Assessment Design Lead

AQA; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK educational organization is seeking an Assessment Design Lead to shape innovative assessment products. This role involves leading assessment specifications and ensuring validity, reliability, and fairness. The ideal candidate will have experience in assessment design and project management skills. The position offers a hybrid working model and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme with up to 11.5% employer contributions

Private medical insurance

Flexible working arrangements

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in assessment design and development.
• Demonstrable understanding of validity, reliability, and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong project management skills in complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Design assessment specifications and models meeting regulatory standards.
• Embed validity and reliability principles in assessment products.
• Collaborate with product managers to integrate design into roadmaps.
• Drive innovation using research and assessment insights.

Skills

Assessment design and development

Understanding of validity and reliability

Excellent communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Innovation and continuous improvement

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent experience

Job description

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.

Job title: Assessment Design Lead

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Manchester, Milton Keynes, or London

Salary: North £52,750–£58,900 | South £54,900–£61,300

Working arrangements: Hybrid – typically two days in an AQA office each week, which can include your base office or other AQA sites to collaborate with colleagues and drive innovation

Have you designed new assessment products, frameworks or specifications that ensure validity, reliability, and fairness whilst being innovative in the market? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Shape the future of assessment

We’re building something new – and we want you to be part of it. AQA Assessment Services Ltd is creating a dedicated team to develop innovative assessment products that go beyond the traditional 14–18 space. These roles are at the heart of our ambition to transform how learners interact with learning and assessment, both in the UK and internationally.

As an Assessment Design Lead, you’ll bring expertise in assessment theory and design to create products that meet diverse learner needs and uphold the highest standards of validity and reliability. You’ll lead the development of assessment specifications, models and frameworks that are robust, innovative, and aligned with AQA’s strategic objectives.

Why join us?

• Collaboration at the core: You’ll work face‑to‑face with a newly formed department, shaping its culture and influencing its direction. While we encourage two days a week in an AQA office, this can be at your base location or another AQA site to work with colleagues and lead innovation.
• Make your mark: Be part of a team driving AQA’s growth strategy and creating assessments that change the way learners experience education.
• Professional development: Access internal programmes and opportunities to grow your expertise in assessment design and leadership.
• Inclusive culture: We value diversity, collaboration, and innovation – and we’re committed to creating an environment where differences are celebrated.

Purpose of the role

This role exists to ensure our new products are underpinned by rigorous assessment design principles. You’ll lead the development of assessment specifications and models that guarantee validity, reliability, and fairness. Your work will influence how learners are assessed globally and help AQA deliver innovative solutions that meet diverse market needs.

What you’ll be doing

• Designing assessment specifications and models that meet regulatory and pedagogical standards.
• Embedding principles of validity, reliability, and fairness into all assessment products.
• Working closely with Product Managers to integrate assessment design into product roadmaps.
• Collaborating with learning designers, policy teams, and external experts to ensure compliance, coherence and quality.
• Driving innovation by applying research and assessment insights to improve design.

You’ll thrive in this role if you have

• Experience in assessment design and development, including specifications and models.
• Demonstrable understanding of validity, reliability, and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Project management experience in complex environments.
• A passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

What’s in it for you

• Exposure to high‑impact projects shaping the future of assessment and education.
• A collaborative, inclusive team culture that values your ideas and wellbeing.
• Flexible working, a 35‑hour week, and 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and Christmas closure).
• A generous pension scheme with up to 11.5% employer contributions.
• Private medical insurance, health cash plan, EV leasing, volunteering days, and modern offices with gym.
• Opportunities to influence assessment strategy across diverse markets and education models.
• Access to learning and development, including leadership and strategic thinking.

Diversity and inclusion

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application process

• To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter by Sunday 7th December 2025 at 23:59.
• First stage: Virtual Interviews will take place between 10th and 17th December 2025.
• Second and Final stage: Face to Face interviews week commencing 5th January 2026 and will involve a structured interview and a task.

Reference code: #CRE23

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

Purpose: AQA Assessment Services Ltd (ASL) is driving a new programme of work to successfully implement its ambitious Business Plan to double the size of the business within the next five years. The Assessment Design Lead will form part of our team, developing and leading a new range of innovative assessment products designed to meet the needs of learners at different stages of their learning experience. The role combines expertise in general, technical and vocational education, to ensure the successful development of specific assessment products within the wider portfolio under guidance of the Head of Assessment Products. We’re looking for an experienced and dynamic assessment design manager with a passion for academic, technical and vocational education, both in the UK and internationally.

Landscape

AQA is the leading exam board in the United Kingdom. We’re an independent education charity with over 120 years of assessment expertise and knowledge. Our purpose is to support education, teachers and learners. We reinvest any surplus into research and innovation, to improve the quality and reliability of assessments and contribute to policy and practice worldwide. AQA Global Assessment Services combines this expertise with skills from across the wider AQA group. We work in partnership with education ministries, exam boards, and education providers to understand their needs and develop customised end‑to‑end assessment solutions. ASL will be driving forward strategic initiatives by developing new partnerships, enterprise customers, and large delivery contracts. To be successful in these we will need to develop programmes of work which ensure different parts of AQA are connected in support of the customer requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Customer Focus: Engage with internal and external stakeholders on new assessment design issues to support new assessment product design.
• Represent ASL to meet wider business needs, support delivery and input assessment expertise to strategic projects.
• Champion how new assessment products should reflect customer needs whilst focusing on high quality (validity, reliability, practicality and impact).
• Financial Management: Calculate and review authoring fees for assessments; contribute to pricing models for new assessment products.
• Product and Internal Processes: Lead assessment design activities for a range of new assessment products, to ensure quality, budget control and timely delivery; keep up to date with latest thinking, best practice and policy on assessment design and put this into practice; analyse assessment performance data and create, with key stakeholders, a shared understanding of strengths and weaknesses of our assessments and recommend/implement improvements; recruit and manage associates, by working with other teams within both AQA and ASL; communicate clear expectations to associates when commissioning/planning assessments; create and maintain accurate records related to assessments to ensure strategy and approach is clear and conformed to; quality assure assessments in production focusing on validity, reliability, practicality and impact; contribute to any standard setting and maintenance processes to ensure valid, reliable and comparable outcomes; manage the creation of reports on the assessments.
• People and Culture: Demonstrate commercial flexibility by undertaking other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level outside the terms of this role profile as business needs change; comply with all AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to HSE, Equal Opportunities and ISMS; work with colleagues both in the team and in the wider AQA assessment team to create and embed good practice in assessment design and development; utilise the available range of digital tools for communication, content creation and information processing in order to work effectively and efficiently. Maintain digital skills to meet business need.
• Technology: Work with external partners and stakeholders within AQA to ensure successful outcomes in innovative new approaches with technology to support assessment products.
• Government and External Relations: Ensure that all product related regulatory and compliance activities, records and risk management processes are maintained and managed.

To be successful in this role, you will need to know

Knowledge: Assessment design and development and the ability to apply this knowledge to various assessment products (summative/formative/diagnostic) as well as to a range of subjects, data analysis including statistical data, developing assessment products to deadlines and meeting commercial objectives, the UK and International education context, the regulatory environment in which AQA works and the importance of compliance.

Qualification: Degree‑level education or equivalent experience.

Skills: communication, influencing, negotiation, creative thinking, analysis, problem solving, prioritisation, strategic planning and interpersonal abilities.

Experience: assessment design and development, designing digital assessments in a ‘design for digital’ context, designing assessment products for a range of different learners, working in a complex matrix environment.