Performance and Planning Lead

AQA; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme (up to 18.5% combined)

25 days annual leave (+ holidays)

Hybrid working (two office days a week

EV Leasing Scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Healthcare Cash Plan

Paid volunteering days

Job summary

AQA is seeking a Performance and Planning Lead to drive the Product Management programme, aligning roadmaps with long-term growth and delivering projects on time and within budget.

You will collaborate across the organisation, manage risks and dependencies, and communicate progress to stakeholders, while leveraging governance structures to ensure priority delivery and accountability.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering roadmap planning in a matrix environment.
• Strong governance experience, including risks, issues, dependencies and reporting.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication across the organisation.
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and able to present complex information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead creation of clear, focused project roadmaps aligned to growth goals.
• Ensure cross-team collaboration and manage risks, issues and dependencies.
• Provide regular progress updates to stakeholders and governance bodies.
• Coordinate planning across functions to deliver priorities on time and within budget.
• Drive governance forums and communicate information clearly to diverse audiences.

Skills

Governance

Stakeholder management

Planning & coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk & issue management

Communication skills

MS Office proficiency

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Project management tools

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.

R8330 Performance and Planning Lead

Permanent

Guildford, London, Milton Keynes £37,000 - £42,400

Manchester £36,200 - £40,700

Working arrangements:

Hybrid - two days a week in the office

Are you someone who thrives in complexity, enjoys connecting the dots and takes pride in seeing strategic plans come to life?

At AQA, we are committed to supporting your growth and success. From a comprehensive benefits package to continuous development opportunities, we provide the tools you need to excel.

Purpose of the role

As Product Management Performance & Planning Lead, you will play a key role in helping AQA improve and evolve its product offering. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will lead the planning, coordination and oversight of the Product Management programme of work, ensuring projects are delivered effectively, on time and within budget.

Key responsibilities:

• You will lead the creation of clear, focused project roadmaps that align with our long-term growth goals.
• You will ensure effective collaboration across teams, maintaining alignment and proactively managing risks, issues and dependencies.
• You will keep stakeholders informed through regular updates on progress, risks and potential blockers.
• You will drive accountability across teams by leveraging our governance structure, coordinating forums and sub-groups, and ensuring priorities are delivered.
• You will have access to the tools and training needed to communicate complex information clearly and effectively to a range of audiences.

You'll thrive in this role if you have:

• Proven experience supporting project or programme delivery within a matrix environment, balancing multiple priorities and short and long-term objectives.
• Strong governance experience, including managing risks, issues, dependencies, actions, priorities and reporting, with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint, with the ability to use technology confidently to support planning, reporting and coordination activities.
• Experience using project management tools and methodologies, alongside a continuous improvement mindset focused on driving efficiency and successful outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and engage confidently with managers and teams across the organisation.
• Strong planning, organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think logically, make informed decisions and connect people, processes and business goals.
• A collaborative team player who works effectively across multiple teams, demonstrating flexibility, adaptability and a willingness to support changing business priorities.

What's in it for you?

• A generous pension scheme with combined contributions up to 18.5%
• 25 days of annual leave (rising yearly), plus Bank Holidays and a Christmas closure
• Hybrid working, with two office days a week
• Electric Vehicle Leasing Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance, Healthcare Cash Plan and paid volunteering days

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

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 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 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.

Reference code: #LI-LH1

Full Job Description

Summary

AQA is much more than just an awarding organisation, our purpose is to advance education by enabling teachers and students to realise their potential. Our purpose is the reason AQA exists - we're here to make a positive difference in the world by bringing out the best in teachers and students. Joining the Product Management team will provide you with the opportunity to be part of the team that drives the organisation to make the necessary changes to improve our product offering and differentiate us as an awarding organisation. As the Product Management Performance & Planning Lead, your role will be to organise and oversee the Product Management programme of work, ensuring the delivery of projects to achieve outcomes that directly improve our product offer to customers.Landscape:
Reporting to a Senior Product Manager, you will work collaboratively with teams across AQA to develop and manage the roadmap of key Product Management activities; challenging and enabling the delivery of such activities to drive delivery on time and on budget. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in planning, delivery and risk management. They will be organised and methodical in their approach and possess refined stakeholder skills which support them to engage and influence at varying levels of seniority.

Activities:

• Support the delivery of the Product Management plan through the delivery of clear, project focused and aggregated plans to deliver Product Management priorities and activities in pursuit of the Product Growth strategy objectives and targets.
• Support effective cross team planning, in addition updating and maintaining associated risks and issue logs
• Provide a regular holistic view of short- and long-term progress, risks, issues and obstacles in achieving our Product Growth strategy (actively managing and updating formal risk documentation).
• Engage with, and hold to account, operational functions responsible for delivering the Product Management programme of activities. Support and act as the conduit for the planning processes across each function, helping to ensure prioritised Product Management projects are delivered on time, within budget and achieve desired outcomes.
• Support the active running of Product Management governance; manage relevant agendas, engage with working sub-groups and capture/follow up on agreed actions, manage the relationship between Product Growth Strategy objectives, in-flight activity, prioritisation and performance.
• Communicate all information in a clear, easy to understand way.

Need to know (to be successful in this role, you will need to know):

• Experience in a matrixed environment and delivering a roadmap of activity that delivers a balance of short- and longer-term projects
• A passion for planning, organisation and creative problem solving, an excellent understanding of how people, objectives, process and systems link together in a complex organisational environment.
• Background or exposure to managing multiple priorities and resources at one time, working with cross-functional teams, knowledge and expertise in project management and/or programme management.
• Experience in process improvement and knowledge of agile methodologies such as Six Sigma, Lean and Design thinking.
• Committed to putting customers at the heart of your thinking and decision making. A customers front and centre mindset is essential.
• Delivery focussed with a logical approach to problem solving and prioritisation.
• Good relationship management skills with the ability to manage stakeholders on multiple levels.
• Clear communication skills.
• A background in either Project/Programme management, or continuous improvement would be advantageous.