth Engagement Adviser, the programme manager will directly line manage up to three members of staff and programme manage a team of up to fifteen staff based in the programme office. S/he will also oversee office management, including any satellite offices. The post holder will also be expected to play an active role as part of the British Council Myanmar office’s country leadership team.

Role Context

Within the current political context of Myanmar, we remain focused on fostering vibrant, healthy, inclusive and deep-rooted educational and cultural relationships between institutions, communities and individuals in Myanmar and the UK, building on the trust we have become known for more than 75 years. We offer teaching and learning of English in our Teaching Centre, a range of recognised UK qualifications, collaboration grants for artists and cultural organisations to connect, insights into the private higher education sector and transnational education, safe digital and physical access to our library and opportunities to strengthen local networks to promote community cohesion and skills for young people through our refreshed outreach network as well as empowering civic space through our flagship state aid programmes, MyJustice and Sone Sie.

To learn more please visit: https://www.myjusticemyanmar.org/

This post will lead programme management of MyJustice, an access to justice and inclusion programme funded by the EU and granted to the British Council via a delegated contribution agreement. The value of the programme is 9m Euro, over 3 years.

The Programme has the overall objective of building justice systems that are more inclusive, accessible, responsive, and accountable contributing to a more peaceful and prosperous Myanmar.

The Programme’s Specific Objectives are:

A. To promote more inclusive and cohesive communities through strengthened, more resilient civil society networks and justice actors that defend and promote fundamental rights;

B. To strengthen ethnic and emerging justice systems to be more inclusive, equitable, and protect fundamental rights;

C. To improve justice and international accountability for conflict-affected communities.

Main accountabilities

Programme Management

• Ensures that MyJustice is delivered according to all corporate and, where relevant, client standards of quality and compliance e.g. safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), supply chain management, social value and conflict sensitivity.
• Work with multiple colleagues to support design of results-based and impact-driven programmes and is responsible for planning and re-design as required
• Responsibility for managing all contractual obligations on programme or project
• Convenes risk meetings, updates risk register and either mitigates or escalates risk
• Manages procurement, grants management and due diligence on programmes

Programme Quality, Learning and Impact

• Provide strategic oversight and guidance to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) function, ensuring that appropriate systems, frameworks and processes are in place to monitor projects and programme performance, outcomes, and impact.
• Oversee programme reporting and learning processes, ensuring that progress, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned are effectively captured, analysed, and communicated to donors, partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Support the development of results framework, monitoring plans and performance indicators, ensuring alignment with client requirements and British Council impact and reporting standards.
• Lead the coordination of programme reporting, ensuring that programme achievements, outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned are effectively presented to the client.

Commercial and Financial Management

• Monitors and reports on the contract pricing model through project life cycle.
• Ensures sound internal / external financial management, planning and reporting is in place
• Oversight of client invoicing process.
• Ensure effective management of project profit and loss accounts.

Relationship & Stakeholders

• Responsible for relationships with partners/funders clients and internal stakeholders at a programme/project level.
• Holds delivery partners, team members and consultants to account including through effective supply chain management.
• Communicates on a variety of platforms about the programme or project.

Business Development and Delivery

• Builds relationships with strategic clients/partners within area of influence.
• Uses insights to understand current and prospective business development opportunities for the British Council.
• Leads the development of MyJustice related proposals and business cases in country/region.
• Ensures appropriate assessment, technical and commercial quality assurance and evaluation procedures for programmes and tender submissions in country.
• Provides direction and support on contract negotiations and delivery on individual contracts with the client and partners.
• Ensures internal and client compliance including legal finance, procurement, contract management and reporting.
• Contributes to the development of internal and external communications materials to highlight impact and support positioning for new opportunities.

Leadership, Strategy and Team Management

• Ensure and engage proactively in the development and implementation of all programme, process, and business strategies; role model leadership by: championing ideas for performance improvement within the delivery of the MyJustice programme; keep up to date with priorities and targets whether they be client or internally driven; support colleagues to understand and engage effectively in the successful management and delivery of this training programme.
• Champion EDI within the programme and empowers team members to effectively. identify opportunities for mainstreaming EDI in the programme delivery.
• Lead cross-functional working groups and initiatives within the programme team.
• Develop and nurture internal relationships across the programme team including in Myanmar, East Asia and the UK to ensure strategic objectives are aligned, understood and achieved, and opportunities to influence and contribute to global programmes and corporate approaches
• An area of focus for the post will be to support and mentor the programme team and to build and maintain effective working relationships with the client, partners, consultants and internal British Council teams which all contribute to successful delivery.
• Operationalise the work plans for this programme. Ensure all members of the programme team understand their responsibilities and how they can contribute and that implementation plans align with business planning and contract management timetables.
• Proactively contribute to best practice across the programme and wider regional strategy for achieving excellence in delivery, working closely as appropriate across the regional team, the Centre of Excellence in programme and programme management.
• Contribute through training and support to building capacity and confidence across the wider programme team in agreed areas.
• Ensure career planning, development planning and continuous professional development are embedded in the team.
• Line manage programme managers / programme support colleagues.
• Actively contribute to the region being recognised as a centre of excellence in programme and programme management.
• Develop diverse professional networks which support Cultural Engagement to understand best practice in programme and programme management and develop new approaches and partnerships which increase the impact of the function.
• Develop relationships with the wider global network of individuals involved in programme/programme management to share information and ensure MyJustice III is aligned with organisational strategy and agendas.
• Represent the British Council externally and internally.

Role Specific Skills

• A sound understanding of the Myanmar country context, particularly as it affects civil society and stakeholders in the justice sector.
• Good skills and knowledge in programme delivery, management and evaluation of full cost recovery contracts.
• An understanding of business planning principles and processes

Role specific knowledge and experience:

Minimum / Essential Requirements

Relevant degree in a sectoral area relevant to development contracts

• Post holder to achieve an agreed qualification within 12 months of starting in post, OR significant programme management experience.
• Extensive experience (more than 5 years) of leading and managing programmes or large projects.
• Experience of managing of managing large programmes – in terms of value and scale – as either single or multi-country interventions, ideally from inception to successful closure.
• Experience of working with several different funding sources and knowledge of different programme frameworks and compliance rules.
• Experience of working within a consortium arrangement or with other funding partners or sponsors and management of associated contracts.
• Extensive experience of managing complex client, stakeholder and partner relationships and reporting requirements.
• Experience of identifying risk, mitigating risk and monitoring risk and reporting risk through appropriate channels.
• Experience of leading a large, diverse, dispersed project or programme team
• Experience of presenting and communicating programme success to a range of external audiences

Desirable Requirements

• Applied Programme Management Professional (APMP) or equivalent level of qualification in programme management
• Knowledge of the EU and delegated agreement contracts

• Commercially aware
• Extensive professional networks in relevant international development areas
• Understanding of matrix / functional structures
• Experience of operating successfully in sensitive thematic areas or conflict-affected regions
• Experience of assessing or developing MEL frameworks and designing data collection mechanisms.
• Coaching approach to management, with an emphasis on team development

Additional job requirements

• International Assignment until June 2028. UK nationality required
• This role will require security clearance at Developed Vetting (DV) level.

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