Time left to apply End Date: April 1, 2025 (7 days left to apply)
job requisition id R6528
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.
Operations Coordinator
10-month fixed term contract
Location: Milton Keynes
On-Site
As an Operations Coordinator in our Scanning Centre, you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring examination scripts are handled with care, precision, and efficiency from the moment they arrive to secure storage.
From day one, you’ll receive on-the-job training and support to help you develop expertise in managing workflows and data, alongside building your people management skills.
You’ll take charge of critical workflows, handling the secure processing and storage of examination scripts. During peak periods, you’ll lead teams around the clock, driving high-quality results that have a direct impact on hundreds of thousands of students all over the UK.
And you’ll do all this in a supportive team that values communication and collaboration.
Those great benefits...
* Access, from day one, to an incredible pension scheme which could have employee and employer contributions jointly totalling up to 18.5%
* 25 days annual leave, rising a day per year for your first five years with Bank Holidays and additional closure days at Christmas.
* Private Medical Insurance and a Health Care Cash Reward Plan
* Take 5 additional paid days to participate in volunteering activities that are close to your heart.
What you'll do.
* Supervise & Train Temporary Staff: Lead teams on day or night shifts, ensuring high-quality work.
* Monitor Productivity & Performance: Prepare reports on attendance, output rates, and accuracy.
* Oversee Key Operations: Manage the receipt, scanning, storage, and secure destruction of examination scripts.
* Optimise Processes: Identify improvements to workflows and quality control.
Outside of peak periods, you’ll stay hands-on with daily operational tasks, including scanning, warehouse duties, and system logging.
What you’ll need...
Experience leading or supervising a team, ideally in a detail-focused environment and confidence using Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, SharePoint). Able to work shifts and extend hours during peak times as required.
What Next?
Please upload your most recent CV with a cover letter detailing your skills and experience for this role.
Applications close at 23:59 on Monday 31st March.
Every application will receive a response.
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.
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Full Job Description
Summary
As a key member of the Scanning Centre team, the Operations Coordinator is involved in a range of tasks in connection with the processing of scripts from receipt through Goods-in to storage. Achieving high quality standards, maintaining agreed productivity schedules, and contributing to process improvement are all key aspects of the role.
During each Examination Series, the Operations Coordinator takes responsibility for a specific function within the Scanning Centre, supervising a team of temporary workers across day, and during the peak summer series night shift, to deliver a successful series. This operational role sits in the Scanning Centre team, and you will be reporting to the Shift Team Leader. You will be within a team of 20, working alongside other Operations Coordinators and our Continuous Improvement/Quality team.
Operational Responsibilities:
* Perform core Scanning Centre activities accurately, efficiently, on time and to agreed quality and performance targets, including, but not limited to the physical processing of scripts, overseeing of stock levels, warehouse activities and script destruction.
* Contribute to process design, documentation and implementation.
* Actively contribute to the development of process improvement initiatives and support the implementation of these initiatives within the scanning centre.
* Ensure allocated area follows 5s principles, well organised and complies with all AQA Health & Safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Team Leadership:
* Supervise and mentor temporary staff in line with the culture and values of AQA.
* Ensure the allocated team are fully trained and have a clear understanding of all processes to be carried out.
* Monitor quality and performance of the team against the requirements of the project.
* Identifying any issues with understanding or performance of duties within the team and resolving or escalating as appropriate.
* Ensure all labour movement, attendance, absence, leavers etc. are accurately recorded monitored and reported.
Criteria
Qualifications
Essential: Good general level of education. Desirable: GCSE Level 4 in Math and English or equivalent.
Knowledge
Desirable: Process improvement methodologies, such as Lean, Kaizen or Six Sigma.
Experience
Essential: Supervising and leading a team. Essential: Conducting repetitive work to high levels of quality.
Skills/abilities
Essential: Effective communication skills – written and verbal. Essential: Intermediate Computer Skills. Essential: Strong attention to detail. Essential: Able to follow detailed work instructions. Essential: Able to deliver operator training and monitor compliance. Essential: Ability to analyse and report on performance data. Desirable: Microsoft Word, Excel, SharePoint, Teams and Outlook skills.
Personal attributes
Essential: Work well under pressure. Essential: Adaptable and positive to change. Essential: Ability to work as part of a team and as an individual.
Other
Essential: Available for working shifts and extended hours in peak periods.
This job description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. There may be other duties and requirements associated with the post which the company may reasonably require you to perform from time to time.
About Us
AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.
Reasonable Adjustments
If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or on 07813 724161. We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non-recruitment enquiries. If you have query regarding Temporary vacancies, please contact: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
Smart Working
We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.
Conflict of Interest
Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.
Safeguarding
AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.
For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here .
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