Deputy Director Ukraine

Overview

Deputy Director Ukraine Jobs in Kyiv, Ukraine at British Council

Title: Deputy Director Ukraine

Company: British Council

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

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.

Deputy Director Ukraine

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Pay Grade: 8

Proof Of Identity Requirements/right To Work In The Country

Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in the country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support, so please check first whether visa support is offered.

This role is open to UK and Ukrainian nationals.

For UK Nationals

• International Assignments
• International Assignment: 1+1 years. UK nationality required.
• This role is unaccompanied and is based in Kyiv on a 6-week at post, 2-week decompression break rotation. This is the FCDO’s stipulation, under whose duty of care we operate.
• This role will require security clearance at a minimum of SC level.

UK nationals who are unable to undertake a full international assignment are eligible to apply, but will be expected to spend a minimum of 2-3 weeks in Kyiv every two months.

For Ukrainian nationals

• This is an indefinite contract based in Kyiv on country-appointed terms and conditions.

Closing date: 12 May 2026 at 21:59 UK Time

Role Context – About The Team

• British Council Impact Categorisation: Top 12
• Cultural Engagement Income Category: Accelerate
• English and Exams Income Category: Reach

The war in Ukraine is a pivotal geopolitical moment both regionally and globally. Ensuring that Ukraine survives the war as a viable, independent and sovereign state, and that it emerges successfully from the recovery and reconstruction phase to follow is also of vital importance to the UK’s security, influence and, ultimately, prosperity.

While the context is dynamic, the needs to which we respond in Arts and Culture, Education and English include:

English: We focus on improving the quality of learning, teaching and assessing English language skills, supporting the Ukrainian Government’s ambitious plans for English language reform. We work with British Embassy Kyiv to ensure that the UK’s support for English language training of Ukrainian civil servants is targeted for maximum impact. We continue to scale up UK Examination Services and expand face-to-face English teaching where possible.

Education: Our work in Higher Education focuses on the development of leadership capabilities across Ukraine’s top universities, supporting the reform agenda of the Ukraine Government, and with a particular focus on women’s leadership. We connect hundreds of Ukrainian schools with schools in the UK, connecting teachers and pupils (7-14 year olds) to foster cross-cultural understanding and enhance language and communication skills. We work with the Ministry of Youth and Sport and networks of youth centres to upskill young people and empower them to rebuild their communities. Our ambition is to develop new activities in schools and teacher training, significantly boost our portfolio in Non-Formal Education and increase our reach in the Higher Education Sector.

Arts and Culture: Building on the foundations laid by the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture, we aim to strengthen existing and develop new relationships between individual artists and institutions and to extend awareness and appreciation of Ukraine’s cultural identity. We support the continued development of Ukraine’s creative economy by sharing expertise and experience from across the UK.

Across all this work, we will highlight opportunities for the UK organisations and institutions and seek to develop funding partnerships to allow us to scale up programmes for which we can demonstrate evidence of positive impact in the short to medium term.

Our Ukraine team operates from a new office in Kyiv, though the number of colleagues able to work there each day is capped for safety reasons. Some colleagues also work remotely from other parts of Ukraine.

Role Purpose – The Job

Through an in-depth understanding of Ukraine and the UK, support the Country Director in the development and delivery of effective, sustainable and corporately aligned cultural relations between the two geographies, drawing on the UK’s cultural assets and thereby strengthening awareness of, positive attitudes towards and collaboration with the wider UK. By role modelling inclusive leadership, the role will be unifying across all areas of the British Council, whether Cultural Engagement, Exams or Professional Service functions.

Main Accountabilities

UK and country insight and intelligence to identify cultural relations opportunities.

• Through an understanding of British Council strategy, UK priorities and the country context identifies networks and opportunities to increase cultural relations impact in Ukraine across Education, English and the Arts.
• Has a sound understanding of comparators and (potential) partners to enrich insight and support business development and cultural relations impact.
• Ensures insight is shared and accessible to the organisation, rather than retained by the individual and country. Insight is used to influence global strategies and long-term plans.

Managing External Relationships And Stakeholders

Support the Country Director to:

• Represent the British Council externally, including but not limited to senior Ukrainian stakeholders and partners/beneficiaries/customers, international development partners and UK government partners in Ukraine and in the UK, e.g. FCDO, DCMS, DfE.
• Maintain strong senior relationships with key agencies, partners and individuals to support the achievement of British Council global and country strategies and plans. Ensure stakeholders understand and value the British Council’s insight, networks and impact and recognise the British Council’s value in supporting their objectives.
• As required act as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for key externally funded contracts to ensure effective and compliant delivery of those programmes and liaise with key clients.
• Position the British Council to work in partnership with like-minded organisations.

Identifying and leveraging partnership and contract opportunities to deliver the strategy

Support the Country Director, Cultural Engagement, English and Exams teams to:

• Identify new strategic, income-generating opportunities across Education, English and the Arts which contribute to agreed financial and impact targets and provide strategic support to proposal teams.
• Secure partnership and contract opportunities which align to British Council strategy, through effective market, client and partner insights and networking.
• In partnership with global business and pillar leads, identifies the right balance for the country between high impact and high-quality global programme delivery and developing new business based on market insight and British Council priorities.

Leadership of Business Operations in Ukraine

• Ensure the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the British Council platform in Ukraine and compliance with British Council policies and processes.
• Responsible for maintaining clear, efficient and effective processes across Business Operations functions (including Premises, HR, Finance, Security etc) resolving operational challenges as they arise, working closely with relevant country and global teams.
• Direct People management of Business Operations and Security staff in Ukraine, ensure performance and development objectives are agreed and met, address wellbeing and promote EDI within the team.
• In consultation with UK legal, status and tax teams, and drawing on local professional advice as required, ensure our local legal and regulatory obligations are understood, managed and monitored to ensure on-going compliance
• Ensures our resources are used effectively and demonstrate value for money.

Security and risk management

Support The Country Director To

• Ensure risks (safeguarding, fraud, IGRM, safety and security, etc.) are managed effectively across the operation and evidence of this monitoring and challenge is clear (e.g. through recorded reviews of risk register). Concerns are escalated up the management line appropriately.
• Our duty of care obligations (e.g. safety) to staff dependents, customers and partners are effectively exercised.
• Crises are managed effectively through the establishment and leadership of Incident Management Teams.
• Regularly liaise with the British Embassy and global Safety, Security and Continuity teams on security and risk management in Ukraine.

Support leadership of Ukraine team

• Actively co-lead the Country Leadership Team (CLT) on areas to ensure the delivery of successful cultural relations and compliance across the country.
• Model British Council values and behaviours and hold others to account to deliver the same values and behaviours.
• Support and champion change within the country team when needed, and instil a culture which embraces continuous change.
• Ensure all staff feel part of one British Council operation, are aware of the British Council’s overall purpose and its strategy and narrative for the country/territory and feel empowered and enabled to deliver excellence..

Minimum/essential

Requirements Of The Role:

• Experience of managing operations (including finance and security) in high-risk, complex contexts.
• Experience in leading change across a large operation or multiple (dispersed) teams.
• Experience of growing and/or leading high-performing teams that model organisational values.
• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience.

Desirable

• Recent experience of working in-country and an understanding of the government, education and culture sectors and decision-making processes.
• Experience of representing the British Council externally.

Language Requirements

• C1 English
• B1 or higher Ukrainian desirable, or the ability to achieve, maintain or improve this level

Other Requirements

• Regular domestic/international travel.
• Attendance at some evening or weekend events

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.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [email protected]