Senior Officer Standards for Design, Development and Evaluation of General Qualifications

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Coventry, West Midlands (England), CV1 2GN

About the job

Job summary

Ofqual is the independent qualifications regulator for England. We currently regulate 200+ awarding organisations, and approx. 11,600 certified qualifications. These include GCSEs, AS and A levels, and a broad range of vocational and technical qualifications. Regulating on behalf of students of all ages and apprentices is central to how we fulfil our statutory objectives.

For more information about the work we do please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual

We are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the organisation. We are proud of the action we are taking to support EDI and Wellbeing and welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds to support our ethos of creating a diverse culture that is reflective of both our employees and the learners we support.

Due to our continued commitment and focus in relation to EDI, our inclusion and fair treatment score based on the Civil Service 2022 annual people survey ranks us 4th out of 104 participating departments.

Ofqual is a rewarding, dynamic place to work. We offer employees the opportunity to develop within their role and progress through the organisation via a number of Learning and Development opportunities and activities.

We are in the top ten Civil Service departments for staff engagement which focuses on motivation and commitment to organisational goals and values. Based on the 2022 annual people survey Ofqual are ranked 9th out of 104 participating departments.

Job description

About the team

This role sits within the Standards for Design, Development and Evaluation of General Qualifications (DDEGQ) team in the General Qualifications Directorate. The DDEGQ team focuses on subject-specific policy and assessment considerations for general qualifications such as GCSEs, AS and A levels. This involves establishing rules about how specific qualifications should be assessed, and reviewing proposed or existing assessment approaches. The team plays an important role in Ofqual’s work to make sure that regulated qualifications and their assessments deliver quality and fairness for students. 

What will the post holder be doing?

This Senior Officer will support the team by carrying out a range of activities, including reviewing qualification specifications and assessment arrangements. They will be expected to engage with existing and proposed regulatory requirements and qualifications. They will organise and take part in discussions with internal and external stakeholders, such as teachers, subject and teacher associations, exam boards and the Department for Education. They will be able to analyse complex information, have consistent attention to detail, and be able to produce clear, accurate and evidence-based records. 

The ideal candidate will have some knowledge and understanding of the lifecycle of qualifications and their assessments and/or approaches to regulation. This is not essential, however, and training will be available for a candidate who can demonstrate an interest and some relevant experience. 

If you think this matches you, we look forward to receiving your application! 

Person specification

Please refer to the job description for a full list of essential criteria to support your application.

Qualifications

A level 6 qualification such as an honours degree or experience demonstrating the capabilities associated with a qualification at that level

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,250, Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) contributes £8,707 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

As a Civil Servant, you will benefit from a leading, modern employment offer which includes flexible working arrangements that support people at different stages in their lives, and pensions among the best available in the UK, as well as generous annual leave entitlements.

Other benefits you can enjoy include:

• Organisational performance related bonus
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Regular professional development
• Health and wellbeing initiatives such as mini-medicals, flu vaccinations
• Employee assistance programme and occupational health
• Free eye tests and contribution towards lenses/spectacles for VDU users, if appropriate
• Family friendly policies
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Access to exclusive discounts
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Ofqual Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should first contact Ofqual by email: recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can then contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

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