At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen. Head of Assessment Design Permanent Location – Manchester, Milton Keynes, London or Guildford Salary: North - £67800 -£76,200, South £72,760 - £79,400 Closing date - 11:59pm 27th April 2025. Are you a dynamic and inspiring leader looking for a key role in Assessment Design. In this role, you will set a clear vision to shape team plans in alignment with AQA’s corporate and business area strategies. As a leader, you’ll inspire high performance by modelling best practices, championing AQA’s values, and fostering a culture of excellence. You’ll take ownership of delivering high-quality assessment design work on schedule, continuously reviewing and improving assessment products to enhance validity and reliability. Your expertise will also ensure AQA consistently exceed regulatory standards and support our commitment to educational excellence. AQA is the UKs largest awarding organisation, with nearly 1.4 million students sitting our exams each year. We are passionate about creating high-quality, error free assessments that shape the future of education. Join us as we look to continually improve General Qualifications for AQA and OxfordAQA through innovation and excellence in assessment. What’s in it for me? A 35-hour working week with 25 days annual leave, rising with service, with bank holidays and extra closure days around Christmas on top An excellent contributory pension which could see up to 18.5% combined contribution Private Medical Insurance and a Health Care Cash Reward Plan A new Electric Vehicle Leasing Scheme Up to 5 days for volunteering Newly refurbished offices with a variety of individual and collaborative workspaces What will I be doing? Lead and manage the assessment design team to ensure strong performance and high-quality outcomes are delivered efficiently and effectively and to budget. Lead on planning the work of the team, working with Assessment Design Team Managers and liaising with colleagues from other teams, to ensure assessment performance review, improvement planning and commissioning is of high quality and delivered to time and cost. Support the work of the Product Board to contribute to the overall Product Strategy and ensure the team contributes appropriately to individual product strategies. Lead the team on the contribution to the awarding process to help ensure valid, reliable and comparable outcomes are delivered in line with agreed approach set by the regulator and the Standards and Awarding team. Manage, engage with and influence those organisation level stakeholders identified as part of the stakeholder strategy whose focus is on assessment and regulation, particularly Ofqual. Set direction for the Assessment Design team and work with the team to define the objectives and high-level deliverables that ensure organisational objectives and plans are delivered. Lead and manage direct reports to ensure strong personal performance with high quality outcomes and good cultural fit and personal development. What will I need to succeed? Excellent knowledge of assessment design and delivery strategy and approaches Understanding of approaches to performance measurement and management in a customer, product or technical environment Understanding of the regulatory environment in which AQA operates and likely impact of key stakeholders and influencers on assessment and product design Ability to think strategically and understand the national and international context in which assessments operate, including a basic understanding of the different assessment practice on a global scale and excellent understanding of assessment practice in England Excellent communications and presentation skills to create and explain a succinct and coherent view of complex assessment issues Confident in dealing with influential external parties, the regulator(s) and government Good networking influencing, persuasion and engagement skills to help ensure desired outcomes are delivered Ability to define and articulate issues for research and shape investigations into assessment performance questions Planning and project management skills to manage routine deliverables and change initiatives Ability to understand requirements for assessment design in different subjects and advise on developing products which meet those requirements whilst recognising customer and stakeholder needs How do I apply? Read the full job description below, then upload your most recent CV with a cover letter explaining how your skills and experience match what we are looking for. Interviews will be over 2 stages, one on Teams and one face to face. AQA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique. Recruitment Agencies We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place. Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees. Full Job Description Summary To lead the Assessment Design Team by setting vision, direction and clarity, developing and delivering team plans for the short and medium term that are in line with business area strategy and AQA’s corporate strategy. To be accountable for the delivery of all aspects of the Assessment Design Team’s work, to quality and schedule. To lead the delivery of continuous review of and improvement to existing assessment products to increase the validity and reliability of assessment outcomes. To be responsible for AQA’s compliance with relevant regulatory Conditions of Recognition. To engender high levels of performance by modelling best practice in AQA’s leadership habits and by modelling and championing AQA’s values and behaviours.Accountabilities Lead and manage the assessment design team to ensure strong performance and high quality outcomes are delivered efficiently and effectively and to budget. Lead on planning the work of the team, working with Assessment Design Team Managers and liaising with colleagues from other teams, to ensure assessment performance review, improvement planning and commissioning is of high quality and delivered to time and cost. Support the work of the Product Board to contribute to the overall Product Strategy and ensure the team contributes appropriately to individual product strategies. Lead the team on the contribution to the awarding process to help ensure valid, reliable and comparable outcomes are delivered in line with agreed approach set by the regulator and the Standards and Awarding team. Quality assure the work of the team to ensure high quality is delivered by staff and senior associates. Create and manage the processes for collaboration with the curriculum teams to ensure that the strategic approach to