Standards and Awarding Manager 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.

Salary and Location

Standards and Awarding Manager | Permanent
Manchester: £47,000 - £53,700
Guildford: £48,900 - £55,900
Hybrid working - minimum 2 days per week in the office

Help shape fair outcomes and maintain confidence in qualifications. Every year, millions of qualification results rely on robust awarding processes, sound judgement and the careful interpretation of evidence. As a Standards and Awarding Manager, you’ll bring data, assessment evidence, analytical thinking and professional judgement together to support fair, consistent and defensible awarding decisions.

You’ll join a specialist team at a point of change, helping AQA shape future approaches to standards maintenance, awarding and the delivery of general and vocational qualifications through innovation and process improvement. This is a role for someone who understands standard setting or awarding and is confident working with data.

Responsibilities

• Managing awarding activity and the approval cycle across a portfolio of qualifications, ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Reviewing awarding evidence, data and technical information and applying judgement to support grade boundary recommendations, approval processes and awarding decisions.
• Building relationships with assessment managers, research and data specialists to reach robust, evidence-led decisions.
• Explaining complex technical evidence via reports, briefings, training, webinars and stakeholder conversations.
• Representing AQA externally when required, contributing to awarding and standards discussions across the sector.

Activities

• Manage the delivery of awarding activity for allocated qualifications and examination series, ensuring all activity is completed to agreed quality standards and timescales.
• Implement and support awarding approval processes in line with regulatory requirements, internal policies and agreed governance arrangements.
• Review awarding evidence and data, contributing to grade boundary recommendations and approval activities.
• Apply technical expertise and professional judgement to awarding decisions, identifying, investigating and escalating issues where appropriate.
• Provide technical advice and guidance on standards and awarding matters to colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation.
• Contribute to the design, review and continuous improvement of awarding processes, policies and procedures.
• Support the development and maintenance of guidance, training materials and communications relating to standards and awarding.
• Participate in post-series reviews and implement improvements arising from lessons learned and analysis of delivery outcomes.
• Communicate complex technical information clearly through reports, briefing papers, presentations and stakeholder discussions, both internally and externally.
• Be the face of Standards and Awarding. Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support effective delivery of awarding activity.
• Contribute to team and organisational planning activities, ensuring dependencies, risks and resource requirements are identified and managed effectively.
• Represent AQA on relevant external bodies and external meetings, as appropriate, including inter-Awarding Body and Regulatory groups on standards and awarding, ensuring that AQA’s views are well-represented and AQA makes a significant contribution to emerging national thinking in relation to standard setting and maintenance and awarding.
• Support responses to regulatory enquiries, external stakeholder requests or complaints relating to standards and awarding activity.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and effectiveness through process enhancement, innovation and better use of data and technology.

Requirements

• Experience delivering complex, high-stakes processes within a regulated environment.
• Knowledge of awarding methodology, standard setting or related qualifications activity.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills, particularly in situations involving complexity, ambiguity or competing priorities.
• Ability to interpret data and technical information and use evidence to support robust recommendations and decisions.
• Strong and confident communication, both in person and in writing, with the ability to explain complex technical information to a range of audiences.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders and provide constructive challenge where appropriate.
• Strong organisational skills, balancing multiple priorities and delivering successfully to challenging deadlines.
• Proactive in identifying risks, resolving issues and driving continuous improvement.
• Work effectively both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating a strong commitment to shared outcomes.
• Understanding of the regulatory environment in which qualifications are awarded and the importance of compliance and public confidence.
• Interest in standards, assessment, awarding and evidence-based decision making.

Desirable

• Experience of assessment, research, qualification delivery or standards-related activity.
• Experience of leading improvement projects and implementing change.

Benefits

• 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.
• 25 days' annual leave, rising to 30 days with service, plus additional Christmas closure days.
• Generous pension scheme with combined contributions of up to 18.5%, available from your first day.
• BUPA private medical insurance, a healthcare cash plan and access to wellbeing support.
• Up to five paid volunteering days each year.
• Access to a range of colleague networks and development opportunities.

Diversity and Inclusion

At AQA, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in the role, please contact the recruiter named in the vacancy advert or your interview correspondence. They will work with you to ensure the appropriate support is in place and that the process is as accessible and equitable as possible.

If you’re unsure who your recruiter is, or can’t reach them, contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or 07813 724161, and she'll direct you to the right person. Please note that Faye cannot assist with temporary vacancy enquiries or non-recruitment matters. For temporary vacancies, contact temprecruit@aqa.org.uk.

Contact

Temporary roles: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
Permanent and Fixed Term roles: opportunities@aqa.org.uk

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Applications

Applications close at 23:59 on Monday 16 November 2026.