Contributes to the achievement of business targets for all examinations through direct sales, marketing and promotion activity (especially digital), as agreed in exams marketing and business plans; contributes to the efficient and effective delivery of examinations distributed on behalf of UK examination boards through supporting excellent customer / client services e.g. through Addvantage Scheme, thereby ensuring we remain their distributor of choice.
Ensures British Council profile and brand is enhanced; provides internal and external communications support to country director and management team to help build effective engagement with all stakeholders through events organisation and digital communication.
2.1 Cyprus Country Overview
The population of Cyprus is 1.129 million in the Republic of Cyprus (RoC or “south”) and 295,000 in the north, with around 65,000 British passport holders living across the island. Around 17.5% of the working age population in the south (53,000) is unemployed, and approximately 402,000 in the south are under 35. Statistics for the north are less reliable but unemployment is around 9.5% (28,000). There are around 300,000 Cypriots living in the UK.
Cyprus has a highly developed system of primary and secondary education offering both public and private education.
The high quality of instruction can be attributed to the above-average competence of teachers and to the fact that nearly 7% of GDP is spent on education which makes Cyprus one of the top three spenders of education in the EU along with Denmark and Sweden.
The majority of Cypriots receive their higher education at Greek, British, Turkish, other European and North American universities. Cyprus currently has the highest percentage of citizens of working age who have higher-level education in the EU at 30% (ahead of Finland's 29.5%). In addition 47% of its population aged 25 –34 have tertiary education, which is the highest in the EU. The body of Cypriot students has been highly mobile, with 78.7% studying in a university outside Cyprus although this may change given the economic situation, increase to university fees especially in UK, and the interest in trans-national education (TNE) provision in Cyprus.
The operating environment in Cyprus is very challenging. There has been a recession officially since September 2012 and the banking / EU bail out crisis of March 2013 in the Republic of Cyprus shocked the population and has led to redundancies, salary cuts, lower disposable income, so a tightening of the belts for unnecessary items (including some exams). Together with the high increase in student fees at UK universities this also reduced the number of people choosing to go to UK to study. It is hoped that tourism, real estate, offering Cyprus as an international education hub, and oil and gas industry developments will help the country prosper.
2.2 British Council Cyprus
2015 is the British Council’s 75 th year in Cyprus, having officially opened in 1940. We have access to key influencers and a range of networks within both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. We are seen as a trusted partner and service provider to those wishing to access UK education, international qualifications and English language expertise.
The operation is very much focussed on the Education, and English and Exams SBUs. There is a strong Education
UK student market, and a developed interest in English both with Education Ministries and the wider public. Cyprus has been a divided island since the early 1970s, and as such a UN monitored ‘Green Line’ separates the two sides of the island. British Council has had two offices since 1974, one in the Republic of Cyprus (south) and a small office is now in co-located premises in north Nicosia. Most British Council staff need to move regularly between the two sides of the island to fulfil their role effectively, and bilateral relations between north and south can create additional challenges particularly for partnership funded work.
Examinations work focuses on providing access to high quality UK qualifications to Cyprus customers, thereby facilitating the building of relationships with our target audiences, and improving the employment prospects of young
Cypriots, whether at home or abroad . The majority of the country’s income has traditionally been earned from the examinations business.
1 of 4

A recent important partner is the European Commission which has delegated the delivery of the EU Scholarship
Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community to the British Council and there may also be potential for working with
EU partners in the Republic of Cyprus on projects co-funded or funded by the EU.
Services for International Education Marketing (SIEM) generates income from exhibitions, seminars, agent training, student placements and qualifications translation services; and local paid education services. There are over 10,000
Cypriots in the UK and this continues to present opportunities.
2.3 Examinations Services
Cyprus is one of the largest and most successful exams businesses in the EU region with over 35,000 exams per year.
It is also one of the most efficient, and delivers the most diverse range of exams in the EU region including

Professional & University

Schools

Cambridge ESOL

IELTS

APTIS
Cyprus is one of the largest international markets in the world for ACCA (Association of Certified and Chartered
Accountants), ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) and CIE IGCSE (Cambridge International
Examinations / International General Certificate of Secondary Education).
4.
(the % is a general indication of the weighting of different elements of the role. Duties may change from time to time to meet organisational needs and priorities.
Sales (50%)
The focus is on increasing Aptis and IELTS volumes and income, and at least maintaining Schools, Cambridge
English and Professionals/University volumes and income
- Prepares, implements, records and evaluates a monthly and annual plan of external visits to current and potential clients / customers / partners in collaboration with CD, Exams Operations Manager, Exams
Operations Coordinators.
- Contributes to targets for growth in sales by product (IELTS, Aptis), using marketing, communications and
customer/client services activities summarised below.
- Promotes, administers and contributes to the development of the Addvantage scheme (currently worth around
£20k per year) to approximately 700 Supplier schools (20 - 30 large, priority clients) to increase stakeholder satisfaction and to help build key relationships to ensure continuation of the Schools and CESOL businesses, .
Marketing (20%)
- Gathers data and uses data to help analyse trends and support decision-making; liaises with Regional BDM
- Provides support to CD/CEM and EOM for Marketing Action Plans (MAP) and Exams Business Plans including but not limited to:

