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.

Operations Lead – Scheduling Team

14 mth Fixed Term Contract - Maternity Cover

Guildford

Salary: £39,700 - £44,000

Hybrid Working

Do you want your work to genuinely matter — not just to an organisation, but to millions of learners across the country? As our Operations Lead – Scheduling Team (known as Scheduling Lead within AQA), you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how exams are planned, delivered and experienced. This is a role at the heart of the assessment cycle, where smart planning, strong leadership and continuous improvement come together to ensure high‑quality, on‑time delivery that people depend on.

You will balance hands‑on operational delivery with forward‑looking change. You’ll bring clarity to complexity, confidence to decision‑making and momentum to improvement, ensuring our scheduling activity continues to underpin reliable exam delivery today while evolving for tomorrow.

What’s in it for you

Your work will directly influence how operational activity (exams) is planned and delivered, giving you real visibility and a strong sense of purpose. You’ll have the space and support to shape future ways of working, introducing smarter, more efficient processes. This maternity cover role offers stretch, influence and the chance to create meaningful impact. You will have the opportunity to develop your leadership, planning and change‑management skills in a fast‑paced operational environment.

AQA benefits also include a fantastic pension which could see combined contribution of 18.5%, 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with service) and additional office closure of up to 4 days at Christmas, a variety of employee networks (including LGBTQ+, DisAbility, InterFaith, Parents and Carers, Neurodiversity, Empowering Women) and up to 4 days for volunteering with charities and causes that are important to you.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll

• ensure scheduling activities are planned, resourced and delivered to a high standard across multiple workstreams.

• lead your team through clear priorities, helping them navigate conflicting demands while keeping delivery on track.

• own key outputs, manage risks, and use data and insight to anticipate issues before they arise.

• drive continuous improvement — challenging existing ways of working, embedding better processes, and supporting the use and development of systems and tools that make scheduling more efficient and reliable

• line manage two team members, creating an environment where people feel supported, accountable and motivated to perform at their best.

Alongside this, you’ll gain exposure across AQA’s end‑to‑end delivery cycle, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.

You’ll thrive in this role if

• You enjoy bringing order to complexity and feel energised by being at the operational heart of delivery.

• You’re someone who looks ahead, spots risks early and brings others with you through clear communication and thoughtful prioritisation.

• You’re experienced in leading knowledgeable teams, providing direction while encouraging challenge, curiosity and continuous improvement.

• You’re confident working with data, turning analysis into insight that drives better decisions, and you’re motivated by the opportunity to improve systems, processes and ways of working.

• Most of all, you care about making things work well — for your team, for your stakeholders and for the people who ultimately rely on what AQA delivers.

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.

How to Apply

Please upload your most recent CV with a cover letter.

Applications will close at 23:59 on Sunday 19 April

Interviews will be in person in the week beginning 27 April

All applications will be responded to.

#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

This role ensures the effective planning and delivery of key Scheduling activities, supporting high quality, timely outputs across the end to end assessment cycle. The Scheduling lead plays a central role in driving continuous improvement, managing team performance, and developing more efficient and consistent ways of working. The postholder balances team leadership with hands on delivery, ensuring both people and processes are aligned to meet operational commitments and deliver positive outcomes for AQA and its customers.The Scheduling lead sits within the Planning & Review function and reports to the Head of Planning & Review. The role holder leads the day to day delivery of the Scheduling team, overseeing planning, resource management and process improvement across core workstreams. The role works collaboratively with colleagues across the wider end to end delivery cycle, influencing shared priorities and enabling smooth, consistent workflow. This role includes line management responsibility for team members and contributes directly to operational planning and service reliability.

Activities:
Plan team activities, resources and dependencies to ensure high quality, on time delivery of Scheduling outputs
Lead planning and risk management across Scheduling workstreams, identifying issues, constraints and mitigations
Drive improvements within the team and across Scheduling processes, using data and analysis to challenge assumptions and strengthen consistency
Line manage team members, setting clear expectations, coaching and providing ongoing support
Work collaboratively with other teams across the end to end cycle to foster alignment and ensure smooth workflow
Support the operation and improvement of systems and tools required for accurate and efficient Scheduling
Contribute to the development of more efficient ways of working, ensuring improvements are embedded and scalable
Take ownership of key outputs, ensuring deliverables meet required standards and timescales.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

Essential Criteria
Experience of Continuous improvement models and practices and how best to apply these to develop and improve processes and ways of working
How to develop robust, effective departmental plans and support team members to achieve them
How to lead teams through clear prioritisation, coaching and support to enable consistent delivery
How to engage stakeholders effectively, consulting and influencing across functional areas to drive shared outcomes
How to communicate clearly and confidently, including presenting information in a structured and accessible way
How to assess and manage risks, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail in all aspects of delivery
Have good understanding of information, data analysis, including statistical data, and can turn this into high quality insight and user friendly outputs
How to work flexibly as part of a team while also taking ownership of personal and collective deliverables
Demonstrates commercial flexibility by undertaking other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level as business needs change
‘Shape tomorrow’ by looking up, out and ahead, question what we do and take considered risks to improve and innovate.

Desirable Criteria
Experience of identifying and rolling out technological improvements
Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel (including lookups and ideally macros).