Senior Quality Assurance Operations Manager - Awarding Organisation

Senior Quality Assurance Operations Manager
Location: UK Home-based / Hybrid
Role Type: Full-time, Permanent
Salary / Package: Competitive / Negotiable

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION (AO)

An established, UK-regulated Awarding Organisation and Apprenticeship End-Point Assessment Organisation. Committed to supporting learners throughout their educational journey from registration to certification, the organisation maintains the highest standards of assessment quality assurance and public confidence across all vocational qualifications and apprenticeship standards.

ROLE OVERVIEW

As the Quality Assurance Operations Manager, reporting directly to the CEO you will oversee a risk-based approach to the monitoring of qualifications and apprenticeship standards. You will lead and direct four core operational functions: 

- Customer Service and Administration Team
- External Quality Assurance Team
- Quality Assurance Team
- Centre Operational Management

You will drive operational objectives, manage center risk, maintain regulatory compliance, and ensure exceptional customer service across all internal and external stakeholders.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

- Experience: Proven leadership experience within a regulated UK Awarding Organisation or End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO).
- Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of vocational education, apprenticeships, and UK qualification regulatory frameworks.
- Quality Assurance expertise: Direct background in managing risk-based EQA/IQA processes, centre compliance, standardisation, and risk monitoring.
- People Management: Demonstrable success in line managing internal teams as well as managing external associate workforces (EQAs/Assessors).
- Strategic & Operational Skill: Strong ability to draft board-level reports, track compliance criteria, and deliver operational efficiency.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Regulatory Compliance & Governance
- Support and maintain regulated Awarding Organisation and Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation status.
- Ensure all operational activities remain strictly compliant with regulatory bodies, deputising for the Responsible / Accountable Officer as required.
- Lead the ongoing review and development of robust quality assurance policies and procedures.
- Oversee the accurate production of self-assessments, Statements of Compliance, and logs against regulatory criteria.
- Manage the timely and accurate submission of operational data to regulatory bodies.
- Prepare papers and reports for internal boards and committees.

Operational Quality Assurance & Risk Management
- Execute operational plans for quality assurance and continuous improvement.
- Apply risk management approaches to monitor qualification assessments, apprenticeship standards, and centre operations.
- Oversee centre performance, managing risk ratings, issuing sanctions, and ensuring binding Agreements and Centre Certificates are maintained.
- Ensure all standardisation and quality assurance activities take place effectively for qualifications and apprenticeships.

Team Leadership & Resource Management
- Provide direct line management to operational teams, setting targets, monitoring KPIs, and driving performance.
- Oversee the engagement, contracting, standardisation, and performance of Associate staff (EQAs, IQAs, Assessors, and Examiners), managing any potential conflicts of interest.
- Ensure maximum value for money (VFM) and effective utilization of operational budgets, resources, and staffing.
- Deputise for the Director of Quality, Risk and Regulatory Compliance when necessary.