- Salary
- £47K–£53.7K
- Hiring from
- United Kingdom
- Work type
- Hybrid
- Posted
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At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.
Standards and Awarding Manager
Permanent
Manchester: £47,000 - £53,700
Guildford: £48,900 - £55,900
Hybrid working - minimum 2 days per week in the office
Help shape fair outcomes and maintain confidence in qualifications
Every year, millions of qualification results rely on robust awarding processes, sound judgement and the careful interpretation of evidence. As a Standards and Awarding Manager, you’ll bring data, assessment evidence, analytical thinking and professional judgement together to support fair, consistent and defensible awarding decisions.
You'll join a specialist team at a point of change, helping AQA shape future approaches to standards maintenance, awarding and the delivery of general and vocational qualifications through innovation and process improvement.
This is a role for someone who understands standard setting or awarding and is confident working with data. You may come from another awarding organisation, assessment or research background. What matters is that you can interpret evidence, make clear recommendations and explain technical decisions in a way others understand.
In this role, you'll be responsible for:
- Managing awarding activity and the approval cycle across a portfolio of qualifications, ensuring regulatory compliance
- Reviewing awarding evidence, data and technical information and applying judgement to support grade boundary recommendations, approval processes and awarding decisions.
- Building relationships with assessment managers, research and data specialists to reach robust, evidence-led decisions.
- Explaining complex technical evidence via reports, briefings, training, webinars and stakeholder conversations.
- Representing AQA externally when required, contributing to awarding and standards discussions across the sector.
What's in it for you?
You'll build specialist expertise and directly contribute to delivering fair outcomes for learners whilst shaping awarding and standards setting approaches for the future.
- 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.
- 25 days' annual leave, rising to 30 days with service, plus additional Christmas closure days.
- Generous pension scheme with combined contributions of up to 18.5%, available from your first day.
- BUPA private medical insurance, a healthcare cash plan and access to wellbeing support.
- Up to five paid volunteering days each year.
- Access to a range of colleague networks and development opportunities.
You'll thrive in this role if you have:
- Experience delivering complex, high-stakes processes within a regulated environment.
- Knowledge of awarding methodology, standard setting or related qualifications activity.
- Strong analytical skills and confidence interpreting data and evidence to support recommendations and decisions.
- The ability to balance technical detail, professional judgement and practical decision-making.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to a range of audiences.
- Experience building effective stakeholder relationships and providing constructive challenge where appropriate.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- A proactive approach to problem solving, risk management and continuous improvement.
- An interest in assessment, standards, awarding and evidence-based decision making.
Diversity and Inclusion
At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
What's Next?
Please upload your most recent CV and cover letter explaining how your experience and skills meet the requirements of the role.
Applications close at 23:59 on Monday 16 November 2026.
Face-to-face interviews will take place during the weeks commencing 23 November and 30 November 2026
Applications made to AQA are reviewed by humans, not AI.
#MCRE
Recruitment Agencies
We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.
Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.
Full Job Description
Summary
Standards and Awarding Managers provide technical expertise in standards and awarding, supporting the delivery of fair, valid and defensible outcomes that maintain public confidence. They play a central role in ensuring awarding processes are delivered in accordance with regulatory requirements, whilst driving efficiency, continuous improvement and operational excellence across the awarding lifecycle.Working as part of the Standards and Awarding team, they are responsible for managing awarding activity across a portfolio of qualifications and examination series. They provide technical advice and support on standards and awarding matters, working collaboratively with colleagues across the business to ensure the successful end-to-end delivery of awarding. They support and manage a variety of activities in relation to:
• delivery of awarding and approval processes
• regulatory compliance and assurance
• grade boundary review and recommendation processes
• standards maintenance and comparability
• awarding planning and risk management
• process improvement and innovation.Standards and Awarding team is part of the Standards and Innovation team, which forms part of the Research and Innovation directorate. This team is made up of Psychometrics and Data Science specialists supporting the delivery of multiple awarding series each year. The team also work closely with colleagues in Research, Assessment, Customer, Product and Exams Delivery Directorate as well as senior associates to ensure awarding decisions are supported by appropriate evidence and professional judgement.
