Certification Lead in Northampton

Location: Hybrid between home and Kettering. Occasional visits may be needed to other offices for meetings and organisational events.

Reports to: Service Operations Manager

Salary: £34,020 plus excellent benefits

Closing Date: 07th April 2026

Please note, this role is being advertised as a 12-month fixed-term contract

About the role:

This is a pivotal opportunity to take ownership of a key function managing the end-to-end certification process for our growing base of CMI learners and apprentices. You will play a crucial role in ensuring successful outcomes, leveraging both internal processes and vital relationships with third-party providers. Collaborating closely with the Service Operations Manager, Head of Partner Services, and wider stakeholders, you will be instrumental in managing critical data processes that deliver successful learners their final certificates. This challenging and rewarding position also involves leading a dedicated team, serving as the ultimate escalation point for Partners and Learners, and driving excellence in service delivery.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team to efficiently process and support all learner certificate requests, updates, amendments, and re-requests.
• Manage external stakeholder relationships for certificate fulfillment (paper/e-certificates) and ESFA apprenticeship requests.
• Streamline all certification processes, standardizing qualification and apprenticeship requests.
• Manage setup for new partners/products, including conversion to e-certification and reporting.
• Conduct capacity planning.
• Act as a key internal/external contact, providing self-serve FAQs.
• Ensure data quality and adherence to CMI, Ofqual, ESFA, and Awarding Body standards.
• Manage SLA achievement, resolve complaints/issues, and maintain/improve Customer Service Standards.

About you:

We are an inclusive employer and welcome all diverse backgrounds, where individuality is celebrated, creating both a forward-thinking team and a supportive space for everyone in the CMI team. We actively invite applications from diverse cultures and experience. We are looking for someone who can enhance our culture and align with our core values. We want someone who is ‘Passionate’ in making a positive difference to the skills of managers and leaders, ‘Practical’; with the ability to make quick and smart decisions, ‘Progressive’ about creating a better future and maintaining a ‘Professional’ code of conduct, through being accountable and ethical in everything that we do.

Passionate about data, regulation, and detail. Thrives in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities with a 'can-do,' continuous improvement approach. Loves and delivers excellent customer service, problem-solving, and confident decision-making. A strong, natural leader skilled in motivating, coaching, and developing teams, with experience in bringing teams along. Excellent verbal and written communication. Track record of exceeding service metrics and KPIs.

Desirable:

Knowledge of the education sector, market, and management/leadership qualifications and apprenticeships.

Why CMI:

Are you looking to join a dynamic and ambitious organisation? At CMI, new leadership and management strategies are at the forefront of what we do. We know the importance of fresh ideas and encourage new perspectives. We are a not-for-profit, Sunday Times Best Company To Work for 2024, with a Platinum Accreditation with Investors in People. We offer an engaging, flexible and collaborative culture with a wealth of opportunity for professional development.

It doesn’t stop there. We believe we are only as good as the people that work at CMI and in turn offer a competitive benefits package for all employees:

• Flexible working - our expectation is 2 days a week in the Kettering office. We are not a traditional 9 to 5, we are flexible with what hours you work and when you work. Our offices in both London and Kettering provide comfortable collaboration spaces for team get-togethers.
• 21 days’ holiday + 8 days’ Bank Holiday + 4.5 days allocated for CMI holiday over Christmas and New Year period - with annual leave days increasing with length of service and the opportunity to buy and sell holiday.
• Wellbeing and mental health - in-house mental health first-aid trainers and BUPA Employee Assistance for 24 hour support.
• Inclusion at our core - Our colleague-led Inclusion Hubs for Ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, Menopause, Age, Disability and SocioEconomic are open for anyone to join.
• CMI membership - take advantage of our amazing courses and become a Chartered Manager. Plus, CMI will pay your professional membership to one additional organisation of choice.
• Rewards and Recognition scheme - cash prizes awarded to employees throughout the year.
• Pension - we add an extra 6% of your gross salary to your pension pot every month after 3 months.

About us:

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) sets the Professional Standard in Management and Leadership. We have worked with businesses and education providers to inspire people to unleash their potential through qualifications, apprenticeships and training to become skilled, confident and successful managers and leaders, resulting in Chartered Manager status - the ultimate management accolade, which is proven to boost individuals’ career prospects, management capability and impact in the workplace.

Personal data which you provide through your application will be used for recruitment purposes only. For further details, see our privacy policy on our website. By submitting your CV/application, you are agreeing for your data to be used this way. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than advertised should we receive a high number of suitable applicants.