Head of Candidate Engagement

Royal College of General Practitioners; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 71,000; Full time

Job summary

A professional membership body for GPs in the UK is seeking a Head of Candidate Engagement. This role is vital for enhancing candidate experience during the MRCGP examination. The ideal candidate will lead teams managing candidate processes, develop communication strategies, and uphold examination integrity. Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills are essential for this full-time, hybrid role based in Greater London.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership and people management skills.
• Comfortable leading a team in high-pressure environments.
• Strong background in education or assessment is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Candidate Engagement and Reasonable Adjustments teams.
• Develop a comprehensive communications strategy for examinations.
• Oversee candidate-facing processes including appeals and complaints.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Strong communication skills

Team collaboration

Strategic thinking

Job description

Overview

Recruiter: Royal College of General Practitioners

Location: Greater London, RCGP Head Office (Hybrid working – minimum 2 days per week in the office)

Salary: £70,820.95 per year

Posted: 12 Sep 2025 | Closes: 26 Sep 2025 17:00

Sector: Further Education • Job Level: Head of Specialism • Employer Engagement / Partnerships, Student / Learner Services

Contract Type: Permanent • Hours: Full Time • Organisational Type: Specialist College

About the Role

We are seeking an outstanding leader to join our Examinations team as Head of Candidate Engagement. This role is essential to drive the best possible candidate experience for every GP Registrar sitting the MRCGP examination. Candidates are members of the College, and this transition is a key moment in their professional journey.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Examinations, you will oversee a team responsible for candidate-facing processes including appeals, mitigating circumstances, complaints, and reasonable adjustments. You will ensure these processes are fair, transparent, and equitably applied, supporting candidates with professionalism and empathy while safeguarding the integrity of a high-stakes licensing examination.

You will also lead on the communications strategy for the Examinations team, working closely with colleagues across PR, Policy, Corporate Communications, Membership, Marketing, and Faculties to strengthen a cohesive, College-wide approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Candidate Engagement and Reasonable Adjustments teams, ensuring high standards of service and delivery.
• Develop and deliver a comprehensive communications strategy for examinations, ensuring clear, empathetic, and professional engagement with candidates and wider stakeholders.
• Work in close partnership with the Head of Examinations and other senior colleagues to deliver an excellent service to candidates and uphold examination integrity.
• Oversee candidate-facing processes including appeals, mitigating circumstances, and complaints, maintaining fairness, transparency, and rigour.
• Ensure all reasonable adjustment requests are considered and implemented in line with policy and regulatory standards.
• Provide leadership, training, and supervision for team members, building a culture of professionalism and continuous improvement.

About You

You will bring a wealth of experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, or candidate services. A strong background in education, assessment, or professional standards is advantageous. You should be comfortable leading a team in high-pressure environments and working strategically across a complex organisation.

• Proven leadership and people management skills.
• Strong communications skills and expertise.
• Ability to develop clear strategies and engage diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively with senior stakeholders, balancing candidate support with examination integrity.
• Writing with impact.
• Team player and collaborative mindset.

About Us

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the professional membership body for GPs in the UK, with over 55,000 members. We set and uphold the standards of general practice to ensure high-quality care for patients.

The MRCGP examination is the endpoint assessment that doctors must pass to join the GP Register. Each year, around 6,500 candidates sit the assessment. This role ensures candidates are supported with the highest quality of service and communication, while safeguarding the integrity of the examination process—balancing candidate support with patient safety.

We have a brilliant team of circa 27 colleagues who always go the extra mile for our candidates. We were recently recognised for team culture, and we strive to make a meaningful difference to candidates and patients.

Please note: we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date if there is sufficient interest.

Application notes

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