curriculum influences assessment design and the staff and associates in the curriculum teams have sufficient understanding of assessment to influence curriculum strategy and are able to explain to stakeholders and customers how our specifications and assessments follow good practice and support good teaching and learning. Input into incident management, particularly involving live exam papers to ensure AQA adopts a consistent and proportionate response that is fair to students. Working with colleagues in Product Fulfilment, ensure that the analysis of question paper errors, errata and reprints takes place and lessons are learned and appropriate actions are taken. Define policy on the use of reports on the exam and ensure team contribute appropriate expertise to ensure production to cost, time and quality. Manage, engage with and influence those organisation level stakeholders identified as part of the stakeholder strategy whose focus is on assessment and regulation, particularly Ofqual. Present at stakeholder events in line with stakeholder strategy and represent AQA with Ofqual, DfE and other key stakeholders to show AQA as thought leaders in this area. Manage compliance with relevant regulatory Conditions of Recognition. Set direction for the Assessment Design team and work with the team to define the objectives and high level deliverables that ensure organisational objectives and plans are delivered. Support and guide the Assessment Design Team Managers on the creation of delivery plans, and budgets, and plans for monitoring delivery against these. Lead and manage direct reports to ensure strong personal performance with high quality outcomes and good cultural fit and personal development. Produce high levels of performance from the team by modelling leadership behaviours with confidence and providing clarity, challenge, feedback, coaching and development in line with business objectives. Drive forward cultural change within the team and more widely across the business to ensure that relationships with other teams are supportive but challenging and collaborative working is at the heart of the way the team works. Work with members of G4 and QPPOP change teams to define and embed changes to processes such that they become business as usual activity. Represent the aims of the Assessment Design team on various AQA groups and committees. General accountabilities: To model leadership behaviours with confidence and to get the very best from direct reports and teams by providing clarity, feedback, coaching and development, while continuously seeking to enhance performance in line with business objectives. To comply with all AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to HSE, Equal Opportunities and ISMS. Where business needs change, to undertake other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level outside the terms of this role profile. To utilise the available range of digital tools for communication, content creation and information processing in order to work effectively and efficiently. To maintain digital skills to meet business needs. Additional information As the postholder may be visiting our customers, including schools and colleges, he or she is required to complete a Child Safeguarding Declaration in line with the AQA Child Protection Policy. Person profile Behaviours A/I/P - Collaborative: works with others to achieve the organisation and team vision, contributing expertise and developing self and others to achieve excellence A/I/P - Innovative: challenges self and others to create solutions and strives for improved ways of working A/I/P - Empowered; understands individual part to play in achieving success; takes ownership and accepts accountability A/I/P - Positive: takes a flexible, forward looking, solutions focused approach A/I/P - Ambitious: consistently aiming high and delivering for our customers Knowledge and Skills A/I/P - Excellent knowledge of assessment design and delivery strategy and approaches A/I/P - Understanding of approaches to performance measurement and management in a customer, product or technical environment I/P - Understanding of the regulatory environment in which AQA operates and likely impact of key stakeholders and influencers on assessment and product design P - Understanding of assessment products and practice in AQA and limitations of systems and possible future opportunities for how technology can be harnessed to improve assessment delivery A/P - Ability to think strategically and understand the national and international context in which assessments operate, including a basic understanding of the different assessment practice on a global scale and excellent understanding of assessment practice in England A/I/T/P - The ability to analyse and synthesise complex and diverse data and information, including statistical data, to make decisions in the face of complex and/or incomplete evidence A/I/T/P - Excellent communications and presentation skills to create and explain a succinct and coherent view of complex assessment issues I/P - Confident in dealing with influential external parties, the regulator(s) and government P - Good networking influencing, persuasion and engagement skills to help ensure desired outcomes are delivered A/P - Open minded but with a willingness to challenge orthodoxy and the thinking of others in a constructive manner and to champion good assessment principles I/P - Ability to define and articulate issues for research and shape investigations into assessment performance questions A/P - Planning and project management skills to manage routine deliverables and change initiatives A/I/T/P - Ability to understand requirements for assessment design in different subjects and advise on developing products which meet those requirements whilst recognising customer and stakeholder needs Core Competencies L3 - Customer service L3 - Developing and managing self and others L3 - Leadership L3 - Planning and organising L3 - Change management L3 - Effective communication L3 - Problem solving L3 - Commercial focus Qualifications and Experience A - Education – to degree level or equivalent relevant professional experience A/I - Experience of leading and managing a team of staff in a technical environment A/I - Experience of managing the setting of question papers and/or other assessments AQA’s Behaviour Framework which is assessed through the selection/probation process Assessment key (criteria to be assessed at the selection stage) A – application (it is essential to provide evidence on application for shortlisting purposes) I - interview T – test (or work sample) P – probation