Assistant Operations – Exams Department

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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 202122 we reached 650 million people.

Job Title: Assistant Operations Exams Department
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Requirements: Candidates must have the legal rights to work in Bulgaria at the time of application.
Contract Type: Indefinite contract
Pay-band: 2/J
Salary: 1 600 BGN gross/month

Additional Benefits:
13th salary
Additional Medical insurance covering immediate family
23 working days of annual leave
Work in international environment
Opportunities for personal development and advancement
Discounts for our English courses and exams for you and your closest family
Terminal Gratuities

Role Purpose:
The purpose of this role is to support the efficient, effective operational co-ordination and delivery of Exams (planning, scheduling, logistics test day or post-test services) at the right cost and customer experience and to support continuous improvement in the efficiency/cost-effectiveness/quality of service delivery/systems within the Exams unit.
The role will also assist with setting up and monitoring the online registrations for all products, compiling final entry listings, exams/candidates timetabling as well as distributing relevant documents to candidates. In addition, this role will assist with the booking of appropriate Test Day venues using BOSS and other relevant systems.
Depending on the operational needs of the department you will be required to deliver some of the duties listed below to support the Exams department business. The duties listed hereafter are non-exhaustive and can evolve depending on the operational needs encountered in the Exams department.

Main Accountabilities:
Operational support to Test Day staff

Act as the point of contact for Venues/Venue Supervisors on the day and support the management of Venue Staff and Examiner engagement, relationship and performance
Assist with the deployment of the right mix and profile of Examiners and Venue Staff for Test Day delivery using BOSS and other relevant systems
Assist in the Test Day Staff work reconciliation and payment of venue staff and examiners
Operational Support to Exams Business and Customers

Co-ordinate and escalate where required, risks or issue resolution, including co-ordination of customer communication directly or through customer services
Be responsible for daily maintenance of online Registration and Pay solutions across Exams products
Set up and monitor online registration for all products, compile final entry listings, exams/candidates timetabling as well as distribute relevant documents to candidates
Assist with booking of appropriate Test Day venues using BOSS and other relevant systems
Support B2B Customers with their registration entries, operational, system and technical issues and report issues and resolutions to the Business Development and Account Relationship functions in country
Support the transition of B2B Customers to computer-based testing for some of our products

Operational support to Exams delivery

Support the delivery of our exams operations at B2B test centre level, working with new systems and processes and ensuring that new ways of working are taken up and adhered to
Support the safe handling of confidential materials in accordance with compliance standards during the multiple exchanges in country. This includes movement and activities related to the primary storage area known as the Confidential Materials Room (CMR) as well as final preparations of the Exam delivery before and during Test Day
Support the running of Test Day activities including preparation (stationery, uniforms, banners, IT equipment) and timely scanning and submitting of exam papers to meet requirements for marking as well as for processing enquiries on results
Assist with the planning and tracking of exams capacity requirements against demand to handover to test day teams in country for delivery, supporting the translation of demand into capacity/resource requirements for venues, people, and test materials
Service delivery
Acts as a point of contact for second-stage enquiries during registration including Special Arrangements and early cancellations.
Inputs entries to the Registration and Pay systems (if required).
Supports the process of ordering examination materials from Awarding Bodies by set deadlines.
Plans & schedules exams events across all products, on a daily basis, using appropriate corporate systems (e.g. BOSS, Plan Exams, EMM, etc.).
Day-to-day arrangement and procurement of Venues for the Test Day.
Acts as a point of contact for venue owners.
Performs financial duties relevant to the function (e.g. raising POs, processing invoices, etc.).

Other requirements

Support the planning process for contingencies
Manage remote relationships within country to ensure counterparts understand requirements and execute to plan on Test Day
Support EU / South Cluster Exams operations.

Relationship & stakeholder management

Carries out instructions and requests from line manager and other managers efficiently and effectively.

Risk and compliance
Follows agreed corporate risk management processes and procedures when delivering services (e.g. child protection, security policies, financial protocols, anti-fraud measures) to protect the interests of the BC and its customers at all times.

Role specific knowledge and experience
Minimum / essential
Experience in identifying and minimising risk.
Experience in compliance environment Experience of working in a high volume, busy operational environment, delivering to standard
Desirable
Experience of supporting on delivery of computer-based exams

Language Requirements

Operational English with strong language knowledge in both speaking and written communication
Fluent Bulgarian

Closing date: Sunday, 31 December 2023, applications will close at 23:59 EET

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion(EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council iscommitted 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; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Councils Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email [email protected]

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ASK HR email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.