Lead Specialist, Implementation

In this role, you’ll drive the successful delivery of the GQ Reform Programme, coordinating complex change to deliver high‑quality, customer‑focused qualifications that inspire teachers, engage learners, and support progression.

The Role

• Help shape the future of UK qualifications.
• As a Lead Specialist, Implementation you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering the GQ Reform Programme, coordinating complex, high‑profile change across Pearson to ensure outstanding, customer‑focused qualifications reach teachers and learners.
• You’ll bring structure, clarity, and momentum to reform delivery — working across teams to manage risk, maintain quality, and ensure we’re ready to succeed in a highly regulated, fast‑evolving qualifications landscape.
• This is a role for someone who thrives on collaboration, influence, and making meaningful educational impact.

What You’ll Own

• End‑to‑end coordination of reform delivery, leading the structured execution of large‑scale reform programmes across multiple workstreams, with quality at the core.
• Clear visibility of reform readiness, maintaining accurate plans, milestones, dependencies, and progress tracking so teams stay aligned and delivery remains on track.
• Governance and assurance, supporting PMO and senior stakeholders through high‑quality reporting, action tracking, and audit‑ready project management processes.
• Risk and issue management, proactively identifying, escalating, and mitigating risks to ensure reform activity remains compliant with internal and regulatory expectations.
• Cross‑functional collaboration, working closely with Product, Assessment Delivery, Assessment Design, Standards, and Technical teams to enable joined‑up delivery.
• Stakeholder engagement, representing reform activity in forums and meetings while ensuring consistent messaging, shared accountability, and clarity of roles.
• Continuous improvement, strengthening programme management practices, introducing smarter tools and routines, and building capability through training and best‑practice sharing.

About You

• You bring strong project or programme management experience, with a proven track record of delivering large‑scale, complex initiatives to a high standard.
• You’re experienced in requirements gathering, change delivery, and continuous improvement, and comfortable working in matrixed environments.
• You understand the UK qualifications landscape, including GCSEs and A Levels, and appreciate the needs of teachers, learners, and regulators.
• You’re confident influencing across diverse stakeholders — including internal teams and external bodies such as DfE and Ofqual — even without direct authority.
• You communicate with clarity and confidence, translating complex ideas into clear plans, updates, and recommendations.
• You’re curious, adaptable, and detail‑focused — able to zoom out to the big picture while ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
• You’re motivated by working in regulated environments, where quality, rigour, and compliance truly matter.

What You’ll Get

• The chance to play a central role in national reform, shaping qualifications that impact thousands of teachers and learners.
• Exposure to complex, high‑profile programmes with senior stakeholder visibility and real strategic importance.
• Opportunities to grow your expertise across education policy, assessment design, and programme leadership.
• A collaborative, hybrid working environment based in London or Oxford, with strong cross‑divisional connections.
• A role that directly supports Pearson’s mission to help people realise the life they imagine through learning.

Ready to Make an Impact? Apply now and be part of the team delivering the next generation of trusted, high‑quality UK qualifications.

Who We Are

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are.