Deputy CEO

About JCQ

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) is a community interest company which represents leading awarding organisations in the UK: AQA;
Cambridge OCR; CCEA;
City & Guilds; NCFE;
Pearson; and WJEC/Eduqas. JCQ exists to establish and communicate common arrangements for taking exams and assessments, for most of the exams and assessments offered by the organisations we represent. Every year we issue guidance to schools and colleges to support exam administration with an associated inspection service, to help protect the integrity of exams and assessments.

JCQ and its members lead a number of shared data services to support the administration of examinations. JCQ interacts with government departments, UK regulators and organisations such as UCAS to help improve data systems across the UK that contribute to analysis of trends and support national projects such as use of the unique learner number.

JCQ also publishes exam and assessment data for over 1 million learners and circa 6 million qualification results cumulatively across the UK, covering general, vocational and technical qualifications including GCSEs, AS, A levels and T Levels in August and January. Our results data is widely covered across national media channels, and the data is used to help stimulate debate across the education sector and inform national policy developments.

You can find out more about JCQ in our strategic plan here .

The Deputy CEO and Director of Shared Services role is one of the most important senior leadership roles  involves operating in a complex environment, working across the UK education system, working closely with JCQ members, suppliers and external stakeholders, including regulators and government departments. The role involves leading the transformation of JCQ's well established shared services and being responsible for their continuous improvement.

The role will also involve developing new shared services as and when appropriate to meet the changing needs of awarding organisations operating with over 6,000 schools and colleges across the UK in supporting JCQ's aims and mission.

JCQ shared services include the Centre Inspection Service, Centre Admin Portal (CAP) and Access Arrangements Online, production of key guidance and regulatory documents to uphold the integrity of the UK qualifications system and the National Centre Number Register. Other shared services include but are not limited to activities related to use of AI in assessments, UK centres that support private candidates, results publications and JCQ members' data sharing arrangements with other organisations such as UCAS.

In addition to leading JCQ's shared services the role will involve overall leadership for JCQ's Corporate Services unit, which is responsible for supporting the JCQ team, as well as JCQ's 25 plus committees and the wider JCQ membership, which involves at least 300 active members including the JCQ Board. The Board sets the strategic direction and funding arrangements for JCQ.

The role will involve regular engagement with Board members and other senior colleagues across the membership.

The ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be resilient and able to secure support on new initiatives with a creative approach to drive forward JCQ's shared services. As a leader at JCQ you will champion and model JCQ's values-based competencies. Ideally the candidate will have experience of working in an awarding organisation, the education sector, or government department type role.

• Salary: £90,000 - £115,000 dependent on experience and current package.
• Annual Leave: 25 days rising by 1 day per full year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Pension:
  Enrolment in the JCQ pension scheme upon joining the organisation, with an employer contribution of 10%.
• Home Based: with occasional travel to stakeholder and company meetings, standard travel costs reimbursed.
• Life Cover: 4 x annual salary.
• Family Friendly Policies:
  Enhanced leave and pay available.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health: 24/7 wellbeing support, counselling, mobile app promoting physical and mental wellbeing.
• Private Healthcare:
  Private healthcare and cash plan offered to all JCQ staff from first day of employment with no prior health checks or exclusions.

For an informal discussion about this role and to find out how to apply please contact .

Closing date for completed applications is 5pm Friday 27 February.