Head of Assessment Content

Job Description

About the teamThe Assessment division, part of UK Schools is responsible for the delivery of GCSEs and A levels as well as a range of other qualifications in the UK and internationally. The Assessment division has end-to-end responsibility for delivering secure assessmentsand accurate results to our customers. Our vision is to combine excellence in assessment with outstanding customer experience.The Assessment division comprises of:

• Delivery team (UK and International) - accountable for the strategic delivery of our high stakes UK and international qualifications
• Content team - accountable for the accurate delivery of our secure high stakes UK and international assessment instruments as well as non-secure content.
• Strategy and customer team - accountable for delivery of assessment-related transformational, strategic and customer initiatives.
• Online assessment transformation team - accountable for delivering online transformation initiatives and support of online marking system.

Purpose

• To provide clear leadership and direction to the General Qualifications (GQ) Content Team including Special Requirements and the Digitisation team.
• Accountable for the on time, on budget operational delivery of Pearson UKs secure, high stakes General Qualifications (GQ) assessments providing visibility of delivery.
• Deliver all materials within regulatory requirements and to withstand scrutiny by internal and external stakeholders including regulators, teachers, learners and parents.
• Manage the business not as usual approaches to respond to changes in the educational landscape.
• Drive continuous improvement through seeking efficiencies, improvements and supporting new initiatives including the move to item authoring and item banking.
• Act as the expert and point of contact for content production activities across the business.

Key accountabilities:People

• Manage and lead a team of approximately 40, creating an environment for high performance.
• Ensure effective recruitment, induction and training plans (including learning and development) are in place across the team alongside ongoing performance management, development and progression.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with Assessment Associates, GQ Assessment and other internal and external stakeholders including DfE, Ofqual and other Awarding Bodies.
• Utilise interpersonal skills and the ability to negotiate, influence and persuade internal and external stakeholders of all levels whilst negotiating sensitivities across the business.
• Motivate and lead teams through constant change.
• Lead cross-functional and cross-organisational teams to achieve shared goals.
• Manage the departmental budget for content production activities (including the quarantine and destroy budget) ensuring the effective deployment of resources.

Delivery

• Lead the team in maintaining good working practices to maximise accuracy, efficiency and security.
• Deliver against agreed production timelines, often delivering to tight, immovable deadlines.
• Ensure departmental production plans for secure and non-secure content are developed, monitored and adapted accordingly when the environment, tasks or people change.
• Provide timely and accurate visibility against content production targets via reporting, MI (management information) and KPIs (key performance indicators).
• Actively manage risks and issues to ensure timely delivery of high-quality outcomes, escalating appropriately.
• Ensure contingency plans and reserve content are in place to mitigate risk.
• Manage the production of new or additional content, working closely with both internal and external stakeholders to meet stakeholder and customer needs.

Quality & Continuous improvement

• Manage the impact of content errors and security breaches and put in place actions to reduce the occurrence of these.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement to increasingly deliver value to the business and our customers.
• Provide performance evaluation metrics to drive continuous improvement across the department.
• Plan and implement focused areas for change and improvement ensuring they meet the requirements of internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead conversations with stakeholders to influence and drive decision making on improvement activities.
• Manage the end-to-end implementation of item authoring and item banking operating model ensuring that there are clear plans on how and when the content production will shift to the new operating model.
• Ensure that all key processes are documented, implemented and adhered to and manage the response to and completion of audit actions on these processes.
• Represent Pearson at external meetings and events such as JCQ, Ofqual and with Assessment Associates and customers.
• Undertake any further tasks necessary to deliver key objectives.

Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledge and experience of the UK secondary school environment and assessment.
• Leading and motivating a large team of assessment professionals.
• Strategy development and practical execution to achieve strategy.
• Academic qualifications, teaching, learning and assessment e.g., the market, customers, learners, assessment, technology.
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.
• Leading and managing projects to achieve business goals.
• Working in a complex matrix structure.
• Managing budget and revenue model; experience of forecasting accurately.
• Academic assessment principles and techniques.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior.
• Strong people management skills, with the ability to motivate, lead, influence and empower others.
• Excellent strategic thinker, commercial acumen and financial planning.
• Strong communication, collaboration, interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Ability to deliver results.
• Creative thinking and ability to think laterally.
• Can-do attitude.

Your Reward & Benefits Well expect a lot and