Advanced Specialist, Compliance & Operations

Pearson; England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus opportunities

Pension contributions

Life assurance

Private healthcare options

Job summary

Pearson is seeking an Advanced Specialist in Compliance & Operations to support vocational centres across the UK, ensuring regulatory alignment and quality assurance. The role involves leading improvement initiatives, tackling high-risk centres, and guiding internal processes in collaboration with Pearson’s Quality Standards and Centre Management teams.

The position requires strong experience in QA within education, excellent communication, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a

Qualifications

• Experience managing quality assurance within educational, vocational, assessment, or awarding organisation environments.
• Strong knowledge of vocational qualification delivery, assessment, and QA processes.
• Experience supporting compliance, audits, investigations, or centre improvement.
• Ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong project planning, organisation and workload management skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex requirements clearly.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently within a changing environment.
• Graduate level education and professional education qualifications preferred.
• Teaching, mentoring or people management experience would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support vocational centres in maintaining compliance with Pearson quality standards, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Work directly with centres identified as high-risk to address quality, operational, and compliance concerns.
• Lead and coordinate quality improvement initiatives across multiple centres and qualification areas.
• Support investigations and resolution of malpractice and maladministration cases.
• Address operational issues impacting centre performance, including late registrations, inadequate resources, delivery concerns, and quality assurance failures.
• Support actions arising from Academic Management Reviews and other quality monitoring activities.
• Provide expert guidance on internal and external quality assurance processes, vocational assessment practices, and awarding organisation requirements.
• Monitor centre activity and develop improvement plans to ensure compliance and continuous quality enhancement.
• Maintain accurate, auditable records and produce data and reports to support operational decision-making.
• Work closely with Quality Standards, Investigations, Vocational Assessment and Centre Management teams to identify trends, risks, and solutions.
• Build effective relationships with centre leadership teams and stakeholders to drive positive quality outcomes.

Skills

Quality assurance

Stakeholder engagement

Project planning

Communication

Multitasking

Problem solving

Graduate education preferred

Mentoring

Job description

Advanced Specialist, Compliance & Operations

Description

Support and enhance the quality, compliance, and operational performance of Pearson's vocational education centres, ensuring delivery, assessment, and quality assurance activities meet regulatory and awarding organisation requirements.

This role is aligned to other titles in the market such as Quality Assurance Manager, Centre Quality Manager, Compliance Manager, Education Quality Manager, Vocational Quality Manager, Regulatory Compliance Manager, Quality & Operations Manager, Centre Performance Manager, or Assessment Quality Manager.

What You'll Be Doing

• Support vocational centres in maintaining compliance with Pearson quality standards, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Work directly with centres identified as high-risk to address quality, operational, and compliance concerns.
• Lead and coordinate quality improvement initiatives across multiple centres and qualification areas.
• Support investigations and resolution of malpractice and maladministration cases.
• Address operational issues impacting centre performance, including late registrations, inadequate resources, delivery concerns, and quality assurance failures.
• Support actions arising from Academic Management Reviews and other quality monitoring activities.
• Provide expert guidance on internal and external quality assurance processes, vocational assessment practices, and awarding organisation requirements.
• Monitor centre activity and develop improvement plans to ensure compliance and continuous quality enhancement.
• Maintain accurate, auditable records and produce data and reports to support operational decision-making.
• Work closely with Quality Standards, Investigations, Vocational Assessment and Centre Management teams to identify trends, risks, and solutions.
• Build effective relationships with centre leadership teams and stakeholders to drive positive quality outcomes.

What We're Looking For

• Experience managing quality assurance within an educational, vocational, assessment, or awarding organisation environment.
• Strong knowledge of vocational qualification delivery, assessment, and quality assurance processes.
• Experience supporting compliance, audits, investigations, or centre improvement activity.
• Ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong project planning, organisation, and workload management skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex requirements clearly.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently within a changing environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a pragmatic approach to improving performance and compliance.Graduate level education and professional education qualifications preferred.
• Teaching, mentoring, or people management experience would be advantageous.

Why Join Pearson?

At Pearson, our mission is simple: to help people realise the life they imagine through learning. You'll play a key role in protecting the integrity of Pearson qualifications, supporting vocational centres across the UK, and helping learners receive high-quality, compliant educational experiences.

Working Model

This is a home-based role with regular travel to vocational centres within the South of England and Pearson locations as required. Applicants must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle during working hours.

Skills

Quality Assurance | Compliance | Education Operations | Vocational Qualifications | Centre Management | Assessment & Verification | Regulatory Compliance | Risk Management | Audit & Governance | Investigations | Malpractice Resolution | Stakeholder Management | Performance Improvement | Quality Standards | Project Management | Educational Compliance | Centre Performance | Vocational Education | Operational Excellence | Quality Improvement

UK Benefits & Rewards

Pearson offers a competitive salary and benefits package which may include annual bonus opportunities, pension contributions, life assurance, private healthcare options, holiday entitlement, wellbeing programmes, learning and development opportunities, employee assistance programmes, and a range of flexible benefits. Eligibility and offerings may vary by location and employment status.

Who we are:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing [e-mail].

Job:

School Service Delivery

Job Family:

LEARNING&CONTENT_DELIVERY

Organization:

Assessment & Qualifications