Customer Services Representative

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 202122 we reached 650 million people.

We are pleased to inform you that the British Council School in Madrid is advertising to cover posts of Customer Services Representative (British Council School Administrative Grade J).

This post will be a permanent, full-time local contract starting in January 2024.

The Customer Services Representative has a key role in stakeholder communication and works to optimise the School customer experience for students and their families, supporting them in all aspects of school life. Communication may be face-to-face, by phone or digital channels and the CSR will ensure that, at all times, students and parents perceive their contact with school in a positive and professional manner. Responsibilities also include internal stakeholder support and operational administration, support for procurement, events and other projects, data management and reporting.

Please be advised the selection process may include presentations, in-tray and other selection exercises.

Planned Timetable
– Closing date for applications: 31st December 2023, 23:59 hrs Madrid time
– Shortlisting: Week commencing 1st January 2024
– Start date: January 2024

Role context
British Schools Overseas Inspection 2015, 2018, 2021 Highest rating in all areas
The British Council School was established in Madrid in 1940, at a time when Europe was facing the challenge of the rise of fascism. The school has always offered a bilingual and bicultural education, underpinned by its objective to develop future citizens with the core values of loyalty, flexibility, resilience, caring and challenge. The school facilitates cultural relations engagement with key target audiences through a high-quality, bilingual and bi-cultural curriculum to a school community of 2,000 children from 2 to 18 years of age. The school is part of the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities worldwide. It is an integral part of their work in Spain and one of their flagship instruments of cultural relations.
The British Council School is a thriving, co-educational day school with superb facilities set on a large, well linked, modern campus. It is one of the most prestigious Schools in Spain, rated as outstanding in every category in its most recent BSO inspections. It achieves excellent results, both in Spanish and UK examination systems, and prepares its graduates to attend universities in Spain, the UK and around the world. Many of their more than 10,000 Alumni students – of both Spanish and other nationalities – have achieved significant professional recognition. The bond between the school and its students lasts a lifetime, thanks to the strong ties that it fosters during school life.
The British Council and the school support a national network of state bilingual schools. School staff lead on training, offer shadowing opportunities and participate in a range of system wide and school specific improvement and development activities.
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; 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.
Our teaching staff teach in our modern, purpose-built facilities and are supported by a Business Services team who provide our teaching staff with cutting edge ICT equipment and resources as well as outstanding facilities with a caring and effective administrative support. Our bespoke, dynamic CPDL programme ensures staff can offer our pupils an excellent overall experience while at the same time staying up to date with UK and other global practices.
Our intent statement
The British Council School curriculum challenges all pupils to reach their potential. We believe all pupils have the right to an ambitious, rigorous and exciting learning journey and all our pupils experience a deep and broad education inspired by the best of both worlds approach of our bilingual School. Our curriculum provides pupils with the skills, competencies and knowledge to become creative and critical thinkers who are resilient and caring so that they can be successful and valued members of our School community and beyond.
British Council policies, standards and regulations apply to all aspects of this job.

Main accountabilities
This role profile includes generic responsibilities that are common to all Customer Services Support roles. The balance between areas of work and post specific responsibilities will be assigned and reviewed with the role profile annually while the individual continues in the same position. Assignments may change according to school operational requirements.
Areas of responsibility and associated duties may include, but are not limited to:
Operational administration
Use and optimisation of standardised administrative systems, processes and working practices to support operational activities
Student administration (e.g. updating student records, daily arrangements)
Procurement
Administration for purchasing equipment or services
Events and Projects
Support for:
internal and external events (e.g. parents evenings, educational fairs, prize- givings, performances)
new or recurrent initiatives (e.g. administrative/process change projects)
Stakeholder communications
Act as point of contact for parents/guardians and pupils
Support teaching staff in maximising the use of the Library facility
Manage queries and provide information and advice about the school and school activities to parents, students, visitors and staff
Communication of school events and activities to parents and other stakeholders
Meeting administration
Translation English/Spanish to facilitate external/internal written or oral communications
Data management and reporting
Input accurate data
Prepare statistics and handle data
Maintain clear and effective paper filing records and digital systems and update according to approved retention schedules
Team participation
Perform as a collaborative member of the School Customer Services Team
General
To take part in any other duties contemplated in the National Private Schools Collective Agreement as assigned by the line manager.
Review and Amendment
Undertaking other reasonable duties related to the job purpose may be required from time to time. This job description should be seen as enabling rather than restrictive and will be subject to regular review.

British Council Core Skills

Shortlisting and/ or Interview (there may be a task or a short presentation as part of the recruitment process)
Essential
– Planning and Organising Level 1 – Is methodical: Able to plan own work over short timescales for routine or familiar tasks and processes
Interview
– Communicating and Influencing Level 2 – Relates communications to circumstances: Displays good listening, writing and speaking skills, setting out logical arguments clearly and adapting language and form of communication to meet the needs of different people/audiences.
Shortlisting
– Using Technology Level 2 – Operates as an advanced user: Works as an advanced practitioner in the use of office software and/or British Council standard and social media platforms and trains or coaches others in their use.

Role specific skills

Shortlisting and/ or Interview (there may be a task or a short presentation as part of the recruitment process)
Essential
Ability to handle several tasks simultaneously liaising as appropriate with different stakeholders that may include students, parents, teachers, external agencies, management and the wider British Council organisation.

Knowledge and Experience

Shortlisting and/ or Interview
Essential
Proven recent experience (3 years minimum) of dealing with the public in a customer service/ administrative role
Experience of using a customer database
Experience of working with confidential records
Experience of supporting events

Shortlisting
Desirable
Extensive knowledge and experience of School administrative processes relating to students, staff and parents
Experience with School Alexia database
Experience with school student records
Experience of creating communications resources

Language requirements
Shortlisting and/or Interview
Essential
Proficient in Spanish (spoken and written level C2 in CEFR or equivalent) and English independent user (spoken and written level C1 in CEFR or equivalent).
The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required. Relevant language certifications/experience to be indicated in Application Form and CV. Language Tests may be required. If no certifications are available, employee may be hired conditional to the achievement of the Essential level certification within a 12-month period.
Desirable
English and Spanish language ability to the level of, or a level comparable to, first language communicator (Proficient spoken and written level minimum C2 CEFR or equivalent).

Education

Shortlisting
Essential
A good bachelors degree, or CFGS/FP2 or equivalent

Certification and Professional Qualifications

Shortlisting
Desirable
Secretarial qualification (eg Ciclo Formativo de Grado Superior de Administracin y Gestin (Rama Secretariado) or similar

Additional job requirements

Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country
Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered.
Other requirements
There are occasional trips and performances locally and members of staff are required to accompany students. Overseas travel sometimes takes place and staff may be asked to accompany groups. Due to the nature of your role, you may be required to work outside school hours during events and performances.

British Council values and behaviours

Shortlisting and/or Interview
British Council Values and Behaviours are applicable across our organisation, in all roles and at all levels. They are important because they say what we stand for at the British Council and help us to deliver our strategy. We use them to guide our decision making, as well as guiding how we treat one another and the people we work with. These will be assessed in the selection process. Our values are:
Open and Committed; Expert and Inclusive; Optimistic and Bold
The behaviours for each values pair can be found on our Intranet SharePoint site for internal staff.

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 askhr@britishcouncil.org

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.