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About the Role
This is a unique opportunity to join the British Council at a pivotal stage of its growth, taking on a key leadership role in shaping the future of a globally recognised commercial enterprise. As a senior market leader within the English & Examinations (E&E) Strategic Business Unit, you will set and deliver strategic market plans aligned to organisational priorities – driving growth, sustainability, and customer experience. You will own market P&L performance, identify and convert revenue opportunities, and lead large, high-performing teams to accelerate commercial growth. This includes overseeing business development and partnership strategies to build sustainable, long-term revenue streams. Success in this role depends on strong cross-functional leadership – partnering with Proposition, Network, and Functional teams to translate global strategy into local market success, align priorities, and deliver profitable, optimised performance. With ambitious targets and significant scope for career development, this is a chance to make a lasting impact on a global business generating over £700 million annually.
Responsibilities
- Provide inspirational leadership that enables high performance, fosters an inclusive culture, and drives accountability for results.
- Lead and influence teams across a complex matrix environment, ensuring colleagues are aligned behind a shared vision and empowered to deliver ambitious commercial, operational, and customer outcomes.
- Develop and deliver the country's E&E business plan, translating global strategy into market-led priorities that drive growth, profitability, and long-term sustainability.
- Own the market P&L, identify and convert revenue opportunities, oversee resource allocation, and optimise performance to achieve demanding financial and commercial targets.
- Build strong partnerships and influence senior stakeholders, collaborating closely with Proposition, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, People, and Professional Services teams to secure resources, align priorities, and ensure the successful execution of market plans.
- Represent the British Council externally with customers, strategic partners, government stakeholders, and other key decision-makers, strengthening market presence and creating opportunities for sustainable growth.
- Monitor performance, manage risk, resolve complex challenges, and drive continuous improvement across customer, commercial, and operational outcomes using insight, data, and market intelligence.
Requirements
- Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams within complex matrix organisations.
- Proven experience in a commercial leadership role, delivering business growth and managing P&L for a medium/large market.
- Solid financial acumen, with the ability to manage P&L, make sound investment decisions, and drive profitability while maintaining cost control.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships across internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders and government agencies.
- Strong track record in customer experience management, driving satisfaction and retention through effective service delivery.
- Expertise in market analysis, revenue forecasting, and performance tracking, with a data-driven approach to decision-making and problem-solving.
- Written and verbal proficiency in English, as British Council systems and global processes operate in English.
- The candidates must have legal right to live and work in Japan.
- Successful candidates are obliged to undergo comprehensive background screening.
Skills
- Business development
- Partnership strategies
- Cross-functional leadership
- Market analysis
- Revenue forecasting
- Performance tracking
- Data-driven decision-making
- Problem-solving
Location
- Tokyo, Japan
Work Type
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Mostly onsite
- Hybrid flexibility
Experience Level
- Senior market leader
- Commercial leadership
Education Level
- Relevant degree in business, marketing, or a related field (Desirable)
- Knowledge of global / local market dynamics, customer needs, and competitive landscapes in relevant sectors (Desirable)
Salary/Compensations
- JPY 642,857 to JPY 911,867 monthly
Benefits
- 21 days of Annual Leave
- Salary structure includes 14 months of basic salary paid through the year (inclusive of the Summer Bonus which is paid in June and Winter Bonus which is paid in December)
- Non-consolidated bonus (if applicable)
- Comprehensive health and insurance package – includes Medical insurance: Full Social and Labour Insurance cover (Industrial Injury Insurance, Health Insurance, Employees’ Pension Insurance and Employment Insurance)
- Professional development - Ongoing learning and career growth opportunities to support your development.
About the Company
- 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.
- A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
Equal Opportunity
- 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.