MENA Gulf Markets - Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility Manager

at  British Council

MENA Gulf Markets - Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility Manager
Date: 21 Aug 2024
Location: Dammam, Middle East and North Africa, SA
Company: British Council
We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN THE DYNAMIC GULF REGION.

Are you a data-driven education expert with a passion for driving growth? We’re seeking a talented Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility Programme Manager to join our team in the thriving Gulf markets.
In this pivotal role, you will be at the forefront of understanding the evolving education landscape. You will conduct in-depth quantitative and qualitative research, delivering actionable insights to both internal and external stakeholders. Your expertise will be instrumental in developing and executing strategies that support British Council’s student mobility work and strengthen UK-Gulf higher education partnerships.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Product/Programme/Service delivery
• Provides technical input and design and manages programme delivery for Gulf country markets Education Insights and International Student Mobility programmes and projects, assuring quality and impact and managing issues and risks.
• Leading market and economic analysis to feed into Gulf country and regional and global planning, managing internal and external stakeholder relationships. Analysis and reporting
• Education market analysis for the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries of the Gulf. Support the MENA hub, providing education analysis for the Gulf, and demonstrating knowledge of education markets, trends and competitor analysis. The post-holder will also need to support the work of dispersed country teams, building effective relationships with key internal stakeholders.
• Ensures global standards on programme and contract management are achieved.
• Ensures effective financial management and compliance. Manages and delivers to target, budgets, profitability, timelines, and to corporate quality standards in all areas.
• Uses digital platforms and technological advancements to improve efficiency, impact and quality of project and/or programme design and delivery.
• Monitors, reviews and ensures that programmes are achieving agreed impact measures, and monitoring, evaluation and learning and reporting is in place against Cultural Engagement’s Strategy 2025 and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office key performance indicators.
• Leads by example and models 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. Programme management and planning
• Contributes to MENA regional and Gulf country business planning for Insights and Engagement and International Student Mobility.
• Support to the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of relevant projects and programmes. Contributes to development of, owns and delivers, the Programme Management Plan.
• Considers the role of digital products, services and channels in optimising the impact and sustainability of the programmes, working with global porgramme and regional marketing and digital colleagues.
• Ensures that every project/programme is compliant with all internal policies and processes (for example safeguarding, EDI, supply change management, social value and conflict sensitivity).
• Identifies risks in a project or programme and puts together mitigation strategies with SRO.

• Leads development of basic Monitoring and Evaluation plans and results frameworks for relevant programmes working with M&E colleague to identify indicators and tools for data collection.

  • Supports country colleagues on data management including timely data entry, quality assurance of data, and the development of progress reports. • Manages finance, procurement, compliance and reporting on key programmes. Commercial and financial management

• Manage and control the agreed budget, expenditure and income against plans, ensure accuracy of reports and ensure sound financial management and analysis across the portfolio through monthly finance reviews and quarterly business reviews.

• Ensure timely and accurate planning and forecasting, timely reporting of risks, including financial and identify opportunities and mitigation actions. Relationships and stakeholders
• Builds and maintains business critical relationships with key MENA education clients and partners with a view to identifying new partnerships and business opportunities.
• Supports the government and institutional stakeholders’ relationships that the UK needs tosucceed in education in the Gulf region.
• Represents the British Council externally and internally on education as required in the Gulf.
• Monitors and reports on Gulf markets and MENA regional hub achievement of agreed performance targets.
• Ensures that customer/partner feedback is regularly gathered, analysed and acted upon to drive continuous improvements in customer/partner experience. Sector/subject expertise
• Uses education sector expertise to provide insight and content for corporate responses to public consultations in Gulf countries, representing British Council’s perspective.
• Provides up-to-date and well-informed briefings on current and emerging matters in Education, conductingdetailed analysis and research, contributing cutting-edge education sector knowledge and content.
• Identifies and develops opportunities for the UK Education sector to build their work in the Gulf region.
• Supports internal capacity building, ensuring that Gulf country teams can access appropriate and cost-effective learning and development opportunities and grow their education sector knowledge and skills. Brand and market positioning
• Promotes the UK education sector across the Gulf and MENA.
• Works with wider country leadership to ensure British Council’s value proposition and support to the UK sector is clear, agreed and communicated.
• 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. Business development
• Contributes to business and partnership development for the portfolio, aligning with Gulf country, MENA regional and corporate priorities, systems and processes.
• Contributes to the development of strategic responses to partner/ client needs as efficiently and effectively as possible, including developing and promoting new ideas for services.
• Contribute to the development of internal and external communications materials to highlight impact and learning, as well as effectively positioning for new opportunities. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Actively contribute 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.
• Understand the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to your role and make time for learning and development relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and anti-racism.

MINIMUM/ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS-

• Degree in education, economics, statistics or a social sciences / business -related field, or equivalent or equivalent work experience. Foundation level Project Management qualification (in-house training or evidence of Continuous Professional Development in this area could be considered) or equivalent work experience.
• At least 3 years’ experience of working in International Education.
• Project management experience.
• Knowledge of UK and international policy in the Education sector, reform and policy and approaches to internationalisation.
• Has, or ability to rapidly develop, an in depth understanding of Gulf (6 Gulf Cooperation Council markets) country education markets.
• Active network of Education sector contacts
• Demonstrable experience in data collection, analysis and insightful report and presentation writing.
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Ability to analyse relevant equality and inclusion issues.
• Able to manage delivery of crossGulf events, webinars and policy forum on basic platforms (Microsoft Teams) ensuring all corporate standards are met, including those for accessibility and safeguarding. Experience of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within project planning and delivery including use of appropriate tools.
• Proficiency in Arabic language is a must.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS-

• Knowledge, experience of the Higher Education sector. Experience of sector analysis of higher education trends in student mobility, TNE and international partnerships. Network of Higher Education contacts across the Gulf and in the UK. Significant experience of managing projects/programmes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct comprehensive market research and analysis to identify emerging trends and opportunities in the Gulf education sector.
• Develop and deliver compelling reports, data visualizations, and presentations that effectively communicate insights to a diverse audience.
• Lead the development and execution of online forums, webinars, and influencer engagement initiatives to build strong relationships with education stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across the MENA region and globally to ensure alignment and achieve shared objectives.

TO SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL NEED:

• A strong analytical mindset and the ability to translate complex data into clear and actionable recommendations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively engage with diverse audiences.
• A deep understanding of the higher education landscape in the Gulf region and a passion for driving student mobility.
• Proven project management skills and the ability to deliver results under tight deadlines.
  The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – Gulf Markets Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility Programme Manager researches, develops and delivers quantitative and qualitative analysis and project management for the MENA region Gulf markets with education Insights and Student Mobility teams.
  This role will have a particular focus on researching and analysing quantitative and qualitative education market development and trends, ensuring that the output is highly relevant and of practical value to the international education audience in the UK and MENA countries as well as internal stakeholders.
  They will produce reports, data visualisation, and PowerPoint presentations with updates that reflect a rapidly developing education industry.
  This role will develop and lead Gulf market higher education online forum including sector webinars and briefings and lead the Gulf student mobility influencer engagement and events for agents and school counsellors.
  The individual is expected to have excellent analytical, research, and communication skills to be able to provide objective, robust analysis and strategic advice to meet stakeholder needs and deliver corporate outcomes.
  To work collaboratively within a matrix structure reporting to the MENA Head of Higher Education Insights and Student Mobility and the Country Directors and education teams and provide support and advice as agreed.
  This role will also work with the Regional Director Education for MENA and work with the global programme Insight Hubs and the global programme leads for Insights and Engagement and International Student Mobility and Marketing.