Recruitment Advisor

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.

6 Month FTC

Guildford & Milton Keynes: £33,659 - £39,753

Manchester: £33,350 - £37,600

Hybrid Working

Introduction

You will play a key role in helping people access opportunities that shape their future. You’ll join AQA in a role where your work directly influences how candidates experience our recruitment process and where your impact is felt across every area of the organisation.

Purpose of the Role

You’ll help AQA bring in the right people by running an efficient and inclusive recruitment process. You’ll make sure every stage is well‐organised and clearly communicated so candidates and hiring managers get timely, supportive guidance from start to finish. You’ll play an active role in creating a smooth, positive experience for everyone involved while helping AQA build the workforce it needs to deliver great outcomes for learners.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing recruitment activity across associate (non-marker), permanent and FTC roles
• Preparing and publishing job adverts, ensuring accuracy, inclusivity and effective use of media channels
• Screening, assessing and shortlisting candidates using fair, consistent criteria
• Coordinating assessments, tasks, interviews and onboarding activity
• Maintaining clear communication with candidates and hiring managers throughout the process

What We Are Looking For

• Experience delivering recruitment at pace, managing high‐volume workloads accurately
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail when handling data and multiple pipelines
• A blend of internal and agency recruitment experience, offering strong 360 visibility
• Confidence across the full recruitment cycle, from vacancy briefing through to onboarding
• A capable, proactive approach with the ability to prioritise and collaborate effectively

What’s in It for You

• Exposure to impactful work that supports AQA’s mission
• Flexible working options that help maintain work–life balance
• A culture built on collaboration, support and shared values
• A commitment to inclusion and continuous improvement

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.

Application Process

Please submit your CV via our online portal. Applications close on Tuesday 26th May 2026; however, we encourage early applications as the advert may close sooner. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after and will be a 2-stage process.

Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place. Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose: This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in delivering high quality recruitment support across AQA, ensuring that candidates and hiring managers experience a professional, inclusive and timely service. The role exists to source, assess and progress candidates across a wide range of roles, contributing directly to AQA’s ability to meet its workforce and strategic needs. It enhances organisational capability by ensuring recruitment activity is efficient, compliant and aligned with AQA values.

Landscape: The role sits within the Talent & Resourcing function as part of the wider People Group. It is an individual contributor position with no line management responsibility and works closely, where relevant, with Hiring Managers, HR Business Partners, the People Services Team and colleagues across all AQA business units. This role is responsible for sourcing talent for permanent, contract, temporary and associate/examiner mandates. The role interacts daily with candidates, hiring managers, recruiters, agencies, job board partners and assessment providers, representing the AQA brand at every stage of the recruitment process.

Activities:

• Manage and deliver recruitment activity across permanent, temporary, internal and associate roles, ensuring adherence to agreed processes, timeframes and quality standards.
• Screen, assess and shortlist candidates against defined selection criteria, using sound judgement to progress, pipeline or reject applicants in a fair and consistent way.
• Source candidates proactively via job boards, CV databases and platforms such as LinkedIn to ensure strong pipelines for specialist or hard to fill roles.
• Coordinate and implement assessment activities, including online tests, interviews and assessment centres, ensuring each candidate has a positive and professional experience.
• Prepare and publish job adverts, ensuring accuracy, inclusivity and effective use of media channels, working with suppliers and internal teams as required.
• Progress candidates through to offer and onboarding, including making verbal offers, initiating contracts and new starter documentation, and supporting right to work checks and induction.
• Maintain clear communication with candidates and hiring managers, providing regular updates, guidance and support throughout the recruitment process.
• Support examiner and associate workforce planning, including processing applications, monitoring holding pool levels and escalating capacity issues where needed.
• Represent AQA at recruitment and attraction events, engaging with potential candidates and promoting future opportunities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, enhance candidate care and strengthen recruitment outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, AQA policies, data protection requirements and best practice recruitment standards.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

Knowledge & Understanding

• Working knowledge of recruitment practices, processes and relevant employment legislation.
• Good understanding of recruitment systems, applicant tracking tools and Microsoft Office applications.

Skills & Behaviours

• Ability to deliver accurate screening and data input with strong attention to detail.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills tailored to different audiences.
• Ability to build positive relationships and collaborate effectively across teams and stakeholder groups.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, working at pace and meeting tight deadlines.
• Proactive approach to problem‐solving, with the ability to work independently when required.
• Commitment to confidentiality, data accuracy and compliant recruitment activity.
• Ability to adapt to change and apply learning to improve processes and outcomes.
• Alignment with AQA’s values, demonstrating accountability, collaboration and a focus on delivering quality outcomes.

Experience

• Experience working in a recruitment or HR environment (in‐house or agency).
• Experience using an ATS or recruitment/HR system.

Qualifications

• A good standard of general education (e.g., GCSE Maths and English or equivalent).

Desirable Criteria

• Interest in or willingness to pursue relevant qualifications (e.g., CIPD/MIRP).
• Experience supporting high‐volume or associate/contractor recruitment.

Additional Information

The role may require occasional travel to other AQA sites or events. Hybrid working is typically available depending on business need. A typical requirement is to attend the office two days every week.

About Us

AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at 07813 724161. We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non-recruitment enquiries.

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.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

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.