Exams Finance and Administration Assistant

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.

Context:

The English and Examinations Strategic Business Unit (E&E) is one of three strategic business units in the British Council (the others being Arts and Education & Society) all of which have the remit to build trust for the people of the UK by building relationships through aspects of our language and culture. E&E achieves this by enabling people across the world to access the life-changing education and work opportunities that are created by learning English or gaining valuable UK qualifications. Promoting the English language also provides a medium for communication, helping break down barriers of misunderstanding or mistrust between cultures. The British Council’s 2020 vision for English & Examinations is to be the world authority in high quality English language teaching, learning and assessment, as well as the International distributor of choice for UK professional and school qualifications.

The Examinations business makes a significant contribution to British Council financial sustainability, and as such, it is essential that the business evolves in order to maintain its position in a fast-changing operating context. There is a need to standardise and automate activities across the globe to deliver efficiencies, and there is also a requirement to develop new digital products and services to meet changing customer demands and competitive pressures. In a cost and resource-constrained environment, balancing the on-going requirements and allocation of funds will be critical, as will the integration and planning of the implementation of the different changes across a global network of 110+ countries charged with the on-going delivery of impact and income whilst changing key elements of the supporting operational platform.

Role Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to support the Cluster with the efficient delivery of exams operational administration and finance services.

The role will be required to support Cluster Exams Finance and Administrator counterparts with the production of off-system income recognition journals, ensuring information is effectively shared with Operations counterparts. The role will be required to support Exams Finance and Administration counterparts in the production of accurate monthly/quarterly income reconciliations, including calculation of expected income and support documentation, and will assist in the processing of refunds, SAP procurement and off-system invoicing processes.

In doing so, the role will provide support to ensure fluent communication with country, Cluster, Region and Global Operations and Finance counterparts as required.

Challenges & Accountabilities:

Monitors bank transactions on daily basis and delivers accurate income recognition reports. Ensures accurate income recognition information is shared effectively with counterparts in Finance and Operation teams as required.

Assists Exams Finance and Administrator Coordinator in the production of accurate income reconciliations, including calculation of expected income and support documentation. Supports investigation on reconciliation findings and follow up actions.

Assists Exams Finance and Administrator Coordinator with off-system invoicing and venue staff payment information production as required.

Processes Purchase Orders and Sales Orders on SAP, according to standards and policy requirements and in a timely manner.

Supports Exams Finance and Administration Coordinator in the processing of off-system invoices, ensuring compliance with local laws requirements and timeline.

Resolves finance related queries received from the Exams Teams.

Customer service

Takes accountability for researching and obtaining satisfactory and timely resolution of first stage financial issues, coordinating input from other colleagues/departments/managers as required, to do so. Ensures the customer is kept informed throughout the process.

Relationship & stakeholder management

Works with Finance, SSC and Geographies counterparts and ensures fluent communication and share of information.

Risk & compliance

Uses standard processes to deliver financial or accounting, in order to protect the interests of the BC.

Serves as point of escalation for counterparts in Geographies on significant exams finance issues.

Analysis & reporting

Identify business risks and provides accurate information as required.

Recommends improvements in off-system processes.

Commercial & resource management

Operates and runs regular reports on range of standard, corporate financial processes and procedures to enable effective budget and resource management for the team, unit or project(s)

Role specific knowledge and experience

Minimum/essential

Relevant experience in accounting, financial and/or administration skills in a business environment

Experience in delivering efficient and accurate information and reporting of financial data

At least one official local language and English language skill to the CEF B2 level