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.
Psychometrics & Innovation Manager
Permanent
Manchester: £64,757 - £75,572
Guildford: £67,427 - £78,689
Shape the Future of Assessment in a Newly Created Psychometrics & Innovation Manager Role
Think you can revolutionise how assessments are designed and delivered? Imagine the impact you could have in transforming educational testing through data-driven insights, innovative approaches, and cutting-edge research.
We’re seeking a Psychometrics & Innovation Manager to work closely with the Head of Standards and Innovation to develop and develop a wide variety of assessments. You’ll guide a dedicated team of six statisticians and quantitative researchers, applying statistical approaches to awarding and ensuring assessments remain valid, reliable, and fair. In this important role, you’ll be central to AQA’s strategic development, collaborating across the organisation to create new opportunities, introduce innovative practices, and strengthen our ability to adapt to the ever-changing educational landscape, meeting both current and future needs.
What’s in it for you?
- Impact: Guide transformative projects that elevate assessment quality and fairness, creating meaningful change in education.
- Empowerment: Inspire and nurture a passionate team, fostering an environment of continuous growth, collaboration, and innovation.
- Collaboration: Work with diverse internal stakeholders, sharing insights that shape strategic decisions.
- Growth: Develop professionally through leadership opportunities, CPD activities, and exposure to high-impact projects.
- Enjoy a flexible work environment with a 35-hour week and extensive opportunities for professional and personal development.
- Access to an enhanced contributory pension scheme which could you see you paying in 7% and AQA contributing 11.5% (Other options are available)
- Receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas office closure.
- Comprehensive health coverage from day one, including Bupa PMI, Health Cash Plan, and Life Assurance.
- Participate in eco-friendly transport schemes, including electric vehicles and cycle-to-work options.
To be successful in this role, you will need:
- Advanced knowledge of assessment techniques, psychometrics, and statistical analysis.
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Experience in educational assessment.
- Expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
- Ability and willingness to constructively challenge the thinking of others
- Strong analytical thinking to synthesise complex information.
How do I apply?
Read the full job description and upload your most recent CV and Cover Letter by following the link provided. Closing date for applications will be Sunday 2nd March.
AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and supported to thrive
Recruitment Agencies
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Full Job Description
Summary
The role supports the Head of Standards and Innovation in guiding the team in the development and testing of new assessment approaches, taking them to proof of concept. The post holder will manage a small team, including statisticians and quantitative researchers, who will be responsible for planning and implementing statistical approaches for awarding and results, in addition to supporting the wider business to improve the quality of marking and moderation. The post holder will also work with stakeholders across the organisation to establish and maintain a network of internal customers and be responsible for sharing outputs and communicating with the business around the innovative initiatives and approaches that are being developed within the team. This will require specialist knowledge of assessment techniques and psychometrics, research, statistical and data analysis techniques, as well as exceptional management skills.Landscape:
The role sits within the Standards and Innovation team, which is made up of a variety of technical, statistical, research and data science roles. The team is part of the Assessment Research and Innovation division, and the role supports AQA’s mission to become the UK’s pre-eminent educational assessment organisation, and to grow to be ‘more than an exam board’. The role supports the Head of Standards and Innovation by leading a team to develop high levels of performance, by modelling best practice in AQA’s leadership habits, and by modelling and championing AQA’s values and behaviours.
Activities:
Recruit, train, lead and manage a team of psychometricians, technical experts, researchers and statisticians to develop and innovative and trial new assessment and testing approaches, working with the Head of Standards and Innovation, and other stakeholders, to ensure that initiatives are delivered to plan and to a consistent high quality and prioritised according to business needs
To oversee the planning and implementation of statistical approaches, processes and procedures for awarding and results purposes
Provide proactive advice, guidance and expertise to managers and other stakeholders on psychometrics, evaluating and monitoring requests to the team
Build effective working relationships with internal colleagues, influencing thinking in relation to new and innovative testing approaches.
Support the Head of Standards and Innovation to develop and implement planning activities, specifically relating to medium-term delivery plans across the team
Work collaboratively with Head of Standards and Innovation to build and deliver team development plan and people plan, encompassing engagement activities, skills mapping and development, and driving CPD activities
Deputise for the Head of Standards and Innovation as required at internal and external groups
Review the outputs of the team where appropriate, ensuring that they are clear, succinct, accurate, and fit for purpose and audience
Develop and maintain collaborative working practices that feed into organisational objectives and facilitate knowledge exchange within psychometrics outputs
Represent the team on AQA groups, sharing insights to inform and support AQA decision making, where required
Model and encourage a motivated and positive team culture, focused on series delivery and continuous improvement
Champion and foster a culture of accountability
Ensure that projects meet business needs flexibly, responsively, and to agreed time, cost and quality criteria
Demonstrate commercial flexibility by undertaking other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level as business needs change
Ensure AQA is safe and legally compliant by applying AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements including but not limited to HSE, Equal Opportunities and ISMS
To be successful in this role, you will need to know:
Broad understanding of the political, educational and business context within which AQA works
Understanding of, and experience in applying, approaches to performance measurement and management in a customer, product or technical environment
Understanding of educational assessment, and the policy and regulatory context in which AQA operates
Excellent knowledge of a range of assessment and psychometric approaches, and research techniques, and their purposes, use, and potential impact
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to build rapport with a diverse range of stakeholders internally and externally and to be a role model for a partnership-based matrix style of working
Highly numerate and a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative analytical and statistical techniques, and their use in support sound decision-making
Ability to understand stakeholder requirements and translate those into actionable tasks
Demonstrable experience for the role – a degree in an analytical, technical, or mathematical discipline may be beneficial but is not required
Ability to think analytically, to understand and synthesise complex, diverse, and incomplete information and to present reasoned arguments
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Ability and willingness to constructively challenge the thinking of others
What We Do
At AQA, we’re proud to be the leading provider of accessible qualifications and support services for teachers and students. We set and mark around half of all GCSEs and A-levels taken in the UK every year; we ask the questions that matter, so that every learner can achieve the results they deserve.
Teachers and learners are at the heart of everything we do. As an independent education charity, any money we make is reinvested back into research so that every learner receives fair and inclusive assessment. We’re always here for our teachers and support them through free training, expert guidance and unbeatable resources. As the most chosen awarding body, we have the biggest teaching community too – teachers are in good company with AQA.
The AQA Group also includes Exampro, TQUK, Project Q, AlphaPlus, Grademaker.
