Commercial Governance, Audit & Risk Lead in Manchester

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.

Permanent Manchester: £42,500 - £49,500 Hybrid working – a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.

Help Commercial leaders make better decisions through strong governance, meaningful insight and effective risk management. This newly created role is ideal for someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity, using data to inform decisions and helping teams operate with confidence. Working at the heart of AQA's Commercial directorate, you'll support leaders to understand risk, strengthen governance, improve performance reporting and ensure audit and assurance activities translate into meaningful action. You'll have visibility across a broad range of commercial activity, working with stakeholders at all levels to improve processes, track progress, challenge constructively and help ensure priorities remain on track. If you enjoy joining the dots, turning information into insight and creating clarity in a complex environment, this is an opportunity to make a visible impact.

What's in it for you?

• A newly created role with the opportunity to shape governance, audit and risk activities across Commercial.
• Regular exposure to senior leaders and decision-making.
• A varied role spanning governance, assurance, risk management, business continuity and performance reporting.
• The opportunity to influence improvements and help teams work more effectively.
• A broad view across Commercial and its strategic priorities.
• A 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.
• 25 days' annual leave, rising to 30, plus Christmas closure days.
• A benefits package including a pension which could see a combined contribution of up to 18.5%, BUPA healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities.
• Being part of AQA's inclusive and values-led culture, with opportunities to join a variety of employee networks, including LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic diversity and Interfaith.

In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Supporting governance, assurance and audit activities across Commercial.
• Helping leaders identify, understand and manage risk.
• Turning data, metrics and reporting into meaningful insight.
• Supporting the delivery of audit actions and continuous improvement activity.
• Producing performance reporting and management information for senior stakeholders.
• Supporting business continuity and assurance planning.
• Driving accountability through effective tracking, reporting and follow up.
• Building strong relationships across Commercial and the wider organisation.

You'll thrive in this role if you have:

• Experience in governance, risk, audit, assurance, compliance, PMO or a similar environment.
• Experience working within a regulated organisation.
• Demonstrable stakeholder management skills and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience using data, reporting or performance information to support decision-making.
• The ability to balance competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• A proactive approach and a reputation for following things through to completion.

You do not need to come from education. We welcome applications from candidates with experience in governance, risk, audit, compliance, financial services, healthcare, utilities, public sector organisations or other regulated environments.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation or background, is valued, respected and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

What's Next?

To apply, please upload your most recent CV and a short profile with your motivations and transferable skills outlined. Applications close at 23:59 on Wednesday 19th August 2026. The recruitment process is expected to include a short screening call with a recruiter followed by a face-to-face interview with a task and values and experience-based questions in our Manchester offices on Friday 28th August.

Need to Know (to be successful in this role, you will need to know):

• Strong analytical, problem solving, and strategic skills.
• Experience on risk management, internal audit or compliance.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders.
• Understanding of relevant frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Customer Centric approach delivering excellent customer outcomes and fostering the conditions that enable them.
• Ability to prioritise work to meet deadlines in a highly pressured environment.
• Work collaboratively with others and build strong business relationships.
• Experience using Airtable or similar nocode/lowcode platforms to report on performance.