Major Investigations Support Manager at British Council

Role Purpose

The Global Examinations Business Assurance, Security and Risk (BASR) function ensures that there is internal and external confidence in the exams we deliver, protecting the reputation of our organization and UK Exam Board qualifications and standards while enabling fair testing environments for test takers worldwide. 
The Exams Major Investigations Support Manager will work within our Major Investigations team, which also works closely with the Counter Fraud Team, with a special focus on major fraud and malpractice cases related to all Exams products. As well as investigation work itself, the post-holder will be involved in looking at internal processes relating to exam integrity and delivery methods, including digital and remotely delivered testing, and will be a fully integrated member of the broader BASR function. The post-holder, who reports to Exams Major Investigations Manager, will contribute to ensuring all investigations are carried out in line with our investigation approach and methodology, that cases are appropriately managed and documented, and that findings and recommendations are analyzed and followed up in order to ensure learning and prevention across the organization

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

Internal customer focus

• Builds an in-depth understanding of the particular operational context, opportunities, and challenges facing their specific internal customer(s), to ensure the outcome and analysis of investigations work contribute to risk mitigation and prevention.
• Consults closely with internal customers and other stakeholder to understand current and future business priorities, and produce work outputs accordingly to ensure the services and advice they provide is adaptable to circumstances 

Functional Expertise

• Provides proactive professional advice and support to internal customers and stakeholders to ensure business practices within investigation functions expertise are high quality, effective, and compliant with relevant industry practices.
• Completes an annual cycle of formally recognized Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to maintain and deepen their professional expertise. Shares learning with relevant team members. Co-coordinates and contributes to the CPD of Exams Integrity investigators.
• Keeps abreast of investigation and test security development in the sector.
• Fully qualified or willing to work to the relevant professional accreditation (e.g. Fraud / Investigations) combined with a track record of practice in the field. 
• Contributes to the development and delivery of training and guidance of other professionals in the field.

Service Improvement

• Identifies opportunities for procedural improvements and determines the most appropriate mechanisms and processes for implementing those changes.  Demonstrates awareness of relevant governance arrangements that relate to making system or procedural changes
• Makes technical/professional recommendations that have a measurable impact on local business performance (e.g. in terms of efficiency, quality, reliability, mitigation of risk)
• May participate as part of a team to support the implementation of policy or system at a corporate or global level within their area of functional expertise.

Consultancy, Analysis, and Problem-solving

• Applies advanced knowledge of their technical/professional specialism to solve a range of complex business issues within a specific organizational unit or area of corporate activity
• Conducts analysis using a range of standard methodologies and across multiple data sets to provide high-quality and evidence-based procedural recommendations/business advice in order to drive informed decision-making.
• Presents complex information clearly, tailoring the presentation of findings to meet the differing needs of both technical and non-technical audiences appropriately, as required

Relationship and Stakeholder Management

• Support liaison with several internal British Council and external bodies, including IELTS cross-partner investigation forums, Counter Fraud, IELTS and Awarding Body stakeholder teams, etc.

Leadership and Management

• Plans and prioritizes own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to an annual time horizon
• Assist formulation of work plans and coordinate input from others (who may be outside the direct management line) to meet specific objectives 
• As an experienced professional, contributes ideas to support the development of discipline-wide and customer-specific business plans and priorities

Role-specific knowledge and experience:

Essential requirements:

• You will have experience leading major and complex investigation cases. You will have demonstrated learning in the field of security, fraud, etc
• Professional qualification in a relevant field (e.g. Risk Management, Investigation, Anti-Fraud, Audit, Management). (Desirable only)
• Degree-level education or equivalent
• Experience in developing others, either through training delivery, coaching, or mentoring in the field of fraud and investigations
• Experience in managing directly or indirectly geographically dispersed and diverse teams
• Knowledge and experience in the area of Exams Security and Exams Integrity
• An understanding of security and fraud challenges related to high-stakes testing

Role-Specific Skills:

• Excellent and demonstrable relationship and stakeholder management skills
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills, including producing high-level reporting for senior audiences
• Mindset for change and adaptation for working with new and evolving exam products, concepts, and delivery methods