BCU AAO Officer (Maternity Cover 12 months) 23. 5 hours per week in Birmingham

Department: Apprenticeships

Location: Parkside

Salary: £32,006 to £35,331 per annum pro rata

Fixed Term (Maternity Cover)

Post Type: Part Time

Release Date: 10 August 2026

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Monday 24 August 2026

Interview Date: Monday 07 September 2026

Reference: S126038

About Birmingham City University:

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world‑class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities. Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential. By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

Role Summary:

The BCU Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation (BCU-AAO) Officer will support the delivery of integrated and fully integrated Apprenticeship Assessments across Birmingham City University’s apprenticeship provision. Acting on behalf of the University’s Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation (BCU-AAO), you will work closely with the Apprenticeship Assessment Manager to ensure assessment activities are delivered efficiently, meet regulatory and quality assurance requirements, and provide an excellent experience for apprentices and stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in maintaining high standards of assessment delivery while supporting continuous improvement across the University’s apprenticeship provision.

Essential Requirements:

• Experience of working within Apprenticeship Assessment or equivalent assessment processes.
• Good, up-to-date knowledge of Apprenticeship Standards and Apprenticeship Assessment Plans for integrated apprenticeships.
• A good understanding of quality assurance requirements relating to Apprenticeship Assessments.
• Excellent IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to plan, prioritise and manage competing workloads while meeting deadlines.
• Experience of developing, maintaining or supporting effective administrative systems and processes.
• The ability to train, support and work collaboratively with assessors and a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate confidently and diplomatically.
• The ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Experience of collecting, analysing and presenting data and producing reports.
• The ability to work independently, using initiative to solve problems and improve processes.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working within an awarding organisation, higher education institution or training provider.
• Experience of administering online assessment or examination systems.
• Knowledge of digital systems used to support Apprenticeship Assessment administration.
• Knowledge of External Quality Assurance (EQA) requirements and experience of supporting EQA visits.
• Experience of supporting the recruitment, induction or training of assessors or quality assurance staff.

Further Information:

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of apprenticeship assessment within a dynamic and forward-thinking university, we would love to hear from you. This is an excellent opportunity to join Birmingham City University and contribute to the successful delivery of high-quality Apprenticeship Assessments. You will work as part of a collaborative team, supporting apprentices, assessors and academic colleagues while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and quality standards. In return, we offer a supportive and inclusive working environment, opportunities for professional development, and a comprehensive range of staff benefits. If you are organised, proactive and committed to delivering an excellent service, we encourage you to apply.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Elizabeth Mickiewicz, Apprenticeship Assessment Manager at Elizabeth.Mickiewicz@bcu.ac.uk

Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. Interviews for this role are envisioned to take place on Monday 7th September 2026.

Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University

Why work for us:

• Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
• Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
• Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, a health cash plan, wellbeing support and a wide range of staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

Visa Sponsorship:

This role does not meet the minimum salary requirements for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. We are therefore unable to consider applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK.

Further Details:

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Use of AI in applications:

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance;

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer:

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview. The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to re-enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.