British CouncilHiring for Senior Internal Communications Manager, Asia Pacific at New Delhi, Delhi Full Time

Location: New Delhi, South Asia, IN

Company: British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK.

These connections lead to an understanding of each other’s strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained. We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

Role Purpose:
To lead the delivery of an internal communications strategy for the region which aligns with the global Internal Communications Strategy. Working alongside the Regional Head of Communications and the senior leadership teams in the region, this role will develop internal communication plans that support the region’s vision and drives organisational performance, as well as contributing to and delivering global campaigns as directed by the global communications team. They will be the strategic lead for internal and change communications best practice, frameworks and channels leading and maintaining two-way staff communication through a variety of internal channels.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:
Strategy and planning

• Leads the development of region-specific internal communications strategies and plans, ensuring alignment with the regional marketing strategy global communications strategy and global frameworks.
• Leads and coordinates region wide change communication activity, working closely with relevant colleagues and driving alignment and integration with SBU, regions, and UK/Global change programmes.
• Manages the implementation and measurement of global change communication activity or campaigns as directed by the global communications team.
• Manages and evaluates region-specific internal communication channels and content to deliver tailored messages most effectively to different internal audiences, ensuring alignment with global channels and content.
• Supports the provision of expert strategic communications advice for crisis communications to staff.
• Strengthens the planning and co-ordination of regional internal communications activities to improve effectiveness and eliminate duplication.
• Ensures that strategic internal and change communications risks and issues are effectively managed and mitigated.
• Creates a framework of clear and effective employee communications on a broad variety of topics to help drive engagement, embed organisational values and strategy.
• Translates strategic activity into messages and activities that are relevant at departmental and individual levels.

Consultancy, analysis and problem-solving

• Applies internal and change communications expertise to solve a range of complex short-medium term business issues.
• Reviews multi-faceted internal and change communications problems and issues, integrating, analysing and interpreting complex and diverse information to develop and implement new or cutting-edge solutions.
• Distils complex concepts and analysis into cogent and persuasive presentations, which convincingly influence decision-makers about the need for changes to policy or practice. Supplements this approach with the use of informal influencing strategies, such as building behind-the-scenes support from important internal sponsors or opinion-formers.
• Uses in-depth understanding of the wider organisational context to ensure the concerns and issues facing internal customers are fully understood at a senior level, and that their needs are factored appropriately into regional priorities, plans, decisions and initiatives.
• Consults closely with internal stakeholders to understand current and future business needs for internal and change communications and works effectively with senior colleagues to contribute to the necessary resources and plans being in place so that the employee relations and advice they provide meets those demands.
• Provides internal thought leadership on internal and change communications.

Subject/Sector expertise

• Leads the design, development, review and continuous improvement of regional communication channels and content, including the Intranet.
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of regional internal and change communications strategy, planning and key activities, and leads the identification and management of improvement opportunities.
• Identifies and implements new internal and change communications approaches and/or techniques which enhance efficiency and wider business impact.
• Leads the provision of reporting on regional internal and change communications.

Commercial and financial management

• Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages regional budget for internal and change communications, and for any special initiatives or projects.
• Conducts monthly and year-end reporting on expenditure, and risk, and actively applies learning from this process to improve financial planning, management and performance.
• Analyses potential costs/benefits over a 1-3-year time horizon and uses these insights to inform their decision-making and provision of advice.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Proactively builds and maintains good relations with the Regional Executive Team, Senior Leadership Group and global internal communications team in an advisory and collaborative capacity.
• Actively participates in the Marketing Community of Practice championing best practice internal communications.
• Builds a network of internal regional/global sponsors to help influence decision making.
• Builds and maintains external networks to access, absorb and apply technical/professional best practice back into own area of responsibility

Role specific knowledge and experience:

• Degree or professional qualification in marketing, communications or business or demonstrable level of equivalent experience
• Postgraduate degree in a relevant field, e.g. marketing and communications and business studies or demonstrable level of equivalent experience (Desirable)
• Significant experience working in internal communications in house or with an agency
• Deep understanding of internal and change communications strategy, planning and delivery
• Demonstrable experience managing and mitigating internal communications’ risks and issues
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and prioritise,
• Strong interpersonal skills to manage internal stakeholders
• Experience of running results driven campaigns and communication activations
• Excellent presentation abilities
• Experience within a global organisation (Desirable)
• Experience with intranet management and SharePoint (Desirable)
• Experience of leading internal communications or change campaigns and internal engagement activity. (Desirable)

Further Information:
Pay Band – Grade F / PB 7

Contract Type – Fixed Term Contract for 2 years

Location – South Asia and East Asia where the British Council has a physical presence

Requirements – Candidates must have the pre-existing right to work in location. Mobility / relocation support will not be provided

Closing Date – Wednesday 8 June 2022, 23:59 IST

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 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 Council’s 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.