Exams Officer in Stourbridge

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and efficient Exams Officer to join Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School. We are seeking an enthusiastic professional to manage our diverse examination portfolio. Reporting directly to the Head of Centre (the School Lead), you will be the administrative lead for our May/June and November public examinations. This role is pivotal in ensuring that each exam series is well organised, calmly managed and compliant, so that our students and any private candidates using Elmfield as their exam centre have a positive experience of their exams.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-End Coordination: Oversee the organisation and delivery of all public examinations. In addition to the public examination series, the role involves overseeing a variety of assessment formats, such as mock exams and non-examination assessments.
• Exam Authorities: Manage the specific requirements of all our various exam boards, ensuring that all entries and administrative tasks are handled with precision.
• Access Arrangements: Work closely with our Access Arrangements Coordinator and Assessor to coordinate and implement Access Arrangements, ensuring that all eligible students receive the appropriate support in their exams in accordance with the relevant regulations.
• Liaison & Compliance: Act as the primary point of contact between the school, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), and our various exam boards (currently AQA, Pearson Edexcel, Cambridge OCR and Cambridge International).
• Administrative tasks: Carry out essential JCQ administrative tasks to ensure full compliance by: national register maintenance, secure handling protocols, conflict of interest management and inspection readiness.
• Private Candidates: Liaise directly with our private candidates and their families, assessing and managing their unique entry requirements, and ensuring they are fully supported throughout the exam process.
• Staff Leadership: Recruit, train, and lead a team of exam invigilators (mainly Elmfield staff members but likely also to include a small number of external invigilators).
• IT and Data Management: Use Google Docs and the exam boards’ secure websites to manage entries, access arrangements, special consideration, results, and post-results services, ensuring at all times that candidates’ personal data is kept secure.
• Financial Management: Work in conjunction with the Finance team to ensure that private candidate fees are paid promptly and in full, avoiding penalty/late fees from awarding bodies.
• Other Duties: Carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Head of Centre or Senior Leadership Team that are commensurate with the nature and grade of the post.

Hours & Flexibility

This is a Zero-Hours Contract, reflecting the natural "peaks and troughs" of the exam calendar. Some months will require a significant number of hours while others will require very few. You will be required to keep a spreadsheet showing the number of hours you have worked each month and the tasks you were working on. Working hours are generally flexible, and can be managed to fit around other commitments. However, there are some exceptions to this:

• Peak Periods: During exam seasons (primarily the summer term and the November resit period), you should plan to be available for up to 32.5 hours per week (typically 8:00 am – 3:00 pm). Flexibility is essential, as some days may require staying until 4:00 pm or later. You will be required to be in school whenever an exam is running and for approximately an hour before and afterwards.
• Results Day: You will be required to work in August during the week of GCSE Results Day, including coming into school on the day before Results Day and on the day itself.

About You

The successful applicant will be a calm, organised "anchor" for the school throughout the year and especially during high-pressure periods.

• Detail-Oriented: A keen eye for detail is essential and you will need to demonstrate the ability to maintain strict regulatory compliance as required by all the exam boards we use.
• Excellent Communicator: You must be professional and empathetic when dealing with the Head of Centre, other members of school staff, our students and their families, and our private candidates and their families, and when contacting exam board staff.
• Tech-Savvy: A high level of IT proficiency is vital for navigating our various exam board websites.
• Experience: Previous experience in exam administration is highly desirable but not essential. We are happy to provide full "on the job" and external training for the right candidate.

Why Elmfield?

At Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School, we value a holistic approach to education. You will be joining a supportive community that prioritises the well-being and success of every child. We offer a beautiful working environment and a team that values collaborative, excellent practice. Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS check is required for this post.