E+ Senior Accreditation Manager

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. 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.

Pay Band: 8
Salary: £38,820 per annum
Contract Duration: 2 Year Fixed Term Contract with possibility of extension
Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Right to Work Requirements: Current right to work in the UK. The British Council is not able to support or sponsor work visa applications.
Closing Date: Applications will close on Wednesday 26 July at 22:59 UK Time. We are operating on the basis that any offer is made pending client confirmation of funds.

Role Purpose
This role will lead the strategic design and delivery of Erasmus+ accreditation, ensuring fair, transparent, and effective access to the programme through a robust accreditation framework. The role is responsible for shaping and managing the portfolio of accredited organisations, ensuring it is balanced, inclusive, and aligned with programme priorities and policy objectives. Overseeing the full accreditation lifecycle - from application and assessment through to renewal, suspension, or revocation - the postholder ensures that organisations entering and remaining within the accreditation system demonstrate the capacity, capability and commitment to deliver high-quality Erasmus plans in accordance with Programme requirements.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following:

• Accreditation Strategy & Portfolio Development: Lead the development and implementation of the Erasmus+ accreditation strategy that supports programme priorities including inclusion, sustainability, participation and impact. Shape and actively manage a balanced portfolio of accredited organisations across sectors.
• Accreditation Design & Delivery: Oversee the design and delivery of accreditation calls, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and alignment with Programme requirements and National Agency requirements. Lead end-to-end accreditation processes including application guidance and applicant support, assessment and selection coordination, decision-making and feedback.
• Assessment & Decision-Making Oversight: Lead robust and proportionate assessment methodologies, including use of external experts where appropriate. Ensure consistency and defensibility of decisions through moderation and calibration approaches.
• Accreditation Lifecycle Management: Oversee the ongoing management of accredited organisations, including renewal and continuation decisions, changes to accreditation status, and exit from the system where required. Ensure the accreditation system remains dynamic, credible, and responsive to performance and strategic needs.
• Insight, Data & Continuous Improvement: Analyse accreditation and participation data to monitor portfolio health and sector coverage, identify barriers to access and participation trends, and inform strategic improvements to accreditation processes. Use evidence and stakeholder insight to continuously refine approaches and guidance.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Sector Development: Build and maintain relationships with applicants, accredited organisations, and sector stakeholders. Promote understanding of accreditation as a long-term partnership model.
• Governance & Risk Management: Ensure accreditation is delivered in accordance with European Commission Programme rules, the National Agency Guide, contractual obligations and internal governance requirements. Maintain clear documentation and decision-making records.
• Team Leadership: Lead and develop the accreditation function, ensuring effective strategic and operational delivery. Provide leadership, coaching and professional development for accreditation staff and external assessors where applicable.
• Planning & Performance: Monitor performance against any accreditation KPIs, service standards and Programme targets. Report on accreditation performance, risks and emerging issues to senior management.

Requirements of the role

Role Specific Skills:

• Proven ability to design and manage complex, multi-stage accreditation and selection processes, ensuring robust assessment, moderation, and evidence based decision-making.
• Strong analytical capability, using data, evidence and insight to inform strategic decisions, manage accreditation performance and shape a balanced, inclusive accreditation portfolio.
• Highly developed judgement in assessing organisational capacity, strategic intent, and readiness, with the ability to apply criteria consistently while allowing for proportionate, context-sensitive decisions.
• Ability to identify participation gaps, underserved sectors, and emerging opportunities, and translate these into targeted portfolio and access strategies.
• Ability to lead and justify complex accreditation recommendations and oversee high-impact decisions, ensuring robust evidence, clear audit trails and defensible outcomes.
• Understanding of how to actively manage and evolve an accreditation system, ensuring it remains dynamic and responsive.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, building constructive relationships with applicants, accredited organisations, senior leaders and external stakeholders while maintaining independence and impartiality.
• Skilled in communicating complex or challenging decisions clearly and constructively, and influencing senior stakeholders on accreditation outcomes.
• Proven leadership capability, with experience managing teams and driving high performance.
• Comprehensive understanding of governance, assurance and risk management, with the ability to ensure accreditation processes comply with European Commission Programme rules, National Agency guidance and internal controls.

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum/essential:
• Sound understanding of Erasmus+ (or comparable international funding programmes) and accreditation-based delivery models.
• Knowledge of competitive selection and assessment processes, including principles of fairness, transparency, and proportionality and good governance.
• Understanding of organisational capacity and strategic planning, particularly in assessing readiness for programme participation.
• Awareness of participation and inclusion challenges in publicly funded programmes.
• Significant experience designing or managing complex application, accreditation, or selection processes.
• Experience contributing to policy development or programme design at organisational or sector level.
• Experience leading or overseeing evidence-based recommendations and high-impact decisions within structured governance frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience using data and insight to inform decisions and improve participation or portfolio balance.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and influencing, including communicating complex or challenging outcomes.
• Proven experience of leading teams, developing capability and delivering high quality operational performance.
• Desirable:
• In-depth knowledge of the Erasmus+ Programme architecture, including Key Actions and sector-specific accreditation models.
• Familiarity with the Erasmus+ Quality Standards and the Guide for National Agencies.
• Experience managing or working with accredited organisations or long-term funding partnerships.
• Experience of working within public sector, grant funding, or European programmes.
• Understanding of risk management and governance frameworks in funding or regulatory environments.
• Experience commissioning or managing independent experts/assessors.
• Track record of developing access and inclusion initiatives to widen participation.
• Experience leading operational planning and performance management within a complex delivery environment.
• Involvement in audit, assurance, or review processes related to funding or accreditation.

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.

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. 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.