Subject Lead

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.

Subject Lead - D&T, Food Preparation & Nutrition, and Engineering

Fixed term Contract until August 2026

Manchester £46,500–£53,000

Milton Keynes or Guildford: £48,000–£55,500 

Working Arrangements: Hybrid – one day in the office per week plus extensive national travel including overnight stays

We're looking for someone to join us until the end of August 2026 to cover an internal secondment.

This is a great opportunity to bring your subject expertise to a national stage and make a real impact. While we can't guarantee anything beyond the initial contract, there may be potential for future opportunities as curriculum reform progresses.

You'll be passionate about shaping the future of D&T, Food Preparation & Nutrition, and Engineering education. At AQA, you'll use your insight and experience to support teachers, influence national conversations, and help learners of all abilities succeed.

Purpose

As Subject Lead you are there to support teachers in preparing students for success and to grow AQA's market share in D&T, Engineering, and Food Preparation & Nutrition. You'll use your subject expertise to influence education nationally and provide high-quality support to a large and engaged customer base.

In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Leading the planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of qualifications and support, ensuring they meet customer needs.
• Representing AQA nationally through centre visits, stakeholder engagement, and Curriculum Connects meetings.
• Using your subject expertise to respond to queries, support customers, and shape national education policy and reform.
• Collaborating with internal teams to ensure alignment with strategic goals and customer expectations.
• Monitoring qualification performance and using data insights to drive improvements.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the STEM portfolio (11-person team)."
• Advocating for AQA's brand and values across the education sector.

You'll thrive in this role if you:

• Have taught GCSE/A level D&T, Food Preparation & Nutrition, or Engineering.
• Have a deep understanding of subject content, pedagogy, and specifications.
• Demonstrate inclusive leadership and effective stakeholder engagement.
• Communicate clearly and confidently, both verbally and in writing, with strong presentation and training delivery skills
• Have a continuous improvement mindset and can interpret data to inform decisions.
• Are willing to travel nationally and stay overnight when needed.

What's in It for You

• This role offers the chance to make a meaningful impact on education while growing your career.
• Exposure to impactful work influencing national education.
• Opportunities for growth and professional development.
• Freedom to take annual leave outside of school term times.
• A 35-hour working week with 25 days annual leave, rising with service, plus bank holidays and extra closure days around Christmas
• AQA's inclusive and values-led culture.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

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.

Application Process

Applications will be reviewed on a case by case basis

To apply, please submit your CV, a cover letter, and respond to three short application questions.

To support timely decision-making around teacher resignation dates, we've combined the first and second stage interviews into a single face-to-face interview with a presentation, which will take place on Friday 24 October at our Manchester office. (For those not looking to be based from Manchester, but one of our other locations – train travel may be reimbursed by prior agreement)

Offers will be timed to align with the October half-term resignation period.

Please note that an Enhanced DBS will be required for the successful candidate.

#PRO22

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

Summary

Supporting customers retaining and growing market share through subject expertise. You will also be responsible for using your subject expertise to provide internal consultancy, providing customer insight plus building and managing relationships with external stakeholders where needed.

In addition to subject expertise, leadership will be a key part of this role. You will be part of the leadership of the Subject Support Team. Your role will be to ensure all activities for your subject(s) are planned, monitored and managed effectively to deliver to customers and achieve Customer and Product and organisational objectives. Where relevant you will line manage the subject delivery support team for your subject area and will be responsible for the performance of this team and ensuring effective deployment of this resource to deliver key priorities.

The role will require extensive national travel to represent AQA, deliver to customers and collaborate with internal and external stakeholdersLandscape: 
To understand the educational landscape particularly within your subject area. 
To understand and engage with the strategic priorities of AQA and its evolving structure. 
 
Activities: 
Responsible for setting and meeting challenging goals and milestones for delivery of your subject(s)  
Responsible for planning, monitoring and delivering Customer and Product priorities within your subject(s). Eg) Responsible for the creation, monitoring and delivery of subject focused annual plans  
Where appropriate, be responsible for managing and monitoring performance of a small team e.g. including talent spotting, development opportunities and driving high performance. 
Use relevant systems, reports and dashboards to plan and record delivery for your subject to meet delivery targets. 
Lead and support projects or workstreams within Customer and Product which are of a commensurate level to your role, maximising development opportunities 
Engage with key stakeholders to support effective planning and delivery of priorities e.g., Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Customer Training and Events and Customer & Product Planning Manager. 
Responsible for effective identification and management of risks and dependencies  
Ensure your work supports continuous improvement in process and delivery, to drive customer experience and satisfaction levels 
Responsible for working with other teams to reduce failure demand from customers in your subject(s) e.g improve first contact resolution of customer enquiries. 
Promote customer centricity, be an advocate for the customer across the business and provide subject based customer insight. 
Be a brand advocate for AQA with customers and associates. 
Represent the team, subject(s) and Customer & Product as part of wider organisational projects and priorities 
Contribute to business wide processes where needed to support customer facing activity eg) incident management and awarding 
Responsible for the recruitment and management of associates to support delivery to customers within your subject(s) in line with the AQA associate strategy. 
Engage with and influence subject level stakeholders such as subject associations and learned societies to build advocacy and support and to provide both stakeholder and customer insight to inform current and future developments eg, At times of reform
Present at stakeholder events in collaboration with the Product Management team, in line with the product growth strategy, in order to influence stakeholder views and decisions to ensure AQA is seen as the board of choice for the subject.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate: 
An excellent understanding of the subject, specifications and current pedagogy 
People leadership skills 
Former teaching experience or ability to demonstrate credibility with teachers 
Excellent communication, presentation and training skills in line with AQA brand and tone of voice 
Basic project leadership skills 
Operational Management skills  
Stakeholder management and collaborative working  
Influencing and brand advocacy  
Organisation, planning and prioritisation skills 
A continuous improvement mindset 
A big picture mindset 
The ability to have robust conversations with customers and stakeholders, own and deliver corporate messages 
The ability to interpret data to inform decision making, monitor delivery and impact to customers 
Modelling of organisational leadership habits and values and behaviours 
An understanding of AQA's assessment products, processes and practices relevant to your subject(s)

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