Background Screening & TA Operations Lead

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.

Role Purpose

This role provides operational leadership and oversight for the British Council’s recruitment operations and background screening governance framework, ensuring that processes are compliant, efficient and aligned to organisational risk appetite and regulatory requirements, including BPSS and safeguarding standards. You will lead continuous improvement, digital transformation and performance optimisation across screening and recruitment operations, ensuring the function remains robust, scalable and future-focused.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, Talent Acquisition teams and external partners including screening vendors and managed service providers, you will drive operational excellence across screening, recruitment governance, process design and technology enablement. The role focuses on using data-led insights, digital innovation and strong supplier management to enhance candidate and hiring manager experience, while maintaining high standards of compliance and supporting the organisation’s long-term workforce strategy.

Role Accountabilities

You will shape and maintain the British Council’s screening strategy and roadmap, ensuring all screening policies and processes for employed and contingent workers remain compliant with BPSS, safeguarding and organisational standards. You will provide governance and oversight of third-party suppliers, holding them accountable for delivery against SLAs and KPIs, managing risk and escalation, and ensuring consistent, compliant and efficient screening processes across the organisation, while advising on contractual requirements and responding to regulatory changes.

You will drive digital innovation and continuous improvement by enhancing screening systems, identifying opportunities for automation and improved candidate experience, and leveraging data and insights to inform decision making and performance improvement. You will act as a subject matter expert, building strong relationships across the People Function, Legal, Safeguarding and wider stakeholders, contributing to policy development, capability building and organisational understanding of screening requirements, while ensuring guidance, training and governance frameworks are current, effective and aligned to best practice.

Qualifications

Desirable: HR or Recruitment qualification.

Requirements

Essential:

• In-house Talent Acquisition experience in a large organisation, covering end-to-end recruitment processes.
• Experience of background screening within a global, matrixed organisation.
• Strong understanding of compliance, risk management and screening governance frameworks.
• Experience managing external suppliers and delivering services through partners.
• Proven ability to drive operational improvement and resolve complex challenges.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including senior stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical capability with structured, data-driven thinking.
• High levels of integrity, attention to detail and professional judgement.
• Written and verbal proficiency in English is required, as British Council systems and processes operate in English.

Desirable:

• Experience working in highly regulated, public sector or non-profit environments.
• Experience applying digital solutions to HR or compliance processes.

Important Information

Contract type: Indefinite Contract
Starting salary: £38,820 per annum (Plus an additional £3,300 per annum London Market Allowance if you are based in the London area only)
Pay band: 8/E
Working Model: Hybrid/remote
Location: London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast
Proof of Identity requirements & right to work in the country: Applicants must have the legal right to work in the stated location. Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance are not provided.

Benefits for the UK include, but are not limited to:

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme
• An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and/or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world.

Closing Date: Monday 22nd June 2026 at 23:59 UK time

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.