Role Purpose

The Customer Service and Sales Officer will act as the British Council’s ambassador, delivering a seamless and positive experience for customers and partners. The role involves handling enquiries about British Council programmes and examination services across multiple channels, ensuring that every interaction reflects our brand values and meets global customer service standards. The post holder will play a key role in supporting the Exams team to achieve or exceed sales targets by converting enquiries into registrations and building strong relationships with prospective candidates.

Role Context

This position sits within our Customer Management function, which focuses on creating advocates and retaining customers by supporting and partnering with them throughout their journey with the British Council. This work is essential to sustaining our English and Exams business and contributes to our wider cultural relations mission. Based in Malawi, the post holder will work closely with the Zimbabwe cluster team and report to the Country Customer Service and Sales Manager. The role supports the Malawi country plan and, in particular, its Exams business in achieving its targets.

Main Accountabilities

The Customer Service and Sales Officer will deliver exceptional customer service across multiple channels, providing accurate information, managing expectations, and ensuring a smooth customer journey from first enquiry to final sale. The role requires proactive engagement with customers to nurture leads, follow up on enquiries, and maximize opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling. The post holder will be accountable for achieving monthly income and conversion targets and will work to improve conversion rates by understanding customer needs and handling objections effectively.

In addition to sales responsibilities, the role supports the delivery of examination services, including registration, payment processing, and post-test activities, while ensuring compliance with quality standards and audit requirements. Accurate data management, contribution to customer insights, and adherence to safeguarding and child protection policies are integral to the role. The post holder will also manage social media enquiries and complaints in a professional manner, maintain up-to-date customer records, and assist with administrative tasks such as processing payments, creating purchase orders, and sending communication

Additional Job requirements:

The The Customer Service and Sales team operates six days a week with Saturdays and weekday evenings usually times of peak demand. Working schedules are subject to variations to account for activity patterns and will involve unsocial working hours (including late finishes and Saturday shifts)

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience:

Essential:

• Higher Diploma and/or equivalent professional experience
• Comprehensive, proven experience as a customer service and sales executive
• Thorough understanding of marketing and negotiating techniques
• Fast learner and passion for Customer Service and Sales
• Self-motivated with a results drive approach

Desirable:

• Customer Service Professional Qualification
• Relevant qualification or training undertaken in Sales

• Deliver exceptional customer service across multiple channels, providing accurate information, managing expectations, and ensuring a smooth customer journey from first enquiry to final sale.
• Proactively engage with customers to nurture leads, follow up on enquiries, and maximize opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling.
• Achieve monthly income and conversion targets.
• Improve conversion rates by understanding customer needs and handling objections effectively.
• Support the delivery of examination services, including registration, payment processing, and post-test activities.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and audit requirements.
• Manage social media enquiries and complaints in a professional manner.
• Maintain up-to-date customer records.
• Assist with administrative tasks such as processing payments, creating purchase orders, and sending communication.

• Customer service
• Sales
• Marketing techniques
• Negotiating techniques
• Data management
• Social media management
• Administrative tasks

• Higher Diploma and/or equivalent professional experience
• Comprehensive, proven experience as a customer service and sales executive
• Thorough understanding of marketing and negotiating techniques
• Customer Service Professional Qualification (Desirable)
• Relevant qualification or training undertaken in Sales (Desirable)