General Building jobs in Wilmslow

Director of Assessment

Permanent

£90,000 to £120,000 Manchester

Hybrid working with UK wide travel

Are you ready to Lead Strategic Change in the Future of Assessments?

Imagine being at the forefront of a rapidly evolving educational landscape, where your leadership shapes the next generation of assessments. As the Director of Assessment, you'll not only drive the transition from paper to digital exams but also seize opportunities to redesign and prepare for curriculum and general qualification reform. If you're a strategic leader with a passion for innovation, change and inclusive excellence who possesses the gravitas to influence key stakeholders and thrive in a regulated environment, this role is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Empowering Vision and Inspiring Leadership: Guide Our Transformative Journey in Assessments.

At AQA, we are embarking on a journey of significant transformation in our assessment landscape and of our assessment teams. As the Director of Assessment, you will craft and steer the strategic direction, ensuring our assessments are not only cutting-edge, fair and accessible equitable but also reflect the latest educational advancements. Your talent for weaving together diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of continual ongoing improvement will be crucial in guiding us through these changes and reinforcing AQA's reputation as a beacon of educational excellence and innovation.

Landscape

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Directors of Operations, Associates, Product Management and other senior leaders across AQA, the Director of Assessment manages Heads of Assessment Design, Assessment Production, Assessment Development and Assessment Quality and collectively the team creates fair, practicable, valid, reliable, accessible and error free questions papers, marking instructions schemes and other assessment materials for the domestic and growing international core GCSEs and A levels to time and which are regulatorily compliant.

What Will You Accomplish?

In your role as Director of Assessment, you will lead a dedicated team of over 110 permanent colleagues and 1,000 senior associates, gracefully guiding the development and delivery of GCSE and A-level assessments. Your leadership will focus on preparing for and implementing curriculum and qualification reforms, ensuring that our assessment expertise and practices consistently exceed regulatory standards and support our commitment to educational innovation and excellence.

What's in It for You?

• Lead a strategic function in an environment poised for significant change and innovation.
• Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35-hour week and extensive opportunities for professional and personal development.
• Benefit from a competitive pension scheme, starting at 6% and rising up to 11.5%.
• Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure.
• Comprehensive health coverage from day one, including Bupa PMI, Health Cash Plan, and Life Assurance.
• Participate in eco-friendly transport schemes, including electric vehicles and cycle-to-work options.

What you'll do

As Director of Assessment with a strong track record, you will be instrumental in nurturing the future of educational assessments. Your role will be central in guiding the strategic evolution of our assessment processes, especially as we embrace digital exams and adapt to curriculum and general qualification reforms.

• Champion Strategic Transformation: Lead the re imagining and delivery of high-quality, accessible, and error-free assessment materials. You will ensure adherence to regulatory standards while promoting a culture of innovation and continuous growth.
• Empower and Develop Teams: Cultivate an inclusive, supportive environment that encourages collaboration, development, and excellence. Your leadership will be pivotal in mentoring and nurturing emerging talent within the team.
• Guide Data-Informed Insights: Apply your expertise in interpreting complex data to resolve ambiguous issues and communicate clear, actionable insights to diverse audiences.
• Foster Strong Relationships: Build and sustain meaningful relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies like Ofqual. Your influence will help ensure our assessments set the standard for educational excellence.
• Lead Organisational Change: Steer the organisation through significant changes in the educational landscape with empathy and foresight, preparing for future opportunities and challenges with a visionary approach.
• Contribute to the development of assessment products more widely: as AQA seeks to diversify its assessment products beyond General Qualifications, you will have the opportunity to contribute and develop your expertise beyond general qualifications

To excel in this role, you should possess:

• Experienced Leadership: A history of leading large teams with compassion and clarity in high-stakes, time-sensitive settings. You are known for creating a supportive vision and fostering a high-performance culture.
• Results-Oriented Decision-Making: The ability to make thoughtful, timely decisions that achieve the best outcomes for a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Customer-Centric Approach: A deep commitment to advocating for optimal outcomes for customers while ensuring full regulatory compliance.
• Collaborative Leadership: Proficiency in managing and inspiring cross-functional teams within a matrix structure. You excel at building consensus and working harmoniously with a broad range of stakeholders, including executive leadership and regulatory bodies.
• Strategic and Financial Acumen: A forward-thinking mindset that translates organisational strategy into practical plans. You possess a keen sense of commercial awareness and financial performance modelling, enabling you to make informed decisions that support the organisation's long-term goals.
• Excellence in Assessment Development: A commitment to ensuring zero tolerance for errors while leading the development of cutting-edge assessment solutions. You are adept at translating complex information into clear, actionable insights that drive continuous improvement and maintain the highest standards of quality.

Ready to Shape the Future of Assessments?

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every team member can thrive. If you're a strategic thinker with a vision for the future of education and ready to lead transformative change, apply today sending your CV and a supporting statement outlining your motivation and transferable skills.

Closing date: Sunday 15th September 2024

The screening process will consist of a prescreening call followed by a two stage Interview process held via MS Teams and face to face respectively in September and October 2024.

All applications will receive a written response.

AQA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique. AQA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment. Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website.

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