Quality Assurance Manager in Sheffield

Location: Sheffield Office (with hybrid work available)

Pay Scale: £46,000 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

SFJ Awards are a regulated awarding organisation, delivering high quality qualifications and custom certification for learners through approved centres in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. We are also an apprenticeship assessment organisation approved by Ofqual to deliver assessment services for a growing number of standards in England.

Job summary: SFJ Awards provides a range of Awarding Organisation and assurance functions, including regulated qualifications and apprenticeship assessment. The Quality Assurance Manager oversees the day-to-day operation of assessment and quality assurance relating to apprenticeship assessments, qualifications and non-regulated provision. They will plan and deliver the risk-based approach for the monitoring of qualification and apprenticeship assessments, in line with SFJ Awards requirements. The post holder will line manage a team of Quality Assurance Officers and any relevant Quality Assurance staff, maintaining effective relationships with Centres, Associates and other internal teams to ensure the smooth operation of the Quality Assurance function and to ensure good customer service. The Quality Assurance Manager will support the Head of Quality Assurance by ensuring the achievement of the operational objectives that support SFJ Awards strategic priorities.

What is the impact of the role on the business? This role ensures that Quality Assurance processes happen, allowing SFJ Awards to be assured that qualifications and apprenticeship assessments are delivered to the standards that employers can trust.

Key business skills necessary for the role: The post holder should understand working in a regulated Awarding Organisation. They should have an understanding of External Quality Assurance and Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny. Experience of apprenticeship assessments (EPA) is also important.

What does the daily work look like? The Quality Assurance Manager will manage the day-to-day work of the Quality team, whilst also supporting their own portfolio of Centres. They will ensure that Centres are monitored in line with SFJ Awards expectations, arrange standardisation events, and manage the Quality Assurance Officers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Acting as a member of the SFJ Awards Management team to ensure that issues are dealt with effectively and raised with Senior Management when required.
• Daily management of resources to ensure the efficient handling of quality and compliance across apprenticeship assessment, qualifications and non-regulated provision.
• Ensuring that the team meet deadlines in line with agreed ways of working.
• Oversight of the assigning, monitoring and performance managing the work of Associates in a way that supports SFJ Awards Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (‘CASS’) strategy and Apprenticeship Assessment strategies.
• Being responsible for the recruitment and onboarding of Associates as required.
• Maintaining up to date CPD records and conflict of interest records for Associates.
• Ensuring apprenticeship assessments take place in line with SFJ Awards policies and procedures.

This job requires some days in the office. Please consider if you are willing to relocate before applying. This role is subject to a criminal record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please include your CV and cover letter when applying. In your covering letter, please give specific examples of work you’ve done or experiences you’ve had that demonstrate how you meet the requirements of this post and why this role feels like a good fit for you. Only apply if you currently have a valid right to work in the UK. Please note, we reserve the right to alter the closing date before the one stated. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Generous annual leave entitlement up to a maximum of 28 days, plus public holidays and a potential Christmas closure. Flexible working - 50% working from home with a dress for your day approach. Staggered start and finish time. We provide enhanced leave, bereavement, carers, maternity, paternity and sickness leave. Health and wellbeing benefits, access to our mental health first aiders, a confidential employee assistance programme, free eye tests and payment for an annual flu jab. Enhanced pension scheme, with a contribution matching up to a combined 12%, and the option to join the Salary Exchange Pension Scheme along with death in service coverage at three times annual salary. Flexible employee benefits, portal including a cycle to work scheme. Buy annual leave scheme. Organisational development days and departmental training budgets. Payroll giving, this is a tax-free way to donate to any charity, good cause or place of worship.

The Workforce Development Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone. If your experience differs a little from what is outlined in the job description, or you are missing a desired qualification, yet you think you can bring value to this role, please apply, we would like to hear more about you. We strongly encourage people of all gender, religion, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, and individuals with disabilities to apply. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any point, please let us know. In your application, please feel free to advise on your preferred pronouns, for example she/her, he/him, they/them etc.