Head of Communications, India

Date: 26 Apr 2024 Location: New Delhi, South Asia, IN Company: British Council

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021\xe2\x80\x9322 we reached 650 million people.


Role Purpose


To oversee the development and execution of communications strategy (internal and external) for the British Council in India in support of the organisation\xe2\x80\x99s India strategy.
The Head of Communications, India is responsible for our internal and external communications planning and delivery, including media, PR and stakeholder communications in India. They will also work closely with other regional Communications colleagues across the wider South Asia and Asia Pacific regions to ensure alignment.


Main Accountabilities:
Strategy and Planning

• Develops the India communications (external and internal) strategy and plan, and manages its implementation, ensuring alignment to the regional and global communications strategy and plan, and monitors and evaluates impact.
• Manages the development and delivery of country internal and external communications campaigns, strategic advice and activities, ensuring that messages are consistent and support the overall India country strategy.
• Provides strategic oversight in communicating the British Council\xe2\x80\x99s profile to internal and external stakeholders in India; works closely with the global Corporate Communications, Policy and External Relations, and Global Network teams on any UK facing communications, including stakeholders in India and the UK.
• Leads and manages country media relations activities.
• Leads and manages digital content on owned channels, including web and social media.
• Ensures that communications in India maintain and enhance the reputation of the British Council.
• Plans and co-ordinates India internal and change communications activities across India to improve effectiveness, audience impact and eliminate duplication to ensure employees at every level have the right information to perform their roles.
• Ensures that India internal, change, media and stakeholder communications risks and issues are effectively managed and mitigated.
• Ensures that communications messages are consistent, coherent and aligned to country, regional and global communications strategy and support the British Council brand.
• Strengthens brand management in India focusing on consistency, style and tone of communication, including at events, and ensure British Council brand compliance of all communication materials.

Consultancy, analysis and problem-solving

• Applies communications expertise to advise and consult with geography and business leaders in the country and wider South Asia region, and develops and delivers coherent communications plans to support all programmes areas of our work.
• Applies analytical approaches to identify and assess current state of country communications, define opportunities for improvement, develop and implement agreed projects and initiatives, correct gaps wherever spotted, ensuring consistency with regional communications strategies, plans and approaches.
• Develops appropriate communications initiatives and interventions to support country business needs, aligned to regional and global communications strategies, plans and approaches.
• Distils complex concepts and analysis into cogent and persuasive messaging and presentations, which convincingly influence decision-makers about the case for country-focused communications strategy and approach.

Functional Expertise

• Builds an in-depth understanding of the country operational context, opportunities and challenges for communications.
• Makes appropriate linkages to issues across the broader organisation, to ensure that the development of country communications projects and initiatives is based on informed business insight and joined-up thinking.
• Consults closely with internal customers and other stakeholders to understand current and future business needs for communications, providing efficient and cost effective solutions.
• Develops and delivers a 360 degree content strategy across earned, owned, shared and paid media

Business Development

• Ensures joined up planning and delivery of communications projects and initiatives across India, and, where appropriate, across the wider South Asia region.
• Ensures consistent application of agreed global communications and brand standards, templates and processes.
• Reviews impact and effectiveness of country communications projects and initiatives and identifies opportunities for improvement.
• Contributes to communications best practice across South Asia

Subject/Sector expertise

• Provides expert advice, support and challenge on communications to internal and external stakeholders.
• Supports Senior Leadership team with communications advice and expertise.
• Develops high quality and effective country communications solutions using established processes, tools and systems to ensure consistency.

Proactively pursues an annual cycle of formally recognised Continuing Professional Development to maintain and deepen their professional expertise


Commercial and financial management

• Using agreed corporate systems and processes, plans and manages the budget for India communications projects and initiatives.
• Conducts monthly, quarterly and year-end reporting on progress against plan and deliverables, budget, and management of issues and risks.

Relationship & stakeholder management

• Ensures solid and beneficial relationships with marketing and communications professionals globally and within region.
• Actively participates within the Marketing Community of Practice.
• Develops peer/personal networks within and outside the Marketing function to enhance own knowledge and expertise.
• Proactively builds and maintains excellent relationships with stakeholders.

Leadership & management

• Builds and leads the India communications team.

• Plans and prioritises own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to annual time horizon.
• Determines work plans and coordinates input from others (who may be outside the direct management line) to meet specific objectives.
• Plays an active role as a senior member of the wider Asia Pacific Communications team.
• Builds trusting and effective relationships with relevant stakeholders in the British Council network for wider projects and requirements.

Minimum/essential Requirement-
Relevant degree e.g. communications, journalism, marketing, or equivalent level of experience

• Significant experience in managing communications within a large and complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience in providing expert advice and guidance on internal and external communications
• Demonstrable experience in managing and mitigating internal and external communications risks and issues
• Experience of working with key national/international media
• Experience of working in a matrix organisation
• Experience of working with government stakeholders
• Native English language speaker / English C2 (Aptis, IELTS 9 or equivalent.
• Experience and understanding of working in the field of communications in India.

Desirable Requirement:

• Experience in a global organisation
• Experience and understanding of working with UK Government stakeholders in Whitehall/Westminster.

Further Information

• Position: Head Of Communications , India
• Number of Positions :1
• Employment Type: Indefinite contract Local
• Location: New Delhi - India (It\'s A New Delhi based role)
• Grade: 8/ E
• Deadline to receive applications: 16th May 2024 (23:59 Indian standard Time)

This role may require regular domestic/international travel / attendance at some evening or weekend events.
Please note that all applications should be submitted in English only.
It is advisable to apply in advance to avoid any technical issues at the last moment


A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.


Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement


The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.


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; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council\xe2\x80\x99s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.


If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org


Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our \xe2\x80\x98ASK HR\xe2\x80\x99 email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.