VACANCY INFORMATION Business Development Manager, Exams UAE

Transcription

1 Section A Information about the vacancy: This post is open to British Council internal candidates and external candidates who are currently residing and available in UAE at the time of applying for and taking up the post, if successful. Location Dubai or Abu Dhabi Number of posts 1 Job Title Business Job Type Full time Development Manager, Exams UAE Start Date 17 March 2015 Closing Date 31 May, 2015 Job Specific skills, knowledge, qualifications & experience Behaviours Essential Making It happen (More demanding) Desirable Being Accountable (More demanding) Connecting with Others (More demanding) Shaping the Future (Essential) Creating Shared Purpose (Essential) (Required for the role but not assessed at application stage) Working together (More demanding) Page 1 of 8 Updated: April 2014

2 Core Skills Experience Developing business Level 3 Defines and develops products/programmes/services which deliver British Council goals on impact, income and surplus within a defined area of business that responds to market opportunities and aligns to wider corporate strategies. Managing accounts and partnerships Level 2 Communicates regularly with diverse stakeholders, customers and/or partners to build mutual understanding and trust. Communicating and Influencing Level 3 Able to use a range of nonstandard and creative approaches to inform, and persuade others, extending beyond logical argument to influence decisions and actions in a way which is inclusive and engaging. Fluency in written and spoken English IELTS band 7.0 or equivalent Planning and Organising Level 3 Develops annual plans Managing Finance and Resources Level 2 Uses corporate financial systems and processes appropriately as part of the job and on behalf of a team. Using technology Level 2 Advanced User Managing Risk Level 2 Has track record of identifying and highlighting risks and suggesting mitigating actions. Minimum 2 years experience in Business Development / Sales & Marketing Written and Spoken Arabic Managing accounts and Partnerships Level 2 Works with Stakeholders and partners Analysing data and problems Level 3 Analyses patterns Proven experience of designing and implementing business development or marketing plans in an education sector context. Prior experience of Examinations Page 2 of 8 Updated: April 2014

3 management Good general knowledge of British Education and Examinations Qualifications University Graduate in any discipline Post-Graduate in any discipline, particularly in business / marketing related field. The closing date for applications is 31 May, Internal applicants: Please include the ratings and your line manager s summary of performance paragraph from your two most recent year-end performance evaluations. The British Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity. The British Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all of its partners to share this commitment. Appointment to this role is subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks in the UK, and, where appropriate, equivalent systems overseas. This position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those regarded as spent, must be declared. Local restrictions on employment All employees must be sponsored by a company or a spouse and have valid work visas. Part of the application process includes medical tests. The British Council has no control over this process. You may experience difficulties entering the UAE with an Israeli stamp in your passport. Applicants with partners who do not have EU, Canadian, American, Australian or NZ citizenship may experience delays in sponsoring them to enter the country. The authorities may not process visas for those aged 60 or above, which is considered on case to case basis. Successful applicant will be required to undergo security checks with the British Embassy/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ UAE Immigration. Accompanying Partners can only be sponsored and therefore obtain the appropriate residents visa if married. It is unlawful in UAE for unmarried partners to cohabit. Section B Information about the BC Dubai & Abu Dhabi offices. A brief overview. British Council Dubai is based in purpose built, state of the art premises. The premises has well-appointed classrooms with IWBs, open office space with hot-desking and a small cafeteria. The office hosts teachers/senior teachers, non-teaching staff and some Regional colleagues. British Council Abu Dhabi is currently operating from three separate offices in Abu Dhabi. However, at the end of this year it will move to its new premises in Al Bateen. The offices currently comprise of a teaching centre in CERT, Exams registration centre in UK VFS VAC in Khalidya and the back office operation in a villa in Al Hosn street. Section C Information about the terms and conditions of service (TACOS) Page 3 of 8 Updated: April 2014