Competitor analysis

Market sizing

Analysing product trends

Market research including overseeing focus groups, surveys, questionnaires and/or working with agencies

Identifying and evaluating new opportunities

Analysing changing needs of target audiences and partners and how these may be met to give competitive advantage; analysing stakeholder perceptions

Influencing key decision makers/influencers in candidate-buying decisions
- Undertakes “Digital Ambassador” role for Cyprus and delivers regionally prepared digital campaigns in-country in liaison with Regional BDM; digital marketing activities – websites, social networking, search engine optimisation, mobiles/apps etc.
- Responsible for set up of marketing / promotion events and meetings and their related administrative tasks, including use of SAP (purchase orders/invoices, vendor creation) and ensuring materials are organised and accessible on internal collaboration sites / G drive
- Participates in Business development team meetings and activities as needed.
Communications (15%)
Internal
- Produces a weekly brief to staff (email bullet points) detailing main events/activities of the week.
- Updates the internal on-line shared Events Calendar.
- Liaises with staff to draft stories for the EU regional newsletter.
External : “Tells the Story”
- Leads on developing digital communications including country Facebook pages, website and mobile phone
2 of 4

technology; updates digital content on receipt of material from Cyprus and regional teams;
- Produces monthly e-mail newsletter for contacts; oversees updating of contacts database by appropriate staff
- Develops briefs with agencies for local marketing / advertising / promotion / PR materials / campaigns
- Coordinates with local media for placement of press releases, timing of press conferences, attending events
- Localises regional designs using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign and/or Illustrator or other suitable software
Brand
- Manages the brand (British Council, IELTS, Aptis) across British Council offices, partner premises and venue staff, and on-line, to effectively communic ate the British Council’s and exams offer
- Ensures all campaigns and material support business and brand objectives and closely adhere to brand guidelines and are produced to British Council standards
- Signs off print material including liaising with printing press and design agencies where necessary
Customer Services (15%)
- Analyses current customer/client data including surveys, and evaluates customer journey, addresses customer issues to enhance customer experience in coordination with CD, EOM and EOCs, especially digital services
- Analyses scorecard data provided by exams staff, and uses it to inform marketing activity and recommendations for quality improvements to management team
Internal to British Council

CD/CEM Cyprus

Exams Operations Manager; Exams Operations Coordinators

SIEM / Education Services Manager (brand, cross selling, business development)

EU Regional BDM, Digital, IELTS and APTIS teams
Key external relationships

(potential) partners and sponsors across commercial and public sectors

Supplier schools - teachers

Corporate sector including HR professionals, tourism, oil and gas (APTIS)

Higher Education Institutions (IELTS) – lecturers

Addvantage Scheme participants (Schools, Cambridge English exams)

PR, media institutions (including on-line/digital), companies and organisations running portals, networks or digital channels that can benefit our outreach

Market Research institutions.
Frequent travel around the island will be required so a driving licence covering whole island is essential, and a willingness to deliver British Council activities on both sides of the island is necessary.
Flexibility regarding working hours to meet deadlines or to meet customer/business needs will be necessary (between
07.30 and 21.00) from time to time (e.g. for attending relationship-building events, monitoring weekend exam sessions or teacher development workshops). There is a weekly working rota of 5 days Monday to Friday or Tuesday to
Saturday.
Occasional international travel may be required for training, conferences or meetings.
Any passport/visa and/or nationality requirement. EU passport holder and/or the right to work in Cyprus.
Any security or legal checks required: Local Police check and/or self-declaration
3 of 4

Making It Happen – Essential
Connecting with others – Essential
Working together – Essential
Being Accountable - Essential
Creating shared purpose – Essential
Shaping the future – Essential
Interview
Not used for recruitment, but performance management.
Application &
Interview
Core Skills
Communicating and Influencing – 2
Managing Finance and Resources – 1
Commercial & Business development – 2
Account and partnership development – 2
Planning and organising – 1
Using technology – 2
Other
Minimum IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
Fluency in Greek.
Knowledge of Cyprus and/or UK education system(s) and qualifications.
Digital marketing skills.

Minimum 2 years working with Social media, website structure

Delivering successful presentations

Sales and/or Marketing experience
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant subject area.
Knowledge of IELTS,
Aptis, other language exams.
Interest in teaching / education / English language.
Sales / marketing / communications experience.
Working with design software.
Marketing qualification.
Teaching qualification e.g. CELTA
Application &
Interview
Application.
4 of 4