Subject Lead Sociology and Citizenship
- locations
- Manchester
- Milton Keynes
- Guildford
- time type
- Full time
- posted on
- Posted 4 Days Ago
- time left to apply
- End Date: October 2, 2025 (4 days left to apply)
- job requisition id
- R7038
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 Sociology and Citizenship
Permanent
Manchester: £46,500–£53,000
Milton Keynes or Guildford: £48,000–£55,500
Hybrid Working- at least two days per week in the office or with a customer; national travel and overnight stays maybe required.
AQA: The National Leading Provider of AS and A Level Sociology
Join AQA, the UK’s leading provider of AS and A Level Sociology qualifications and help shape the future of learning through your subject expertise and leadership. As Subject Lead for Sociology and Citizenship, you’ll support teachers and students, influence subject-level stakeholders such as associations and learned societies and collaborate within a dedicated Subject Support team of seven.
Purpose
As Subject Lead for Sociology and Citizenship, you will support customers, retain and grow market share, and influence the direction of Sociology and Citizenship education across the UK. You’ll provide internal consultancy, customer insight, and manage relationships with external stakeholders, while representing AQA nationally and collaborating with colleagues in your team.
Key responsibilities
• Responsible for planning and delivery of customer support for Sociology and Citizenship qualifications.
• Represent AQA nationally to share feedback, prepare for future exam series, and gather insight.
• Collaborate with the wider Subject Support team to share best practice, support cross-subject initiatives, and contribute to a positive, inclusive working environment.
• Engage with and influence subject associations, learned societies, and internal teams (such as Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Customer Training and Events) to build advocacy, inform developments, and drive customer experience.
• Lead and support projects or workstreams within Customer and Product, maximising development opportunities and sharing best practice with your Subject Support colleagues.
• Use relevant systems, reports, and dashboards to plan and record delivery, set and achieve challenging goals, and monitor progress.
• Provide both stakeholder and customer insight to inform current and future developments.
You'll thrive in this role if you:
• Are a practising AS or A Level Sociology teacher (currently or within the last two years).
• Have an excellent understanding of Sociology, specifications, and current pedagogy.
• Are willing to develop your knowledge of Citizenship (full support and knowledge transfer provided).
• Demonstrate inclusive leadership and effective stakeholder management skills.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, with excellent presentation and training abilities.
• Have a continuous improvement mindset, able to interpret data to inform decision making and monitor impact.
• Are skilled at influencing and brand advocacy.
• Can travel nationally and stay overnight as required.
What’s in It for you
• A unique opportunity to represent AQA and influence Sociology and Citizenship education nationally.
• Flexible, hybrid working arrangements with a strong focus on work-life balance.
• 35-hour week, 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and Christmas closure).
• Excellent benefits package, including a generous pension, private medical insurance, health cash plan, electric vehicle leasing, and volunteering days.
• Modern offices and a collaborative, inclusive culture where we value culture add.
• Opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and support from a team committed to your wellbeing.
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
To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.
Application deadline: Wednesday 1st October.
Pre-screen call with the Recruiter, followed by;
First stage: Teams Interviews with a pre-set scenario - 9th and 10th October
Second stage : Face to Face with a presentation - 17th and 21st October
Decisions: Made in time for the end of the October half-term break.
The successful candidate will ideally start on or before January 2026.
Contact and Further Information
If you’ve got questions about the role or just want to get a feel for what it’s like to work at AQA, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to one of our recruitment team for an informal chat. We’re looking forward to hearing from you
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
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)
About Us
AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.
Reasonable Adjustments
If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or on
07813 724161. We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non-recruitment enquiries. If you have query regarding Temporary vacancies, please contact:
Smart Working
We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.
Conflict of Interest
Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.
Safeguarding
AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.
For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here.
Contact
Temporary roles: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
Permanent and Fixed Term roles: opportunities@aqa.org.uk