Hourly-Paid English Teacher

Role Overview

The British Council is looking for an English language teacher in Doha, Qatar to deliver high-quality classes and, where needed, corporate training. This is an hourly-paid teaching role reporting to the Teaching Operation Manager.

Role Purpose

The position involves planning, preparing, and delivering effective English lessons that reflect learners’ needs and different learning styles. You will also contribute to material development, maintain a professional and welcoming classroom atmosphere, complete key administrative work, and keep your teaching practice current through ongoing professional development. Applicants who do not yet hold DELTA-level qualifications are expected to be working toward that standard with support from the centre’s management and teaching team.

About the Organisation

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international body for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It operates in more than 100 countries, works across arts and culture, English, education, and civil society, and supports people-to-people connection, trust, and opportunity. Established in 1934, it is a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and also a public body.

About the Qatar Teaching Centre

The British Council has been present in Qatar since 1972 and employs 85 full-time staff from a wide range of backgrounds. The Qatar Teaching Centre serves up to 1,000 adult and young learner students each term through onsite public courses, along with an off-site contract programme. The centre has 12 classrooms and works alongside exams and other programmes. Teaching is delivered onsite, online, and in-company for corporate clients, and the centre handles up to 18,000 class hours each year.

Teachers are expected to help grow the centre’s reach by delivering customer-focused lessons and training sessions that support the wider English and Exams goals of the region.

Main Duties

• Design, prepare, and teach strong English classes or corporate training sessions, including culturally suitable learning materials.
• Use technology effectively in class, including the SMS platform used in Qatar for class administration and student portals/forums.
• Track learner progress using diagnostic tests, ongoing assessment, and mid-term/end-term counselling.
• Teach in an engaging, lively, and professional manner while meeting standards for lesson planning, classroom interaction, pacing, pronunciation work, feedback, and lesson continuity.
• Stay professionally updated and help strengthen the British Council’s standing in English language teaching.
• Complete administrative work accurately and on schedule, including reports, certificates, registers, records of work, student registration details, progress records, and the performance portfolio.
• Represent the organisation during registration and counselling activities, including front-desk support where required.
• Maintain strong awareness of the centre’s full range of services, events, and products so queries can be handled through to resolution and students can be directed to further opportunities.

Key Working Relationships

Internally, the role works closely with teaching colleagues, customer service staff, administrative teams, and academic managers. Externally, it interacts with students, parents of young learners, and training managers or HR professionals from client organisations.

Work Authorization and Checks

Applicants must have a passport valid for more than 6 months to meet visa requirements. Successful candidates will be registered with a manpower agency and provided with a work permit/secondment to work for the British Council. This role involves direct contact with children, so appropriate police and ID checks are compulsory. Three satisfactory references are required. A non-objection certificate from the sponsor is also needed.

Person Specification

English ability should be at a very high level, equivalent to CEFR C2 or IELTS 8.5. Essential qualifications include a first degree plus CELTA or Trinity Certificate TESOL, and a Diploma such as DELTA or Trinity TESOL. Desirable qualifications include YL extension, DELTA YL specialism, PGCE, or TYLEC.

Recent and relevant post-certificate EFL teaching experience of more than 1,600 hours is required across both adults and young learners. The role also calls for experience with young learners aged 5 to 10 (400+ hours), young learners aged 11 to 17 (400+ hours), and adults in general English aged 18+ (800+ hours). Experience in IELTS, English for Special Purposes, and/or teacher training is desirable.

Core and Role-Specific Skills

British Council core skills assessed for the post include communicating and influencing, and planning and organising. Role-specific capabilities include demonstrating subject knowledge, motivating learners, building an inclusive classroom, delivering coherent lessons, using assessment and feedback well, and managing teaching and learning resources. Professional responsibility and the organisation’s values are also part of assessment.

British Council Values

The organisation assesses candidates against its values of being open and committed, expert and inclusive, and optimistic and bold.

Additional Information

Teaching hours per week will be agreed based on centre requirements and the teacher’s availability. The role includes both teaching and core administrative responsibilities and may involve registration duties, customer interaction, and participation in counselling sessions.