Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager in Bristol

Department: Quality and Compliance – iCQ Awards

Location: Bristol Office, with hybrid working available

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

iCQ Awards are a regulated awarding organisation, delivering over 200 regulated qualifications, an end‑point assessment (EPA) organisation for over 40 apprenticeship standards and providing integrated assessment and funding software solutions. We work across over 20 business sectors, delivering skills development to a growing number of organisations, including some large household names.

The Workforce Development Trust is a not‑for‑profit organisation that provides services that support employers to develop skilled, sustainable, and efficient workforces in the UK and abroad. We operate via our collective of five brands; Skills for Health, Skills for Justice, SFJ Awards, People 1st International and ICQ Awards, which deliver specialist, targeted skills interventions to support a variety of frontline public services.

Job summary: iCQ Awards provides awarding and assessment services to hundreds of training providers and employers across the UK – directly supporting the development of individuals through skills, knowledge and behaviours, often within the workplace. Our commitment to providing exceptional service and support has positioned us as a trusted partner for a wide range of assessment organisations throughout the UK. As we continue to expand our reach, we are seeking an exceptional Business Development Manager to play a key role in our continued success.

The post holder will plan and deliver the risk‑based approach for the monitoring of qualification and apprenticeship assessments, in line with iCQ Awards requirements. The post holder will coordinate the team of Quality and Compliance Officers maintaining effective relationships with Centres, Consultants and other internal teams to ensure the smooth operation and good customer service of the Quality Assurance and Compliance function. The Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager will support The Head of Quality and Compliance to ensure the achievement of the operational objectives that support iCQ Awards strategic priorities.

Impact of the role on the business: This role ensures that the iCQ Quality Assurance and Compliance processes are both executed and monitored for effectiveness, allowing iCQ Awards and stakeholders to be assured that qualifications and apprenticeship assessments are delivered to the standards both required and expected.

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

Daily work overview: The Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager will manage the day‑to‑day work of the Quality team, whilst also onboarding new recognised centres and supporting their own portfolio of recognised Centres directly. Working with the Head of Quality and Compliance you will ensure that the delivery of iCQ qualifications and assessments is monitored in line with iCQ Awards expectations, arrange and attend standardisation activities and events, and manage the Quality Assurance Officers.

Unique aspects of the team: The Quality Assurance team coordinate and monitor the quality assurance of qualifications and apprenticeship assessments. By doing this, they are ensuring the public, employers and regulators have confidence in iCQ Awards qualifications and assessments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Daily co‑ordination of resources to ensure the efficient handling of quality and compliance across apprenticeship assessment, qualifications and non‑regulated provision.
• Meeting deadlines in line with agreed ways of working.
• Assigning, monitoring and performance managing the work of Consultants.
• Supporting the recruitment and onboarding of Consultants as required.
• Ensuring up to date CPD records and conflict of interest records for Consultants is maintained.
• Ensuring apprenticeship assessments take place in line with iCQ Awards policies and procedures.
• Ensuring the quality assurance of qualification Centres, in line with iCQ Awards published Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny (CASS) approach.
• Processing and onboarding Centre and Qualification approval applications.
• Ensuring the on‑going quality assurance / monitoring of approved Centres.

Benefits:

• 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.