Specialist, Assessment in Manchester

In this role you'll be responsible for managing the qualification and the assessment process within their designated specification(s) from the General Qualifications portfolio. The role aligns to industry-level titles such as Assessment Leader (AL).

Purpose

They will manage the entire assessment process from the approval of assessment materials (i.e., question papers) to the completion, award and review of the examination series. They will ensure that the assessments on all qualifications are carried out to a high standard in accordance with all appropriate internal policies and external regulations and can withstand scrutiny by internal audit and all stakeholders - including regulators, students and parents. They will have a focus on customer experience, support, engagement and insight. They will support on implementing a cycle of continuous refinement and improvement to assessments by evaluating the performance data and applying a customer-centric approach into decision making. They will demonstrate a keen interest and an in-depth understanding of the specification and will support the Manager on supporting customers with understanding the qualification. They will develop an understanding of good assessment and will be able to interpret and analyse assessment data to evaluate how assessments have performed.

Key Accountabilities

• Customer Support
  • Managing own performance in relation to internal and external service levels, for example timely resolution of customer queries and a high standard of customer communication.
  • Developing a customer-first mindset with a focus on retention.
  • Producing (as appropriate) customer-friendly assessment support to help customers understand assessment processes.
  • Supporting the Manager with customer facing research and support (e.g. Teacher training packs, support sessions, focus groups, surveys).
  • Supporting any contingency arrangements implemented generally or for more specific customers.
• Assessment excellence and functioning
  • Adhering to regulatory and internal procedures and obligations at all stages and that all documentation is to the highest standard, meets the assessment criteria for given assessments and ensures our assessments meet the needs of learners.
  • Awarding secure grade boundaries that are defendable.
  • Running standardisation & awarding meetings.
  • Analysing and interpreting assessment data to ensure comparability in our question papers series on series.
  • Using the assessment data to ensure question papers are written at the appropriate level.
  • Supporting on an array of assessment initiatives across the department such as digital assessments, the mock service etc.
  • Developing New Examiner Training and refresher training for AAs.
  • Adapting and developing an understanding of digital assessment.
  • Supporting and facilitating the production of other assessment content across all assessment services, for example, Examiner Reports, on-screen assessment material.
  • Ensuring assessment material reflects Pearsons global DE&I principles and our assessments are inclusive of learners.
• Planning, Project and Information Management
  • Updating and reporting on key management information to the Manager, ensuring all data is up-to-date and accurate, for example monitoring marking quality.
  • Supporting on scheduling and forecasting activities to ensure optimum efficiency for series based activities whilst also factoring in cost and budget-based considerations.
  • Ensuring online marking related set up activities are completed on-time for subjects responsible for and reviewing series on series to ensure consistency in the marking of exam papers.
  • Escalating issues and risks to the Manager in a timely manner together with potential solutions.
  • Leading on cross-department projects, ensuring all team members are briefed and engaged and the projects are delivered to deadline.
• Quality Management
  • Maintaining good working practices to maximise accuracy, economy, efficiency and security, for example ensuring quality of marking is closely monitored and completed correctly and to deadline.
  • Taking responsibility for the quality and standards for a specific set of subjects.
  • Ensuring awards meet regulatory and standards requirements and free from error.
  • Conducting annual subject reviews to identify and implement improvements for the delivery of responsible subjects showing measurable enhancements to the delivery of assessments over time.
  • Ensuring the quality of all content materials by fully engaging with the continuous cycle of improvement of our assessments, including the 10 stage process, for example, error free, no surprises etc.
  • Prior and during QPEC meetings, fully engage with assessment material ensuring adherence to DE&I principles, regulation, error-free, no surprises etc.
• Relationship Management
  • Motivating and leading their subjects and teams of Senior AAs through constant change, reviewing regularly in order to deliver improvements to the quality and efficiency of the assessment process.
  • Managing Senior AAs, continuously assessing their performance and giving regular feedback, including annual appraisals of their performance (e.g. Senior AA Review).
  • Building and maintaining effective relationships with Senior AAs.
  • Building and maintaining effective relationships with internal stakeholders to develop mutually acceptable service level agreements.
  • Support with AA recruitment.
  • Work closely with the subject advisors and internal customer-facing teams to identify opportunities to support customers and support retention of customers.
  • Support with training and development of the Advanced Associate.

Key Challenges

• Working to tight, and immoveable, deadlines
• Working within a regulated framework
• Attention to detail even with repetitive tasks
• Flexibility of working patterns during peak periods
• Reacting positively to change.
• Adapting to the challenges of each qualification
• Adapting to different IT systems
• Supporting Assessment Associates in their use of new technologies
• Influencing and working closely with Assessment Associates and internal stakeholders.
• Simultaneously managing tasks for multiple examination series.

Working Pattern

• 37.5 hour core working week
• Hybrid working status
• Overtime/TOIL is available subject to division policy on eligibility
• Flexible working pattern available
• During peak times of activity there are restrictions on leave
• Some weekend work may be required.

Core Competencies - Managing Others

• Provide a customer focused service
• Excellent time management and organisation
• Communicating with influence
• Working with others to achieve goals
• Delivering goals in a changing environment
• Taking creative and innovative approach to work
• Maximising potential in self and others.

Education, Qualification & Training

We welcome applications from any background. The Specialist, Assessment may have a range of experience in assessment roles such as a teacher or departmental lead in a School or College, or some other role in the education sector.

Previous Experience

• Experience of a customer facing role
• Experience of assessment desirable but not essential
• Subject specialism/interest desirable but not essential
• Teaching experience or experience in working in an educational environment desirable but not essential

Personal Style & Behaviour

• Highly motivated individual with personal drive and energy
• Able to prioritise and manage own workload
• Actively seeks information and is able to handle it appropriately
• Prepared to be flexible in their approach to problem solving
• Able to problem solve
• Works collaboratively with others

Your Rewards & Benefits

We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too.

Who We Are

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