Diversity and Inclusion Specialist

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.

Diversity & Inclusion Specialist

Location: Manchester (Hybrid – 2x days a week in the office)

Salary: £43,650 – £51,692

12 month FTC

This isn’t a ‘tick-the-box’ D&I role.
This is about making real, measurable, lasting change.

AQA has bold ambitions when it comes to diversity and inclusion. We’ve already got the board’s backing, an organisation-wide strategy and a clear roadmap for the next few years. What we need now is someone who can help turn those ambitions into action.

This role reports to the D&I Lead and plays a central part in building a culture where inclusion isn’t just talked about — it’s embedded.

You’ll design and deliver learning experiences that shift mindsets. You’ll support behaviour change across the organisation. And you’ll help turn theory into reality, across our people practices, leadership engagement, and network support.

If you’ve worked in a D&I learning or change-focused role before, especially within a large or complex organisation, and you’re looking for a place where your work will have real strategic impact — we should talk.

What you’ll be doing:

• Designing and delivering learning initiatives that help people understand D&I — and act on it.
• Advising on inclusive policies and people practices across AQA.
• Supporting our newly formed colleague networks and helping them grow into strong communities.
• Working with senior leaders and managers to drive behavioural change.
• Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to accelerate the D&I strategy.
• Helping shape and track our progress with data and insight that drives accountability.

What you’ll need to bring:

• Experience supporting D&I work in a similar environment.
• Strong learning and development capability, ideally D&I-focused.
• A practical understanding of how to embed behaviour change.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills — you can bring people with you.
• An eye for data, insights and trends that tell a clear story and shape decisions.
• A collaborative approach that’s about people, not just processes.

What’s in it for you?

• A flexible working environment , with a 35-hour week and real respect for work-life balance.
• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 30 days with service – plus a Christmas office closure on top.
• Access to a highly competitive enhanced contributory pension (you pay 7%, we pay 11.5%).
• A commitment to inclusion that goes beyond lip service – this role exists for a reason.

AQA is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all colleagues have equal opportunities to thrive. This isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s essential to how we serve teachers and students across the country. We’ve set ambitious goals, and now we need someone like you to help us meet them.

How do I apply?

Read the full job description and upload your most recent CV by following the link provided. Please apply by Wednesday 16th July.

First stage interviews will be held by MS Teams w/c 21st July. Second stage interviews will be F2F at our Manchester office w/c 28th July.

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.

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

AQA supports a diverse range of teachers and students. To do that effectively we need to ensure that both our products and colleagues fully reflect the communities we serve. This is important to us, that’s why it’s a strand in our strategy. The Diversity and Inclusion Specialist role will work alongside the D&I Lead to drive our organisation towards a more inclusive and equitable future. By drawing on external best practices in D&I, this role will support the strategic initiatives to position AQA as a leader in creating an equitable and inclusive workplace, resulting in better outcomes for our customers, enhancing employee engagement, and our business success.At AQA, we recognise that embracing diversity, fostering inclusion, and ensuring equity are fundamental to unlocking innovation, productivity, reputation, and overall business success. When delivered in an integrated way, D&I creates value to both organisations and wider society.
We\’ve set ambitious D&I targets and although we have made progress, that progress has been slower than we would like. Our commitment to D&I requires a significant shift and our Board of Trustees and Executive team are determined that we will achieve our D&I ambitions.
We\’re investing in this D&I role so that we can accelerate our progress across our employees, as well as our associates, who are largely teachers involved in the annual setting and marking of our general qualifications. This role will support the D&I Lead in influencing the organisation, working with senior leaders to gain their commitment to initiatives which create long-term value for AQA. Working with other members of People Group to implement the D&I strategy this role will contribute to the successful engagement of the organisation in these initiatives.
Reporting: This role will report to the D&I Lead and will work within the People Partnering and Employee Relations area. The role will work collaboratively with others within and across the organisation to support our ambitious programme of change.
Responsibilities
Expertise
Staying at the forefront of thought leadership in D&I benchmarking our practices against industry standards, ensuring our approach remains cutting-edge and value-driven.
D&I strategy: support the D&I Lead with the implementation of the D&I strategy to achieve our goals.
Support delivery of the D&I roadmap to systematically close existing gaps and drive continuous improvement.
Provide advice to the business on diversity of AQA people practice, supporting with the assessment and guidance on how our people practices can better reflect and support diversity, enhancing the value of our workforce.
Policy enhancement: support with reviewing HR policies and procedures to align with best practices and legal requirements.
Making change happen
Education and training: supporting the development and delivery of D&I education programs, enhancing broader workforce awareness and understanding.
Cross-functional collaboration: work with the D&I Lead in engaging with leaders, managers, and employees across all departments to promote understanding and commitment to D&I initiatives, adding value by fostering a unified and inclusive workplace culture.
Colleague networks: work with the newly formed networks to foster a sense of belonging among underrepresented groups, adding value by creating supportive communities
Cultural transformation and change management: support D&I lead in their efforts to create an inclusive and diverse organisational culture through training and education.
Stakeholder engagement: cultivate relationships with external organisations and community partners aligned with our D&I goals.
Drive devolved accountability into the business: promote accountability for D&I initiatives across the organisation, ensuring that every department and individual contributes to the value-driven D&I strategy – and feels the consequences of their achievements
Reporting and insights
D&I reporting: Support the preparation of regular reports and communicate progress to the leadership team.
To be successful in this role, you will need:
A track record of supporting D&I initiatives in comparable organisations
Legal and regulatory knowledge
Industry and sector understanding
Social and economic trends awareness
Change management to encourage adoption and behaviour change
Stakeholder engagement and influencing
Effective communication and storytelling
Project management #J-18808-Ljbffr