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.

Role Purpose:

The role holder is expected to:

• Lead on planning and implementation of the British Council's Non-formal Education (NFE) portfolio in Indonesia, strengthening UK-Indonesia partnerships that empower young people especially marginalised young people through skills development, leadership, employability, social inclusion and community engagement. The role will build sustainable partnerships with government, donors, civil society, non-government organisation, academia and the private sector while contributing to the British Council's Cultural Engagement strategy and the UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership.
• Fosters a culture of collaboration and collective responsibilities, working as One British Council to maximise organisation effectiveness and impacts.

Role Context:

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 insight, 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. Specifically for Indonesia, CE contributes to the successful implementation of UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership signed by the governments of the UK and Indonesia in 2026.       

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: We empower young leaders and marginalised groups through skills development to contribute to trust building, cohesion and stability in their societies and represent their communities on a local and international stage.

We embed 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 contributes to successful delivery of the NFE portfolio and strategy by ensuring strategic alignment and high-quality delivery of NFE projects and programmes in Indonesia and by contributing the success of the NFE income generation strategy.

Accountabilities/Responsibilities:

Leadership and management

• Develops the vision, direction and annual business development plan for the NFE country portfolio with support from country and global NFE colleagues.
• Develops and owns the country project management plan for Youth Connect.
• Ensures quality delivery Youth Connect ensuring compliance with British Council and programme standards across delivery, planning, reporting, and EDI.

• Provides technical input and design to NFE contracts, programmes and projects, assuring quality and impact and managing issues and risks. 

• Uses digital platforms and technological advancements to improve efficiency, impact and quality of project and/or programme design and delivery 

• Incorporates specific actions to address equality, diversity and inclusion priorities in programme delivery  

• Manages portfolio day-to-day ensuring global standards on programme and contract management are achieved 

• Direct line management where applicable, with matrix management support provided to sector programme teams in country as required. 

• Ensures effective financial management and compliance -manages and delivers to target, budgets, profitability, timelines, and to corporate quality standards in all areas 

• Senior Responsible Officer for smaller projects/programmes, relating to the sector specialism, as required 

• Monitors, reviews and ensures that the portfolio is achieving agreed impact measures, and monitoring, evaluation and learning and reporting is in place.

• Lead by example and model compliance with British Council policies and processes, Code of Conduct, values and behaviours in all day-to-day activities and in the management and liaison with colleagues and external stakeholders. 

Strategy and planning 

• Leads on planning process for the NFE portfolio including Youth Connect within country according to regional and global sector strategy

• Contributes to Education pillar/ country business strategy 

• Develops and nurtures internal relationships across Cultural Engagement and in the wider organisation to ensure strategic objectives are aligned, understood and achieved 

• Considers the role of digital products, services and channels in optimising the impact and sustainability of the portfolio, working with country marketing and digital colleagues. 

Business development

• Uses networking opportunities to develop contacts with business potential in country/regional context.

• Ensures alignment of opportunities with NFE and education strategies.

• Applies due diligence requirements to potential partners.

• Manages the development of commercial proposals and supports the technical writing for evidence-based bids/proposals which are appropriate to the context, ensuring mainstreaming of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and a minimum of gender sensitive programming.

• Works with relevant business support teams to ensure proposals are costed and priced appropriately.

• Manages network of associate advisors, consultants and partners.

• Participates in contract negotiations with partners and clients (in conjunction with the UK Contract Management team) and ensure the mitigation of risks.

• Ensures timely reporting and communication on externally funded contracts/grant funded initiatives, and internal monthly reporting.

Brand and market positioning

• Ensures that British Council’s reputation for quality and as a valued not-for-profit partner remains high and contributes to our organisational mission of building trust between the UK and other countries. 

• Ensures an appropriate level of market analysis, thought leadership / research is generated and commissioned and meets strategic objectives to underpin the UK’s sector engagement with country working with the Research and Insights Unit

Sector/subject expertise

• Uses sector expertise to provide insight and content for corporate responses to public consultations, representing British Council’s perspective and demonstrating our thought-leadership in relevant external fora  

Commercial and/or financial management

• Produced business performance reports, including income, cost management, results and impact of portfolio.

• Manage the Income and Expenditure accounts for programmes/individual projects and contribute to business planning exercises

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• Actively contributes 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.
• Understands the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to your role, making time for learning and development relating to EDI and anti-racism.
• Embeds good practice in EDI across all NFE projects and programmes, ensuring design and delivery contribute positively to improved gender equality, disability and social inclusion

Qualifications and Work Experience:

Qualifications & Education

• Essentials
• Degree and/or equivalent experience
  
  
• Desirable:
  • Project management or equivalent qualification or equivalent work experience

Work experience:

Minimum / Essential Requirements

• In depth understanding of the youth and skills sectors.
• Experience of delivering externally funded projects or programmes
• Direct experience of client funded contract pursuit
• Experience of overseeing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) within projects and incorporating lessons learned from MEL into programmes and strategy
• Experience of engaging with diverse stakeholders including multilateral agencies, donors, government officials, academics

Desirable Requirements

• Able to lead digital events on basic platforms (Microsoft Teams) ensuring all corporate standards are met, including those for accessibility and safeguarding.
• Ability to analyse relevant equality issues and identify opportunities to address these in the portfolio

Important Information

• Language requirements: The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required
• British Council Pay Band: 7/F
• Department: Cultural Engagement
• Contract type: 1-year Fixed-Term Contract, with the possibility of renewal.
• Working location: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country: Candidates should ensure they have natural legal right to live and work in the country where the role is based. Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance are not provided.  
• Closing Date: 12 August 2026 (22:59 WIB)

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