Role Profile
Job Title
Senior HR Manager
Directorate or Region
India
Department
Human Resources
Location of post
Delhi
Pay Band
Grade G
Reports to
Assistant Director Human
Resources (India)
Contract type
Indefinite
Purpose of Job:
Supports the Assistant Director of Human Resources and North India leadership team by providing
operational HR support and advice to the North India area and professional HR leadership to the HR
network in North India to realise the people strategy for BC India.
Context and Environment:
 The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international not-for-profit organisation for cultural
relations and educational opportunities. For 80 years, we have created international opportunities and
trust between people of the UK and other countries worldwide. We call this Cultural Relations. With
some 7500 members of staff in over 100 countries, we work primarily with young people through the
Arts, English, Education and Society. Our values – integrity, professionalism, creativity, valuing
people and mutuality - are embedded in all our work as is our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

South Asia Region is of high priority for the UK and comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran (non-represented) and Nepal. Programme priority areas are English,
where there is a need to develop a stronger product offer for teachers and learners; Higher Education
(with large opportunities in market intelligence and knowledge transfer) and the Arts.

India: The UK has challenging ambitions for its engagement with India in Education, English and the
Arts and British Council India’s role is to help create the conditions which will lead to their
achievement. Effective management of our external relations and programme delivery in West India is
essential in helping us achieve our ambitions for the UK India relationship. Our priorities in the
different sectors are:
Arts: The UK’s ambition in the arts is for strengthened collaboration and exchange between cultural
institutions, leaders and professionals; to engage new audiences in the UK’s creativity and ideas
leading to an enhanced appreciation of the UK’s cultural assets. The overarching programme for the
Arts in India is called Re-imagine, a new five-year initiative (2013 – 2018) launched to develop
stronger cultural ties between the two countries. Re-imagine comprises 5 strands: Showcasing;
Creative Collaborations; Skills Development; Arts Education and Research and Insight.
Education: The UK’s ambition in higher education is to attract the best students from India and send
UK students to India to strengthen future links. The aim is to significantly increase the institutional
partnerships, in research, teaching and innovation, and support India’s reform agenda, including TNE
and MOOC provision. In Skills and VET, the UK’s ambition is to play a critical role in helping to skill
500m people. The UK schools sector’s ambitions are to build cultural links and share best practice.
English: The UK’s ambition is for all learners and English language trainers and teachers in India to
have access to English language training, teaching, learning, and testing solutions and professional
development opportunities from the UK. We aim to significantly increase the number of UK-India
institutional level partnerships and research collaborations (particularly in the fields of language of
instruction, English skills for employability and CPD) which will support the Indian government in
achieving its reform agenda.
The British Council | March 2014
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
The British Council in India operates through centres in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.
We run five smaller centres in Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Hyderabad. India also
hosts the British Council Management Services office in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, which provides finance
and IT services for the global network.
South Asia regional HR context
The global HR team is undergoing a significant restructure to position it more effectively to support the
rapidly changing needs of the British Council.
We have recently put in place a regional Head of HR for South Asia and a new HR Business Partner for
South Asia and all HR roles in India will need to work closely with regional colleagues in terms of utilising
their expertise in the India context
Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties:
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As a member of the India HR Team, contribute to the development of the HR strategy for BC India,
sharing expertise and learning and ensuring an integrated approach to delivering high quality HR
advice and services across India.
Provide HR operational support and advice to North India team on all people matters ensuring high
quality advice and service is delivered at all times.
Support, coach and advise managers and leadership in North India on all employee relations issues,
referring complex casework to Assistant Director of HR for India and the regional HR Business
Partner, as necessary.
Providing professional HR advice and support to North India leadership in managing non-routine HR
issues or in implementing changes.
Lead and co-ordinate for the North India area the annual people cycle, talent management &
succession planning, objective setting and performance management ensuring delivery in line with
British Council policies and processes.
Manages recruitment / on-boarding / exit activity for North India roles in region (e.g. interviews,
selection and assessment, exit interviews).
Manage welfare of all staff, in conjunction with, and taking advice from Assistant Director of HR BC
India and Regional HR Business Partner, as required
Support expatriate staff based in North India and across other offices in India – Arrivals, Induction,
Background checks, medical insurance, movements, leave management, exits, etc.
Lead the roll out of global, regional or country HR projects or initiatives in North India working closely
with other members of the India HR team and South Asia regional HR team as required.
Develop capability in people matters in North India through:
o Coaching and organising formal training for line managers in the annual people cycle, talent
management & succession planning, objective setting and performance management
(including assuring the process and rolling out training).
o Inducting new HR staff and training country leadership in HR systems.
o Providing training and development for HR staff in North India to increase capability.
This role will also have a responsibility for supporting roll out of HR initiatives across India
Relationships (key stakeholders)
 North India leadership team
 BC India leadership team
 Expatriate staff based in North India
The British Council | March 2014
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BC India HR team
South Asia regional HR Team
External partner organisations
Other important features or requirements of the job.
Please specify any
passport/visa and/or nationality Applicants need to have the legal right to work in India
requirement.
Please indicate if any security
Reference Checks as per British Council India HR policy
or legal checks are required
for this role.
Person Specification
Essential
Behaviours
Desirable
Assessment stage
Creating Shared Purpose - more
demanding
 Creating energy and clarity
so that people want to work
purposefully together
Working together - more
demanding
 Ensuring that others benefit
as well as me
Connecting with Others - more
demanding
 Actively appreciating the
needs and concerns of
myself and others
Making it happen – more
demanding
 Challenging myself and
others to deliver and
measure better results
Interview
Being accountable – more
demanding
 Putting the needs of the
team or British Council
ahead of my own
Shaping the future – more
demanding
 Exploring ways in which we
can add more value
These behaviours will
be needed to
successfully carry out
the role, but will not be
assessed for
recruitment purposes
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Skills and
Knowledge
Managing projects
Leads smaller projects – Analyses
requirements with the
sponsor/stakeholders, defining the
specification, planning, revising,
implementing and evaluating on smallto-medium scale and/or low risk
projects
Short listing
& Interview
Communicating & Influencing
Is creative and adaptable in
communications - Able to use a range
of non-standard and creative
approaches to inform, and persuade
others, extending beyond logical
argument to influence decisions and
actions in a way which is inclusive and
engaging.
Planning & organising
Develops annual plans – Able to
develop and review the implementation
of annual plans for a work group or
function, taking account of business
and customer requirements and
reconciling competing demands.
Analysing data and problems
Uses data – Reviews available data
and identifies cause and effect, and
then chooses the best solution from a
range of known alternatives.
Managing risk
Develops the culture –Track record
of analyzing potential risks,
promoting risk awareness and
holding others to account for their
practices.
Experience
Around 5 years HR management
experience in a medium to large
organisation
Experience of
working in a multi
culture organisation
Short listing
& Interview
Track record of building effective
relationships with business leadership
teams and managing a range of
internal stakeholders in the delivery of
high quality and effective professional
HR services.
Able to demonstrate experience in
implementing HR change projects.
HR generalist experience, well versed
in all areas of HR from talent and
performance management to reward.
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Qualifications
Submitted by
Professional HR qualification from
a recognised Institution
Assistant Director- Human Resources
(India)
Short listing
Date
9 June 2015
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