Qualification Quality Lead in Milton Keynes

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.

2 Year Fixed Term Contract

Guildford or Milton Keynes: £57,000-£62,500

Manchester: £54,500-£60,000

Hybrid Working

Shape the future of qualification quality at AQA. Quality isn't just about checking what's already there. It's about defining standards, creating robust frameworks and building the processes that make excellence possible.

Purpose of the role

This isn't a role where you'll inherit mature processes and simply maintain them. You'll help define what good looks like. Working closely with the newly appointed Head of Qualification Quality, you'll help establish and embed quality approaches, governance processes and assurance frameworks that will shape qualification development across AQA.

Working across qualification development, assessment design, regulation and compliance, you'll design and embed quality assurance frameworks, develop audit approaches, establish governance processes and support teams to consistently deliver high-quality qualification materials. You'll also play an important role in accreditation activity, helping to ensure qualification materials are submission-ready, supporting regulatory engagement and helping coordinate responses to feedback throughout the accreditation process.

Responsibilities

• Build and shape quality assurance processes from the ground up
• Design and embed quality frameworks, governance processes and audit approaches
• Support accreditation submissions and regulatory engagement activities
• Influence qualification development across multiple subject areas
• Work with senior stakeholders across the business to embed best practice
• Identify opportunities to improve quality, consistency and compliance
• Leave a lasting impact on how qualification quality is managed at AQA

What’s in it for you?

The qualifications you support will directly influence the experience of learners across the UK. You'll have the opportunity to shape how quality is embedded across qualification development, helping to establish the standards, controls and governance processes that others rely upon. You'll be joining at a time when qualification reform is creating a rare opportunity to build and embed new approaches to quality assurance, accreditation readiness and continuous improvement across the organisation.

Interview process

First stage interviews will take place remotely during the week commencing 12 October 2026. Second stage interviews will take place in our Manchester, Milton Keynes or Guildford offices depending on candidates’ location preferences, during the week commencing 19 October 2026.

Benefits

• a 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working
• 25 days' annual leave rising to 30, plus Christmas closure days
• up to 11.5 percent combined pension contribution
• BUPA healthcare support
• wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities
• an inclusive, values-led culture with employee networks including LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic diversity and Interfaith

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

You’ll thrive in this role if you have:

• Experience building or improving quality assurance frameworks
• Experience working within regulated environments
• Experience of audit, compliance, governance or assurance activities
• Experience managing complex documentation, audit trails or version control processes
• The ability to identify risks, inconsistencies and opportunities for improvement
• Experience influencing stakeholders and embedding new ways of working
• Experience working across complex, cross-organisational processes involving multiple stakeholders, dependencies and competing priorities, with the resilience to work through ambiguity and the confidence to challenge constructively when needed

Essential criteria:

• Proven experience in quality assurance, regulatory compliance, or qualification and assessment development
• Ability to identify, develop and embed best practice in qualification development and regulatory compliance, sharing key skills and knowledge with the wider qualification development team
• Strong ability to analyse, compare, and align content across multiple documents and subject areas
• Exceptional attention to detail and proofreading skills
• Sound understanding of regulatory and quality assurance requirements within a qualification or assessment context
• Confidence in making and articulating recommendations for quality improvements and coordinating actions arising from regulatory feedback
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively while maintaining independent quality judgement

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.

Smart Working

We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.

Diversity and inclusion

AQA is 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 foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves.

Conflict of Interest

Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.

Safeguarding

AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.