Reporting and Governance 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.

Make confident decisions possible. You know how important good decision making is. When leaders have clear, reliable insight, progress moves forward with confidence. When they don’t, it slows down. As our Reporting and Governance Lead, you will shape how reporting and governance works across a complex change programme – General Qualification Reform - bringing clarity where there is ambiguity and consistency where there are gaps.

If you enjoy turning complex information into clear insight and influencing senior stakeholders without relying on hierarchy, this could be a really rewarding next step. You’ll sit at the heart of a large, multi‐directorate programme, working across areas such as product, assessment, operations, finance and HR. Your focus will be on making sure leaders have the insight they need to make informed decisions. You’ll design and improve governance, strengthen reporting, and bring together different strands of delivery into a clear, joined up view. Your work will directly shape how confident leaders feel in the decisions they make.

What you’ll be doing

• Design and improve governance frameworks and ways of working so decisions are clear and well supported
• Own integrated reporting, creating clear, useful updates for senior leaders and governance forums
• Bring together integrated plans, milestones and dependencies so risks are visible early
• Track key performance measures and ensure progress is transparent and consistent
• Provide independent assurance, helping leaders trust the information they are acting on
• Set standards and guidance so reporting is high quality across all teams
• Support programme teams to improve how they plan, report and manage delivery across each of our office locations (Manchester, Guildford, Milton Keynes and London)

What’s in it for you

• The opportunity to shape how a large programme is governed and delivered
• A collaborative, values led working environment
• 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 with service, plus bank holidays and extra closure days at Christmas
• A 35 hour working week with flexible working arrangements
• An excellent contributory pension scheme (6%–11.5% depending on your contribution)
• Life assurance, BUPA PMI, and health cash plan
• Enhanced maternity and paternity schemes
• Access to professional and personal development whenever you need it
• The opportunity to join a variety of employee networks including LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic diversity, Interfaith and more

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 you’ll bring

You don’t need to meet every point, but you’re likely to have experience in most of the following:

• Designing and improving governance and reporting in complex programmes or portfolios
• Turning large amounts of information into clear, decision‐focused insight - we use Planner Premium and Power BI
• Managing dependencies, milestones and identifying risks early
• Producing reporting for senior stakeholders or formal governance forums
• Experience influencing and building alignment across teams, even without direct authority
• Paying close attention to detail while balancing accuracy with pace
• Working confidently where information is incomplete or evolving

It would be helpful if you’ve worked in large transformation programmes or regulated environments, but this isn’t essential.

How to Apply

If you’re ready to take ownership of governance and reporting in a complex delivery environment, apply now. Upload your most recent CV with a cover letter to tell us how you’ve helped bring clarity, structure and confidence to programme delivery and what has inspired you to apply for this role at AQA.

Applications will close at 23:59 on Monday 25 May 2026. Interviews will be over two stages with shortlisting between in the week of 8th June - 1st stage via Teams, 2nd stage face to face in either the Manchester or Guildford Office, whichever is nearer to you. Every application will be read by a human and will receive a written response.