E+ Programme Support Officer in Cardiff

As a valued employee of the British Council, you help us deliver our mission to support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For over 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity. You are part of our organisation in over 200 countries and territories and where we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. We connect. We inspire.

The Department for Education has announced that the British Council is set to take on the role of National Agency for Erasmus+. In December the UK and EU arrived at a political agreement that the UK would rejoin the Erasmus+ scheme in 2027. That agreement has now been legally formalised under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The British Council has a longstanding commitment to supporting international exchange. It was a lead partner in the Erasmus+ UK National Agency from 2014-20, where Erasmus+ made a significant contribution to the UK's cultural relations activities, funding 8,091 projects, engaging 583,757 UK participants, and awarding around €1.1 billion to UK organisations.

The Programme Support Officer provides operational and administrative support to ensure the effective delivery of Erasmus+ programme activities. Working under the direction of the Programme Support Manager, the role supports the implementation of processes, guidance, and tools that enable consistent, high-quality delivery across the programme lifecycle, including calls, assessments, grant management, and monitoring.

The role contributes to maintaining clear and accessible operational documentation, supporting the application of standard processes across delivery teams. The postholder ensures that templates, guidance, and systems are used effectively and consistently, helping to support accurate, auditable, and efficient programme delivery in line with programme requirements and standards.

The Programme Support Officer plays a key role in the day-to-day operation of programme support activities, responding to queries, maintaining documentation, and assisting with process updates. The role works closely with delivery teams and colleagues across Digital, Finance, and Quality Assurance, ensuring that processes and tools remain practical, user-focused, and aligned to delivery needs.

The postholder also supports continuous improvement by gathering feedback, identifying minor process issues, and contributing to enhancements that improve efficiency, consistency, and user experience. Through accurate documentation, consistent process application, and timely escalation of issues, the role contributes to effective first-line management assurance.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

• Programme Support & Delivery Assistance
  • Support the implementation of programme support frameworks, including the development of guidance, templates, and SOPs.
  • Assist in monitoring activities to ensure delivery processes are followed consistently across teams.
  • Provide administrative and operational support across programme lifecycle stages and reinforce best practice approaches throughout.
  • Analyse project data and performance, reporting on progress and recommending corrective action as needed.
• Process Support & Documentation
  • Coordinate, maintain and update operational documentation, including guidance and templates.
  • Ensure documents are accessible, version-controlled, and aligned to current processes.
  • Support the translation of requirements into clear and user-friendly materials.
• Operational Consistency & Standards
  • Support the consistent application of programme processes and standards – including monitoring and spot checks.
  • Assist in reinforcing the correct use of tools, templates, and systems.
  • Identify and elevate to the Programme Support Manager process deviations, inconsistencies, or documentation issues that may impact quality, compliance, or auditability.
• Systems & Tools Support
  • Support the use of delivery systems and tools by teams - signposting colleagues and providing advice.
  • Assist in system testing, updates, and data input where required.
  • Help ensure data is captured accurately and consistently – coordinating, collating and refreshing as appropriate.
  • Ensure records and data entries are accurate, complete, and retrievable to support assurance and audit requirements.
• Delivery Support & Queries
  • Act as a first point of contact for routine process and guidance queries – resolving wherever possible.
  • Use information and data to resolve routine issues. Identifies cause and effect and then chooses the best solution from a range of known alternatives.
  • Provide timely and practical support to delivery teams.
  • Escalate complex issues appropriately.
• Continuous Improvement Support
  • Gather feedback from users on processes, tools, and guidance – identifying obvious key themes and communicating those within the Programme Support and Quality Assurance team.
  • Identify and highlight opportunities for minor improvements.
  • Support implementation of agreed process updates and changes.
• Stakeholder Support
  • Work collaboratively with delivery teams and enabling functions.
  • Support communication of updates to processes, tools, and guidance.
  • Contribute to maintaining effective working relationships across teams.

Requirements of the role

Role Specific Skills:

• Good organisational and administrative skills.
• Ability to follow and apply defined processes and guidance.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to produce clear and user-friendly documentation.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability to manage workload and priorities effectively.
• Basic problem-solving capability.

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum/essential experience in an administrative or operational support role.
• Experience working with processes, systems, or documentation.
• Ability to work in a structured and process-driven environment.
• Experience working collaboratively within a team.

• Desirable:
• Experience in programme or project delivery environments.
• Knowledge of Erasmus+ or similar programmes.
• Experience using digital systems for data management.
• Exposure to process improvement or operational support activities.

Language Requirements:

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

Education:

Degree or equivalent work experience.

Professional Qualification and Certification:

Programme/Project Management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, PMP) or willingness to work towards one.

Requirements:

Please note that candidates must have the pre-existing, legal right to work in the listed locations at the time of application. This is a hybrid role – primarily working from the office (3 days a week) with home working flexibility. Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided.

The British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

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.