Overview
At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and to our people. We are the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, marking over 10 million exam papers each year. We are recruiting two Senior Managers in the Assessment Design & Principles team, each focusing on a different area: General Qualification (GQ) Reform or Digital Assessment. The role is permanent with locations in Manchester or Guildford and hybrid working (minimum 2 days in the office).
Purpose
You will lead a team responsible for establishing and embedding the principles that underpin high-quality assessment at AQA. Ensure everything we design—paper or digital—is valid, reliable, fair and workable in practice. Act as a trusted voice across the organisation, helping others make well-judged decisions where quality and change intersect. Your leadership will make a visible difference.
Responsibilities
- Drive thought leadership and innovation in assessment design to ensure the best possible learner experience.
- Lead and develop a team focused on assessment design principles and quality; ensure consistent application across qualifications.
- Work with colleagues across the organisation to shape assessment models and approaches.
- Act as a senior point of expertise and escalation on assessment design challenges; balance quality, pace, feasibility and risk to make pragmatic decisions.
- Lead initiatives across Assessment Design & Principles Leads, including allocation of work, resource management, and progress reporting.
- Recruit and performance manage leads to ensure high-quality outcomes, development, and cultural fit.
- Ensure quality of work across projects and manage risks and issues.
- Develop strong stakeholder relationships; negotiate priorities with internal and external stakeholders, including digital assessment contexts.
- Oversee design principles for valid, fair and reliable paper-based and digital assessments; align with research and best practice.
- Provide assessment expertise during qualification reform and in response to regulatory matters.
Qualifications and experience
- Strong experience in assessment design, delivery, or research; ability to apply validity, reliability and fairness in real-world contexts.
- Evidence-based, research-informed decision-making; able to translate needs into technical specifications.
- Experience leading teams, managing change, and developing people; comfortable working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Understanding of inclusive design principles and accessibility standards for digital assessments; knowledge of AI implications in assessment is a plus.
- Knowledge of the educational landscape and regulatory environment affecting assessment and qualification reform.
- Data analysis literacy; ability to interpret data to inform decisions and monitor impact.
- Strong communications, resilience under pressure, and ability to manage risk and priorities in a complex context.
Benefits
- 35-hour working week
- 37-day annual leave package (25 days increasing with service to 30; plus up to 4 days Christmas closure)
- Competitive pension contributions (up to 18.5% combined)
- Private medical insurance with BUPA
- Employee networks (LGBTQ+, DisAbility, InterFaith, Parents & Carers, Neurodiversity, Empowering Women)
- Volunteer days (up to 4 days per year)
Additional information
AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK. We support development of our people and offer professional development opportunities. If you require reasonable adjustments in relation to the application or interview, please contact the listed email addresses. Selection and recruitment provisions apply as standard.
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