UK / NG Season Marketing and Communications Manager

AI summary

The British Council is hiring a Marketing and Communications Manager to lead marketing for the UK/Nigeria Season of Culture 2028, a major bilateral cultural programme running from June to December 2028. This is a 30-month fixed-term hybrid role based in Nigeria, supporting strategic communications, brand development, and audience engagement across arts and cultural programmes.

• 30-month fixed-term contract with hybrid working arrangement
• Lead marketing and communications for the UK/Nigeria Season of Culture 2028
• Strategic role covering brand development, audience engagement, and reputational risk management
• Partnership between British Council and Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy

Original source description

UK / NG Season Marketing and Communications Manager at British Council (Hybrid) ⏲ Sep 3, 2026, 10:05 AM ⋕ View all Media, Advertising & Communications jobs The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education: and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We are recruiting to fill the position below: Job Title: UK / NG Season Marketing and Communications Manager Location : Nigeria Contract Type: 30 months - Fixed term contract Job Type: Hybrid Role Context For a Season of this scale and political profile, marketing and communications is a core function in its own right, delivered by a dedicated professional. It operates as two connected halves - a British Council-led programme and a Nigerian government-led programme working to shared aims across five focus areas: cultural heritage, identity and infrastructure; market access and mutual growth; creative collaboration and partnerships; new artistic commissions; and research, policy and knowledge exchange. Every public moment, every partner announcement, every audience reached, every Ministry-facing communication, and every reputational risk runs through this role. We use insight, knowledge and analysis of our markets and our audiences to engage them with our work in the most impactful and effective way. The 2028 Season is anchored on a formal Memorandum of Understanding signed between the British Council and the Federal Ministry in February 2025, publicly endorsed during Nigeria's State Visit to the UK in March 2026, and aligned with the UK–Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. The postholder plays a complementary role supporting marketing and communications across these programmes, ensuring alignment between annual portfolio delivery and Season narrative, and building a coherent audience presence for British Council arts work in Nigeria. The UK/Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 is a major bilateral cultural programme delivered by the British Council in partnership with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy. It runs from June to December 2028, with legacy activity continuing through 2029. Marketing and Communications at the British Council is a strategic function which drives awareness, understanding and engagement with our work across diverse audiences. We lead the development of our brand and use our expertise to tell inspiring stories to enhance our global reputation, build lifelong relationships, engage our staff and demonstrate our impact. This includes Film Lab Africa, Music Connects Africa, Insights Out Africa, SCALE (a co-funded programme with the UK Department for Business and Trade), Art Exchange: Moving Image, the BBC Audio Drama Competition, Connections Through Culture, and delegations to international creative sector platforms. Alongside the Season, the British Council Nigeria arts portfolio delivers a substantial annual programme that feeds into it. The postholder brings marketing and communications leadership to the Season team, working alongside programme colleagues rather than duplicating their delivery role. The Season builds on the 2015/16 UK/Nigeria Season of Culture, which reached 199 million people globally, trained over 7,000 artists, and delivered 31 projects across twelve cities. Role purpose – The job It shapes how the Season is understood, experienced, and remembered by every external stakeholder from Federal Ministry counterparts to Nigerian and UK audiences, and from creative sector partners to media and diaspora communities. The role sits within the Season delivery team and works closely with programme colleagues throughout the Season's lifecycle. The purpose of this role is to lead the marketing and communications strategy and delivery of the UK/Nigeria Season of Culture 2028, and to play a complementary role supporting marketing and communications across the wider British Council Nigeria arts and creative economy portfolio. Alongside the Season, the postholder supports the marketing and communications work of the annual arts programmes that feed into it, ensuring a coherent audience narrative and consistent brand across the portfolio. Key Responsibilities: Sector expertise and campaign delivery: Lead the Season and portfolio marketing and communications function as a dedicated professional discipline, working closely with programme colleagues across the Season's lifecycle. Brief and manage external agencies, ensuring brand and ethical marketing standards are met. Ensure campaigns are data-led, strategically aligned, and proportionate to scale. Manage day-to-day delivery with internal teams and external suppliers. Manage the Season website and digital channels; commission content aligned to the wider portfolio narrative Lead marketing campaigns for the Season of Culture 2028 and for the annual arts programmes that feed into it. Brand and market positioning: Manage the Season brand identity in coordination with the Federal Ministry and British Council UK. Provide marketing expertise, advice, and challenge to programme colleagues. Keep abreast of trends in the Nigerian creative sector and cultural marketing. Ensure annual arts programme communications build toward and align with the Season brand. Protect and enhance the British Council brand across the Season and its pipeline programmes. Consultancy, analysis, and audience insight: Distil complex programme narratives into audience-facing content. Evaluate marketing impact through evidence, insight, and audience data across the portfolio. Identify marketing opportunities that strengthen both the annual portfolio and the Season pipeline. Use annual arts programme insight to inform Season audience strategy. Strategy and planning: Align Season marketing with British Council global marketing and Nigeria country priorities. Ensure annual arts programme communications contribute to the Season narrative arc through 2028. Lead the Season marketing and communications strategy across its delivery lifecycle. Plan announcement calendars, key public moments, and campaign timings across the portfolio Commercial and financial management: Plan and manage the Season and arts portfolio marketing budget as a coherent whole. Report monthly and at year-end on delivery, budget, risks, and issues. Lead on procurement, contracting, and financial oversight of agencies Relationship and stakeholder management: Coordinate with British Council UK marketing teams and the International Seasons team. Coordinate with Global and Nigeria Arts colleagues to align Season and portfolio Marketing and communications with wider British Council marketing direction. Participate in the British Council global Marketing Community of Practice, marketing townhalls, and cross-Season learning networks. Adopt British Council brand and marketing methodology and stay current on evolving ways of working across the marketing function. Manage Nigerian and UK media relationships that serve both the annual portfolio and the Season Manage senior stakeholder communications for the Federal Ministry, UK Government, and the Bilateral Board. Leadership and management: Support and mentor junior marketing colleagues and interns. Coordinate colleagues, agencies, and vendors to deliver Season and portfolio moments. Plan and prioritise own work across the Season delivery lifecycle. Manage crisis communications and reputational risk across the portfolio Requirements: of the role Minimum/essential: Excellent written English and strong content development skills. Experience: of working with senior stakeholders, including government or institutional partners. Experience: of managing brand identity for public-facing programmes. At least seven years' marketing and communications experience, with at least three in a senior role. Strong digital and social media skills. Degree in marketing, communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. Proven ability to lead complex marketing campaigns across multiple audiences. Experience: of briefing and managing external agencies and creative suppliers. Desirable: Experience: of crisis communications. Professional marketing qualification (CIM, CIPR or equivalent). Experience: of monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting in a cultural or arts programme. Knowledge of the UK/Nigerian creative sector and media landscape. Experience: of cultural programmes, festivals, or bilateral cultural work. How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online Application Deadline: 9th September, 2026. View all Jobs in Nigeria