Head Of Arts

Role Context - About The Team

This role is situated within Cultural Engagement, which includes arts, education, English, and research. The Arts Manager will collaborate with Arts colleagues across the region and global network to ensure high-quality programme delivery.

The Global Arts team delivers impact through two key programmes:

• Creative Growth: We support the UK and countries around the world to unlock inclusive and sustainable economic growth and innovation through advocacy, sector development and showcase programmes for the creative and cultural industries.
• Art in Action: We connect UK and international artists and creative organisations, encourage innovative collaborations and support them to access new markets and audiences around the world. We enable creatives to play a part in addressing global challenges and support underrepresented groups to be heard.

Country Context

The British Council has operated in Ethiopia since 1943 with the aim of building cultural and educational relations between Ethiopia and the UK. Every year we connect with thousands of students, educators, policymakers, academics, and creatives in Ethiopia. The focus of our work is on providing opportunities for young people through:

• Our work in Cultural Engagement, creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust, changing tens of thousands of lives in so doing. This will lead to stronger bonds between people in Ethiopia and the UK, bonds built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect.
• There is a huge demand for skills, learning opportunities and qualifications. The British Council is uniquely placed to help government and educational institutions improve learning outcomes, develop capacity and meet their goals, and to offer individuals life-changing opportunities through our teaching and exams operations.
• As Ethiopia’s youth population seeks to become more involved in its country’s affairs, we are building on our experience of working at scale in civil society, programmes in Ethiopia and across borders in the Horn of Africa.
• The British Council is well-positioned to improve the quality of English language teaching in Ethiopia and to meet a growing demand for English brought about by increased access to education and the growing economy.
• Our Arts Programme connects new audiences to new art, builds the skills of the creative and ignites partnerships between the creative sectors of the UK and Ethiopia.
• The British Council also runs programmes which help address the causes and effects of migration, and awareness-raising and/or social behaviour change programmes aimed at helping actual and potential migrants make more informed choices.

This role will be part of the country team, working closely with colleagues across the global network to coordinate, support, and ensure the high-quality delivery of programmes.

Role Purpose - The Job

The Arts Programme Manager provides strategic leadership and oversight for the British Council’s arts portfolio in Ethiopia, including Creative DNA and other programme strands, ensuring all projects are effectively planned, designed, delivered, and reported to high standards. The role oversees compliance with organisational policies, donor requirements, and programme management standards, with responsibility for finance, monitoring and evaluation, marketing and communications, and overall coordination. Working closely with internal teams and external partners, the postholder applies strong project and relationship management skills to ensure impactful delivery and long-term outcomes. The manager also contributes to the strategic positioning of the arts portfolio, aligning it with the British Council’s cultural relations mission in Ethiopia, across Sub-Saharan Africa, and with the UK.

Main Accountabilities

• Provide leadership and people management across the Arts project teams, setting clear expectations, coaching and mentoring staff, modelling British Council values, and ensuring high-quality programme planning and delivery.
• Lead end-to-end project and portfolio management, including planning, implementation, quality assurance, monitoring, reporting, procurement oversight, and robust risk management aligned with corporate standards.
• Manage contracts and grants effectively, ensuring accurate records, compliance with templates and procedures, timely invoicing, and clear partner responsibilities.
• Drive business development and partnership cultivation, building strong relationships with country, regional, and UK teams, and arts sector stakeholders to enhance impact and identify new opportunities.
• Lead stakeholder and relationship management, maintaining strong internal and external networks, ensuring smooth coordination, and representing the British Council at strategic events.
• Support strategy, planning and evidence generation, including performance analysis, content preparation, and high-quality documentation to inform decisions and demonstrate impact.
• Oversee financial and commercial management, monitoring budgets, ensuring value for money, managing procurement, and ensuring compliance with financial systems and reporting requirements.
• Champion equality, diversity, inclusion, and sector expertise, ensuring EDI integration in programme delivery, maintaining knowledge of key sector trends, and supporting capacity-building for partners and grantees.

Requirements Of The Role

Minimum/essential

• Graduate degree in a relevant field or work equivalent experience
• Experience across the Ethiopian cultural scene
• Experience in complex project management with a range of partners
• Experience in financial and narrative reporting
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation
• Experience of working with organisations, practitioners, and communities
• Proven interest in and understanding of cultural relations and the British Council
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively with tight deadlines

Desirable

• Project management qualification
• An innovative approach to the use of digital and social media to connect audiences
• Experience of working with arts and culture as a vehicle for sustainable development
• Experience of securing funding for cultural programmes

Skills Required:

• Sales / Marketing / Business / Management