Head of Assessment Development

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 Development

Permanent

Location – Guildford, Manchester, London or Milton Keynes

Salary – North – £69,879 – £76,265 & South – £72,760 – £79,410

Hybrid working with national travel

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. AQA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment. Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website.

At AQA, we are passionate about creating high-quality assessments that shape the future of education. Join us as we look to continually improve General Qualifications (GQs) for AQA and OxfordAQA (OxfAQA) through innovation and excellence in assessment.

We’re looking for a forward-thinking leader to drive the development of paper-based and digital General Qualifications. As the Head of Assessment Development, you’ll shape the future of our qualifications, ensuring they are market-leading and rooted in the latest assessment research and best practices.

Landscape

Reporting to the Director of Assessment and leading a team of subject leads, the role holder forms an integral part of the Assessment Senior Leadership team; and represents AQA with Ofqual and associated external stakeholders on matters related to the assessments of our qualifications and products.

What’s in It for You?

• Play a big part in an environment poised for significant change and innovation.
• Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35-hour week and extensive opportunities for professional and personal development.
• Benefit from a competitive pension scheme, starting at 6% and rising up to 11.5%.
• Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure.
• Comprehensive health coverage from day one, including Bupa PMI, Health Cash Plan, and Life Assurance.
• Participate in eco-friendly transport schemes, including electric vehicles and cycle-to-work options.

What you’ll do

• Shape tomorrow: Working with Product Management, lead the development of new assessment products (including those for AQA’s preferred digital solution), ensuring that they are designed in accordance with assessment design principles and best practice, in alignment with the AQA Strategy, its data strategy and recognising the differing requirements of ‘paper-behind-glass’ assessments and the desire to introduce true innovation to methods of digital assessment in GQs. Ensure the work to develop new assessment products is appropriately resourced, flexibly managing product plans, people and budget.
• Work and Learn together: Lead the development, maintenance and evolution of training in basic and advanced GQ assessment across the organisation, ensuring that valid assessment lies at the heart of the decision-making process. Set direction and goals for assessment design training for colleagues and senior associates to improve the application of good assessment practice and help ensure that assessments are as valid and reliable as possible. Monitor progress against plans and support training initiatives.
• Customers front and centre: Monitor and evaluate international developments and research in assessment practices (including AI) as it applies to GQs. Use this knowledge to create, agree and maintain a roadmap to evolve assessment practice for AQA’s GQs so that they are both market leading and best in class for assessment quality, innovation and our customers. Lead and represent AQA’s thought leadership in GQ assessment and assessment quality, with customers and external stakeholders including Ofqual, DfE and industry bodies. Own the annual budget for Assessment colleague attendance at national and international conferences & events on assessment, determining which events to attend to achieve this outcome.
• Results matter: Represent Assessment and influence stakeholders and business-wide working groups and programmes that require GQ assessment expertise including Ofqual’s regulation of assessment, in order to shape the direction of travel, taking relevant actions and delivering to ensure that the principles of good assessment are considered as part of business developments.

To be successful in this role, you will need to:

• Have a good understanding of the national and international educational assessment landscape (including digital modes of delivery) and of the regulatory environment in which AQA operates and likely impact of the regulator on assessment creation and management of General Qualifications. Formal qualification in Assessment is desirable.
• For both paper and digital modes of delivery, demonstrate excellent knowledge of assessment design and delivery strategy and approaches. Be able to understand requirements for assessment design in different subjects and advise on developing products which meet those requirements whilst recognising customer and stakeholder needs. Be able to challenge existing orthodoxy and the thinking of others in an open and constructive manner.
• Be an ambassador and thought leader for AQA, its GQs and the underlying assessment quality to small and large audiences alike across all our stakeholders, internal and external. Demonstrate confident communication and presentation skills, strong networking, influencing, persuasion and engagement skills.
• Demonstrate excellent people leadership skills, including creating high performing diverse teams, effective performance management, developing talent and team engagement.
• Be able to analyse and synthesise complex and diverse data and information, including statistical data, into easy-to-understand insights and knowledge to enable good decision making in the face of complex and/or incomplete evidence.
• Be able to define and articulate issues for research and shape investigations into assessment performance questions.

Closing date is 7th March 2025 at 11:59pm.

The screening process will consist of a pre-screening call followed by a two stage Interview process, both will be face to face.

All applications will receive a written response.

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