The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK.

These connections lead to an understanding of each other’s strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Overview

Marketing and Communications at the British Council is a strategic function that drives awareness, understanding, and engagement with us across our diverse audiences. We use insight, knowledge, and analysis of our market and our customers to engage them with our work and our products and services in the most impactful and effective way. We lead the development of our brand and use our expertise to tell inspiring stories to enhance our global reputation, build lifelong relationships, engage our staff and demonstrate our impact. This role is a new role as part of the Marketing and Communications Transformation program. In line with the Global Recruitment policy, standard application and recruitment decisions will apply for this role.

Role Purpose 

To support the Regional Senior Marketing Manager, Study UK in the development and implementation of the cluster/country marketing strategy and plans for Study UK, ensuring alignment to the regional and global marketing strategy and brand, and to work in partnership with the Education SBU to ensure that marketing programmes enable required business targets.

Role context

Marketing and Communications at the British Council is a strategic function which drives awareness, understanding and engagement with us across our diverse audiences. We use insight, knowledge and analysis of our market and our customers to engage them with our work and our products and services in the most impactful and effective way. We lead the development of our brand and use our expertise to tell inspiring stories to enhance our global reputation, build lifelong relationships, engage our staff and demonstrate our impact.

Cultural Engagement brings together our work in Arts, English and Education in a globally connected and sustainable way, sharing skills, knowledge and expertise to provide more joined up responses to key global challenges, and increasing our impact with audiences, partners and beneficiaries around the world. Our work in Study UK includes promoting and delivering events and campaigns that grow the international higher education student market in the UK.

Main accountabilities

Strategy and Planning

• Supports the Regional Senior Marketing Manager to develop and execute marketing plans for Study UK for stakeholders and influencers engagement in the China and East Asia region, ensuring they drive and support the regional strategic objectives for the British Council in a flexible, cost-effective way.
• Plans and executes go to market plans for Study UK across the cluster/country, agreeing the programmes, delivery mechanisms, budgets and resources.
• Develops and executes innovative and high impact campaigns in different forms of communication, including building effective relationship with stakeholders and influencers

Consultancy, analysis & problem-solving

• Applies professional B2B marketing expertise to develop and enhance Study UK marketing strategies, plans and approaches for the cluster/country.
• Applies core technical and professional knowledge to identify and assess current state of Study UK marketing, suggests opportunities for improvement and supports the development of new or improved practice to drive business growth and reduce duplication.
• Presents information clearly supported as needed to tailor the presentation of findings to meet the differing needs of stakeholders in UK and in the cluster/country

Business Development

• Supports the implementation of new marketing approaches and/or techniques which enhance efficiency and wider business impact, ensuring alignment across the cluster and to the regional Study UK marketing strategy.
• Drives a clear focus on audiences and market segmentation.
• Provide expert marketing advice to help business win and shape partnership strategies within the country/cluster.

Subject/Sector expertise

• Provides proactive professional advice and support to colleagues to ensure local, specific requirements are compliant with marketing policy, process and governance.
• Ensure the development of high quality and effective marketing plans and solutions using and sharing their marketing expertise.
• Proactively pursues an annual cycle of formally recognised Continuing Professional Development to maintain and deepen their professional expertise.

Commercial and financial management

• Using agreed corporate systems and processes, supports budget management for the cluster/country marketing plans and programmes.
• Conducts monthly and year-end reporting on progress against plan and deliverables, budget, and management of issues and risks.
• Shows an understanding of value for money/cost effectiveness in the advice, recommendations and support they provide to colleagues in the business teams supporting them to achieve the best results from their projects, products and services.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Proactively participates in the Marketing Community of Practice and network of marketing professionals developing good working relationships with colleagues across the organisation and the business & operational teams across the cluster they support.
• Develops peer/personal networks within and outside Marketing to enhance own knowledge and expertise.
• Proactively builds and maintains excellent relationships with internal partners and stakeholders in country and the UK to ensure integrated, joined up and future-proofed approaches.

Leadership and management

• Plans and prioritises own work activities to ensure effective delivery of marketing activities for the country/cluster over a quarterly to annual time horizon.
• Shares intelligence, experience and ideas to support Cluster Marketing Lead in identifying/developing new ways in which marketing could positively impact upon the British Council’s operational efficiency and effectiveness..

Qualifications

Minimum/essential

• Relevant degree e.g. marketing, or equivalent level of experience

Desirable

• Relevant external professional organisations e.g. CIM, Melcrum, GCN, CIPR, WOMMA etc. (or equivalent experience)

Language Requirements

• The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.
• In addition to English, proficiency in Mandarin will be required. Proficiency in Cantonese will be an added advantage

Role-specific skills

Minimum/essential

• Experience in developing marketing strategies and plans within a large and complex organisation
• Experience in the design and delivery of plans to support programmes / products
• Experience in providing oversight and coaching on the delivery of marketing plans and activities
• A keen eye for detail, great measurement, and post campaign analysis skills.

Desirable

• Experience in a global organisation

Further Information

• Pay Band – Grade 6
• Contract Type – Indefinite contract

• Location – This position will be based in Beijing, China. The applicant should be either based in Beijing or should be able to relocate in Beijing if selected
• Requirements – This is a local requirement; the applicant must have the right to live and work in Beijing
• This job will involve 30% travel locally
• The applicant must have 7 to 8 years of experience in B2B campaign
• Closing Date – 19th May 2022 (23:59 UK Time)
• Interviews –Will commence from the week of 23rd May

Click here to apply.