4 Whilst the information below was accurate at time of writing, specific details and entitlements are subject to change. Job Overview Purpose of job: Support the development and implementation of the Business Development and Marketing strategy for UAE Examinations by gathering market intelligence, identifying potential clients and stakeholders, building relationships, adding value to them, and ensuring agreed targets are met to help us meet our business development and overall strategic objectives. Context and environment: The UAE Exams department consists of a team of 30 staff and administers over 100,000 exams per year throughout the UAE from our centres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. This includes a large IELTS business, significant numbers of professional, university and schools exams and growing numbers of Aptis. Exams activity forms a key component of the integrated British Council offer in UAE. UAE Exams has an ambitious plan in place to ensure its growth and greater impact in a fast changing, competitive environment. To achieve this, the department will be engaging and working more with partners in the education, government and corporate sectors, and more closely with other British Council departments. This role will focus mainly on IELTS, Aptis and Schools Exams development, but is also expected to identify and deliver on growth opportunities for our other Exam services as relevant. The post holder will be required to work in very close liaison with the Exams management and marketing teams. Contract Length Indefinite Renewable Period Not applicable Contract Type Country Appointed No. of Staff Managed To be confirmed. Contract Hours 37.5 per five-day week Annual basic minimum salary AED 93,240/- Income Tax & National Insurance Salary and all allowances are assessed as inclusive of any local taxes of whatever kind that may be levied by the Government of the UAE. At present the local position is that no local tax is payable on your salary in the UAE. But if the host country requires you to pay income tax, you must do so and you should inform the BC. The BC will not adjust your salary and allowances to take account of any such taxes. Fares & Travel Economy flights to and from post on start and end of contract will be offered to cover travel cost only of the post holder/ member of staff in case the person is hired from outside the UAE. Baggage Allowance Page 4 of 8 Updated: April 2014

5 Not Applicable Annual Leave Allowance The annual leave allowance is 30 days in addition to 14 public holidays Medical Allowance Member of staff and accompanying dependents (Spouse & children) in country are covered by the centrally administered local Health Insurance scheme. You and accompanying members of your family must register with the British Council s Group Medical Insurance as soon as possible after commencement of contract Settling-In Allowance Not Applicable Accommodation Allowance Member of staff will receive an unaccountable accommodation allowance of AED 4,165/- per month payable together with monthly salary. Any Other Allowances Terminal Gratuity Terminal Gratuity is payable at the rate of thirty (30) days wages per each year of service. The thirty (30) days are based on the basic salary. Additional Information Keeping local cultural considerations we have a dress code erring on the formal side. Male members of staff normally wear shirts and sometimes ties; female staff dress 'smart casual' at all times (covering shoulders and knees). Jeans, strappy tops and sandals, for example, would be inappropriate. As the UAE is a predominantly Muslim country, females are expected to dress relatively modestly. Section E Information about the place Country Overview The UAE is a confederation of coastal Gulf States, once independent Sheikhdoms. This desert land supported a tiny population of fisherman and dhow traders until the discovery of oil and gas in the 1960s. Since then the pace of development has been tremendous with enormous growth in the major Emirates. There are seven Emirates, of which Abu Dhabi is the capital, the richest (the source of oil) and the largest. Dubai has become the most prominent with its spectacular growth. The individual states function as provinces Page 5 of 8 Updated: April 2014

6 under the UAE government s umbrella and take their names from the cities at their core. There are no internal borders and outside the cities a tiny population and a lot of desert. Sharjah, the 3 rd largest city, is close to Dubai, a twenty-minute drive outside rush hours. The UAE, whilst not completely immune, has suffered very little from the recent global economic problems. Abu Dhabi has indeed surged ahead throughout the last 12 months and although Dubai may have received some bad press recently, the UAE is in a very good position to take advantage of new opportunities. City Overview Dubai is modern, sleek and shiny on the surface and while sometimes accused of being a rather soulless place, the multicultural backstreets beg to differ. It is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city with large populations from Europe, South Asia, the Far East and other Arab countries. The UAE is investing in the Arts and Sporting facilities; there is now a Formula 1 track in Abu Dhabi, major cricketing events and of course it owns a football team. Dubai s cosmopolitan and liberal atmosphere makes it vastly different from anywhere else in the region. The infrastructure is extremely well developed and the city has grown very rapidly in the last 10 years to become a thriving commercial centre and regional HQ for many major companies. The UAE is a comfortable and hassle-free place to live and social and cultural activities cater to all tastes. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of UAE. It is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city with large populations from Europe, South Asia, the Far East and other Arab countries. The UAE is investing in the Arts and Sporting facilities; there is now a Formula 1 track in Abu Dhabi, major cricketing events and of course it owns a football team. The UAE is a comfortable and hassle-free place to live and social and cultural activities cater to all tastes. Climate The climate is very hot and humid during the summer months (June - September) with temperatures in the mid forties. Though this does prohibit many outdoor activities, it is bearable and the cities are well geared to dealing with the conditions - air conditioning becomes a way of life. The remainder of the year is very pleasant - dry, warm and sunny with rare days of rain. Accommodation Before arriving in the UAE you can look into what is on offer in UAE at and We will also provide you with a list of recommended agents to help you find a suitable property however, you are free to approach any agent of your choice. In the UAE rents are paid in advance for a year up front. Sometimes it can be agreed with the landlord that payment is made in 2 or 3 instalments. General living costs & conditions The cost of living is generally cheaper than the UK though socialising can be expensive. Consumer electronics, cars, petrol, taxis, and clothes are generally cheaper than the UK. 85 percent of the population are expatriate workers and find an easy balance between the two. Banking services are efficient and modern, there are foreign banks (eg HSBC, Standard Chartered) and local ones as well as plenty of facilities for exchange and transfer of funds to and from other countries. Those wishing to purchase a car have to wait until their residence visa has been processed and this usually takes several months. Rented cars cost around 350 to 450 per month for a standard saloon. Cars are freely available and second hand cars are cheap. Page 6 of 8 Updated: April 2014