The team plays a key role in maintaining regulatory confidence and supporting continuous improvement of standards and awarding processes. Through close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, the team supports the development of future approaches to awarding while ensuring ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements.
Activities
May perform some or all of the following activities, depending on business requirements and qualifications supported:
▪ Manage the delivery of awarding activity for allocated qualifications and examination series, ensuring all activity is completed to agreed quality standards and timescales.
▪ Implement and support awarding approval processes in line with regulatory requirements, internal policies and agreed governance arrangements.
▪ Review awarding evidence and data, contributing to grade boundary recommendations and approval activities.
▪ Apply technical expertise and professional judgement to awarding decisions, identifying, investigating and escalating issues where appropriate.
▪ Provide technical advice and guidance on standards and awarding matters to colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation.
▪ Contribute to the design, review and continuous improvement of awarding processes, policies and procedures.
▪ Support the development and maintenance of guidance, training materials and communications relating to standards and awarding.
▪ Participate in post-series reviews and implement improvements arising from lessons learned and analysis of delivery outcomes.
▪ Communicate complex technical information clearly through reports, briefing papers, presentations and stakeholder discussions, both internally and externally.
▪ Be the face of Standards and Awarding. Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support effective delivery of awarding activity.
▪ Contribute to team and organisational planning activities, ensuring dependencies, risks and resource requirements are identified and managed effectively.
Represent AQA on relevant external bodies and external meetings, as appropriate, including inter-Awarding Body and Regulatory groups on standards and awarding, ensuring that AQA’s views are well-represented and AQA makes a significant contribution to emerging national thinking in relation to standard setting and maintenance and awarding.
▪ Support responses to regulatory enquiries, external stakeholder requests or complaints relating to standards and awarding activity.
▪ Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and effectiveness through process enhancement, innovation and better use of data and technology.
To be successful in this role, you will need to:
▪ Have experience of delivering complex, high-stakes processes within a regulated environment.
▪ Knowledge of awarding methodology and standard setting
▪ Demonstrate strong analytical and decision-making skills, particularly in situations involving complexity, ambiguity or competing priorities.
▪ Be able to interpret data and technical information and use evidence to support robust recommendations and decisions.
▪ Be a strong and confident communicator, both in person and in writing, with the ability to explain complex technical information to a range of audiences.
▪ Build effective relationships with stakeholders and provide constructive challenge where appropriate.
▪ Demonstrate strong organisational skills, balancing multiple priorities and delivering successfully to challenging deadlines.
▪ Be proactive in identifying risks, resolving issues and driving continuous improvement.
▪ Work effectively both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating a strong commitment to shared outcomes.
▪ Have an understanding of the regulatory environment in which qualifications are awarded and the importance of compliance and public confidence.
▪ Have an interest in standards, assessment, awarding and evidence-based decision making.
Desirable
▪ Experience of assessment, research, qualification delivery or standards-related activity.
▪ Experience of leading improvement projects and implementing change.
About Us
AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.
Reasonable Adjustments
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in the role, please contact the recruiter named in the vacancy advert or your interview correspondence. They will work with you to ensure the appropriate support is in place and that the process is as accessible and equitable as possible.
If you're unsure who your recruiter is, or can't reach them, contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or 07813 724161, and she'll direct you to the right person.
Please note that Faye cannot assist with temporary vacancy enquiries or non-recruitment matters. For temporary vacancies, contact temprecruit@aqa.org.uk.
Smart Working
We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.
Diversity and inclusion
AQA is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
Conflict of Interest
Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.
Safeguarding
AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.
For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here.
Contact
Temporary roles: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
Permanent and Fixed Term roles: opportunities@aqa.org.uk
