Director of Awarding & Responsible Officer
Organisation: AI Quality Qualifications Academy Ltd (AIQQA)
Location: London / Hybrid
Working pattern: Full-time or substantial fractional arrangement may be considered for the right candidate during the development and recognition phase
Remuneration: Competitive and commensurate with experience
Governance: The role is expected to form part of AIQQA's Governing Body / Board of Directors, subject to formal appointment and appropriate due diligence
AIQQA
AI Quality Qualifications Academy Ltd (AIQQA) is a new AI-focused awarding organisation being developed towards Ofqual recognition.
Our ambition is to establish high-quality qualifications and assessment standards for AI and related emerging technology disciplines, supporting learners, employers and education providers as demand for credible AI skills continues to grow.
We are now building the senior leadership and independent governance structure that will take AIQQA through its development and recognition phase and into operation.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced awarding organisation leader to join AIQQA as Director of Awarding & Responsible Officer.
The successful candidate will take a leading role in establishing AIQQA's awarding operations, regulatory framework and quality arrangements as the organisation prepares for Ofqual recognition and future delivery.
This is an opportunity to help build an awarding organisation from the ground up rather than inherit established systems and processes.
Working closely with the Executive Director, Governing Body, qualification and assessment specialists and technology teams, you will help ensure that AIQQA develops the governance, systems, controls, capability and evidence required to operate as a credible and compliant awarding organisation.
Subject to formal appointment and recognition arrangements, you will also undertake the Responsible Officer function and act as AIQQA's authoritative point of contact with Ofqual.
What You Will Do
As Director of Awarding & Responsible Officer, you will:
- Provide senior leadership across awarding operations, regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
- Lead AIQQA's operational and regulatory readiness for Ofqual recognition.
- Act as Responsible Officer and lead the organisation's regulatory relationship with Ofqual.
- Translate Ofqual requirements into clear, practical and proportionate operational arrangements.
- Establish and oversee AIQQA's regulatory and quality management framework.
- Lead the development, implementation and ongoing review of core regulatory policies, procedures and controls.
- Oversee arrangements for qualification development, approval, review and withdrawal.
- Ensure appropriate controls are established across assessment development, delivery, marking, moderation, awarding and results.
- Establish effective arrangements for provider and centre approval, onboarding, monitoring and quality assurance.
- Oversee learner registration, assessment administration, results and certification arrangements.
- Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for malpractice and maladministration, appeals, complaints, reasonable adjustments, special consideration and learner protection.
- Lead the identification, management and escalation of regulatory risks and adverse events.
- Ensure appropriate regulatory reporting and notification arrangements are maintained.
- Establish effective document control, record keeping, audit trails and regulatory evidence arrangements.
- Support the development of organisational risk, contingency and business continuity arrangements.
- Work closely with qualification and assessment specialists to ensure that standards, assessment and quality arrangements are robust and appropriately controlled.
- Work with technology teams to ensure AIQQA's systems and platform reflect operational and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure that technology-supported processes retain appropriate controls, accountability, auditability and human oversight.
- Provide regular regulatory, quality and awarding assurance to the Governing Body.
- Ensure that the Board has sufficient information to understand key regulatory risks and fulfil its oversight responsibilities.
- Maintain direct access to the Chair and Governing Body on significant regulatory matters.
- Support the recruitment and development of the operational team required as AIQQA moves from recognition into delivery.
What You Will Bring
We are looking for an experienced awarding organisation professional with substantial senior-level experience within an Ofqual-regulated environment.
You will bring:
- A strong practical understanding of the Ofqual regulatory framework and what it means in day-to-day awarding organisation operations.
- Experience of developing, operating or overseeing quality assurance and regulatory systems within an awarding organisation.
- A sound understanding of the qualification and assessment lifecycle, including the controls required to protect standards and regulatory compliance.
- Experience in regulatory assurance, audit, risk and compliance.
- The ability to translate regulatory requirements into clear, practical and proportionate operating processes.
- Experience of working effectively with senior leadership teams and governing bodies.
- Sound judgement, independence of thought and the confidence to identify and elevate regulatory concerns where necessary.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex regulatory matters clearly.
- The ability to operate strategically while remaining comfortable working at a detailed level during the development and establishment of a new awarding organisation.
Experience of Ofqual recognition applications, establishing a new awarding organisation, significant organisational change or qualification portfolio development would be particularly valuable.
Previous experience as a Responsible Officer, or in a senior role carrying comparable regulatory responsibility within an awarding organisation, would also be highly advantageous.
What Success Will Look Like
During the development and recognition phase, the successful candidate will help ensure that AIQQA has:
- credible and effective awarding operations;
- a clear regulatory and quality framework;
- robust policies, procedures and controls;
- appropriate qualification and assessment governance;
- effective provider and centre assurance arrangements;
- clear regulatory accountability and escalation;
- appropriate evidence of organisational competence and readiness;
- an effective relationship between executive management, the Responsible Officer and Governing Body; and
- the operational capability required to move confidently from recognition into delivery.
Why Join AIQQA?
This is an opportunity to help establish a new awarding organisation at a formative stage.
Rather than joining an organisation where regulatory systems, processes and culture are already established, you will have the opportunity to influence how AIQQA operates from the outset.
You will work alongside senior leaders, governance members, qualification specialists and technology teams to build an organisation designed around strong standards, effective regulation and credible qualifications in one of the fastest-developing areas of skills and education.
For an experienced awarding organisation professional who wants to help create something properly from the beginning, this represents a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact.
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