Academic Manager, Saudi Arabia

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. What's it like to work at the British Council as a Teacher? Teacher's Success Story Role Description & Purpose We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking professional to drive the continuous improvement of product and service delivery across the market. This role focuses on ensuring that all offerings consistently meet customer needs while maintaining high standards of quality and impact. You will play a key role in supporting market performance by strengthening proposition effectiveness and helping to achieve product and performance targets. A central element of the position is contributing to Teaching Excellence, with particular emphasis on the delivery of face-to-face courses and their integration with assessment to enhance teaching performance and outcomes. The role sits within the English and Examinations Strategic Business Unit, one of two global business units in the British Council. This unit supports the organisation’s mission to build trust in the UK worldwide by sharing the strengths of its education systems, governance and culture. Through English language learning and internationally recognised UK qualifications, it enables individuals across the globe to access life-changing education and career opportunities while fostering communication and understanding between cultures. The English and Examinations business operates at significant scale, generating substantial income that contributes to the British Council’s overall sustainability and impact. Its vision is to be the global authority in high-quality English language teaching, learning and assessment, as well as a leading distributor of professional and school qualifications. You will work closely with global teams across Proposition, Network and Functions to deliver this vision. These teams collaborate to design integrated learning and assessment products, translate global strategy into local market success, and ensure efficient and effective delivery. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a globally recognised organisation, combining commercial performance with meaningful educational impact, and to play a part in improving outcomes for learners worldwide. Role Accountabilities In this role, you will play a central part in implementing Teaching Excellence initiatives, including teaching standards, observation systems and academic quality frameworks. You will use performance data, feedback systems and structured review processes to assess teaching effectiveness and drive continuous improvement. You will also design and deliver targeted learning and development programmes, support the identification and development of teaching talent, and foster a culture of best practice sharing. A strong commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and SEND will be essential, alongside contributing to thought leadership that enhances the organisation’s reputation in learning and assessment. You will oversee the effective implementation of products and services, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the market. This includes contributing to product development processes and, where required, managing projects through to delivery. From a commercial perspective, you will monitor performance against targets, oversee reporting on key metrics, and support action planning to address risks and drive results. You will also manage the testing and rollout of new products and pilots, embedding feedback mechanisms to support continuous improvement. Alongside this, you will provide valuable market and customer insights, helping to shape strategies and identify opportunities that strengthen both cultural impact and commercial performance. As part of the leadership team, you will represent teaching and learner perspectives while supporting workforce planning, capability development and coaching. Strong stakeholder management will be key, as you collaborate with internal teams to enhance customer experience and business outcomes. You will also ensure compliance with corporate policies by addressing risks and taking appropriate action where needed. This is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a global, education-focused organisation committed to excellence. Qualifications & Experience This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated professional who combines strong academic expertise with the ability to lead, collaborate and drive impact in a global, education-focused organisation. Essential Experience and Skills * Strong background in English language teaching, assessment and academic leadership, particularly within young learner contexts * Demonstrated experience in an English language learning management or assessment development role, with a strong focus on young learners * Proven ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders across multiple sites and countries to achieve shared objectives * Experience in coordinating, supervising or influencing others, with a track record of success in an international education environment * Fluent English at C2 level Essential Experience and Qualifications * TEFL-Q (DELTA from Cambridge / DipTESOL from Trinity College London).) or a British Council recognised equivalent qualification * Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience Desirable Experience and Qualifications * Master’s degree in English Language Teaching, Assessment or a related field * Experience using data, dashboards and customer insights to drive improvements in customer experience and business performance Important Information * Location: the position is based in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. * Contract Type: This is a two-year fixed term contract, full-time position. * Salary: British Council Pay band - T5 Teacher Pay Range * Benefits: Annual paid leave is 35 days plus public holidays. Transport allowance 8,400 SAR + TB completed * Right to Work: The candidates must have legal right to live and work in Saudi Arabia. * Background Screening: all successful candidates are obliged to undergo comprehensive background screening * Closing Date: 10th June 2026 (23.59 ICT) 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