7 Transport & Communication Transport around town is generally by taxi or private car, although air-conditioned buses do exist. Taxis are very reasonable and safe if sometimes hard to find. A number of staff have a private arrangement with a taxi driver and pay a weekly/monthly rate. It is very easy to travel within and between the 7 Emirates as well as to neighbouring Oman. Roads are generally very good. There are a huge number of flights in and out of Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi with fairly cheap deals to Sri Lanka, India, the Far East, Africa and the Arab world. Travel to Europe and beyond is more expensive but still reasonable with prices comparable to medium/long haul flights from Europe. General Health, Medical & Dental Care Health facilities are excellent with well equipped, state of the art private hospitals and clinics. The government health service also has very good standards with all specialities catered for. Dentists abound, many of them British expats catering to the local community. English is widely spoken. Job Opportunities for Partners Partners have to be sponsored by the employer and there is no guarantee that this will be easy and tends to depend on the nationality of the partner concerned. Qualified white collar work may be possible in Dubai. Schooling & Childcare Schooling can be more expensive than in the UK and securing a place for your child can take some time on a waiting list. Childcare conversely is generally much cheaper. Expat couples can sponsor a maid and pay her salary on a monthly basis and/or there are many agencies which provide hourly/weekly services and commensurate rates. Any Other Information (Shopping facilities, entertainment, leisure.) Life is comfortable and westernised with a wide variety of sports clubs, shopping malls, supermarkets, western cinemas, hotels and restaurants. Shopping is easy - there is both local souk life and a lot of high street names - Marks and Spencer, BHS, Next, Mothercare etc. The UAE is a very good base for those interested in diving. There are good sites easily accessible, and boat trips are frequent. Many divers also drive to Oman for weekends/short stays from time to time - non-divers can snorkel or go dolphin-watching on a boat trip. In Dubai there is an indoor snow park for skiing or enjoying a cooling-off period at the weekend. Dubai's nightlife is unlike anywhere else in the region. There are numerous nightclubs, again catering to a range of tastes. The comedy clubs are popular and have visiting comics from the UK on a regular basis. Abu Dhabi also has a good night life scene. In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, alcohol is available for non-muslims in the numerous western style hotel bars and restaurants. It can be bought and consumed at home with a special permit (though it can take a few weeks to arrange this on arrival), but is relatively expensive and quite heavily taxed. Sharjah by contrast is dry with the exception of one expatriate sports club. Expatriate women enjoy the same rights and freedoms as their male peers - they can drive, work freely and do not need to cover up. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have positioned themselves as tourist destinations and are liberal in their attitude towards foreigners. However it is sensible to treat this attitude with respect and not take things too far. There is little or no crime. Enthusiastic displays of affection in public would be frowned on, and clothing should be modest in general out Page 7 of 8 Updated: April 2014

8 of respect for the hosts as much as anything else. Same sex partnerships are officially illegal in most Muslim countries and the UAE is no exception, although one or two gay bars exist in Dubai and the majority of the population have a fairly carefree attitude to most things, including sexuality. Again, discretion and modest behaviour in public would be appropriate. Common sense dictates this and it is an easy country to fit into. Page 8 of 8 Updated: April 2014