Programme Manager, International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), East Asia

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.

British Council Payband 6

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2028, with possibility of extension, subject to donor funding.

Location:

- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Closing Date: 18th October 2026 (22.59 WIB)

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the country where they are applying at the time of application.

Please note that relocation assistance and visa sponsorship are not provided.

Role Purpose:

This role focuses on the implementation of the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) programme primarily in Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand (depending upon where the candidate is based) with additional global responsibilities.

The post-holder will engage with a wide range of national and international stakeholders, supporting the successful delivery of the ISPF programme from start to finish.  This includes managing the contract or project plan, managing client or internal stakeholders, and successfully achieving reporting and compliance standards. They will be working within a larger multi-country programme on a specific component of the British Council’s ISPF offer.

The Programme Manager, ISPF role will provide integral operational support to the to the global ISPF team as part of the Education team, with specific responsibility for the following key areas of work:

- Programme development and delivery – working with the ISPF UK and global team, and international partners to develop and deliver global research programmes The postholder will also support ISPF delivery and stakeholder management in other countries where ISPF is delivered.

- Programme management and compliance – ensuring compliance with project management standards (including risks and issues, financial management, resourcing and records management), corporate policies and in accordance with key contractual and reporting obligations from the client.
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) – ensuring that lessons learned are captured and embedded into programme delivery and that all relevant reporting documentation is accessible for dissemination and future recommendations.
- Marketing and communication – capturing programme success stories and developing case studies that demonstrate outcomes and impact. Supporting promotional activities and working with communications colleagues to share programme opportunities, achievements and learning with relevant audiences.
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) – mainstreaming EDI in programme development and delivery with a focus on anti-racism, disability, and gender equality. Sharing learning and best practises on EDI with international partners.

ISPF funding is managed by the UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and is part of the UK’s commitments to prioritise strategic science partnerships. ISPF supports UK researchers and innovators to work with peers around the world on to address shared challenges.

Role Context

This role sits within the Cultural Engagement (CE) Strategic Business Unit (SBU).
CE brings together our portfolio of work in arts, education, English, and research. Our portfolio is delivered through a set of globally led programmes that locates our work and impact within our strategic framework. These programmes deliver our key performance indicators and impact ambitions.

This role will provide the opportunity to shape and deliver activities under the  International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) , the UK Government's flagship fund for international science, technology, research and innovation. By bringing together expertise from the UK and around the world, the Fund supports collaboration on shared priorities, strengthens research and innovation capability, and develops the ideas, technologies and solutions needed for a more prosperous, secure and sustainable future.

The Fund will invest in activities that:

- accelerate research, innovation and the development of emerging technologies;
- support economic growth, investment and commercialisation opportunities;
- build research and innovation capability in the UK and internationally;
- strengthen strategic science and technology partnerships;
- address shared global challenges;
- deliver development outcomes in eligible partner countries; and

- help shape global standards, norms and responsible approaches to technology.

Main accountabilities

Relationship & Stakeholder management

- Has relationships with delivery partners and stakeholders within country and is able to procure services and contract delivery partners.
- Identifies and engages with potential international partners, researchers and stakeholders in each of the countries involved to establish ISPF partnerships.
- Maintains effective communication and a good working relationship with in-country organisations and international partners. This includes providing regular updates, soliciting feedback, addressing concerns and responds to enquiries from stakeholders promptly, and involving them in decision-making processes when appropriate.
- Works closely with in-country partner institutions/universities on any issues arising from funded activities.
- Holds suppliers to account for delivering against contract.
- Build strong internal relationships and networks

Commercial and Financial Management

- Liaises with the Finance Lead to ensure alignment with the British Council’s financial system figures and reporting to BIST.
- Support accurate and timely monthly forecasting, by running regular reports in the SAP system on actuals, monitoring outstanding purchase orders, reviewing commitments, analysing and commenting on reasons for variances to plan and recommending corrective actions.
- Ensure timely and accurate planning and forecasting, timely reporting of risks, including financial and identify opportunities and mitigation actions
- Compliance to British Council financial policies and procedures.
- Implements financial tasks in line with corporate financial processes and procedures to enable effective budget and resource management for the team, unit or project(s) – e.g. purchase order system, vendor creation, SAP reporting, procurement processes.

Programme & Project Management

- Manages projects from planning through to closure, working with the Centre of Excellence and internal teams, including Finance, Information Governance and Risk Management (IGRM), and Contract Management, to meet project management standards and compliance requirements.
- Assists with the setting up and uploading/saving of key data to a central repository (SharePoint) for core project documentation including lessons learned
- Works collaboratively with and supports country-based colleagues and the UK-facing team to ensure consistency of approach and joined up ways of working; that reporting deadlines are met; and financial management systems/admin trackers and tools are managed effectively to record spend.
- Uses digital platforms and technological advancements to improve efficiency, impact and quality of project delivery
- Incorporates specific actions to address equality, diversity and inclusion priorities in programme design and delivery
- Carries out regular checks to ensure programme delivery meets agreed standards, reports findings and recommends improvements where needed.
- Identifies and shares examples of process/procedural best practice with appropriate colleagues in the country/region to drive continuous improvement in the British Council’s operational capability, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
- Drafts Terms of Reference (ToRs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and works closely with the Procurement Team to manage end-to-end procurement processes, including due diligence, ensuring compliance with British Council Procurement Policy and procedures.
- Works closely with the Contract Management Team to draft and manage agreements with partners, including Operational Alliance Agreements (OAAs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), using standard British Council contract templates and in line with relevant policies and procedures.
- Manages grants through the Grant Management platform, from application and assessment to award, monitoring and closure. Ensures grant holders meet reporting and financial requirements and addresses delivery issues as they arise.

Customer service

- Takes end-to-end accountability for the resolution of operational enquiries, requests and complaints from customers or partners, in line with agreed service level standards (SLAs). Coordinates with relevant colleagues and programme leads where escalation is required, ensuring appropriate complaint handling, proactive and clear communication throughout.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

- Involves people from diverse backgrounds in the work and makes decision with appreciation of the lived experiences and barriers faced by people from diverse backgrounds.
- Contributes to an inclusive and anti-racist organisational culture, so that people feel valued and are treated equitably, with support for people’s well-being and mental health.
- Understands the British Council’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and how it applies to the role and shows dedication in personal learning and development.

Role specific knowledge and experience:

Minimum/Essential Requirements

- Experience of managing projects from start to finish and familiarity with project life-cycles.
- Experience of using technology in project delivery.
- Confident user of information technology (Word; Excel; PowerPoint), Microsoft 365 functionality.

Desirable Requirements

- Foundation level Project Management certificate
- Good understanding and experience of supporting monitoring and evaluation.
- Working knowledge of British Council SAP system (or similar software)
- Experience of running in-person and/or digital events
- Experience of managing grants, including application and assessment processes, monitoring grant delivery and reviewing financial and narrative reports

Additional Job Requirements

The role may include occasional travel within the territory, region or internationally

Language Requirements

The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.

Local language native speaker / CEFR C1

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 [email protected]