Lead Stakeholder Engagement Manager

• locations
• London
• Manchester

• time type
• Full time

• posted on
• Posted Yesterday

• job requisition id
• R7749

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.

Lead Stakeholder Engagement Manager 

Permanent  

London - £57,200 - £68,600 

Manchester: £54,900 - £65,900 

Hybrid - 2 x days per week in the office 

AQA is at a pivotal moment. Major reform across vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and the wider post-16 landscape is reshaping the education and skills system, at the same time as reform to GCSEs and A levels gathers pace. As AQA Group grows its vocational offer and strengthens its presence across this evolving landscape, how we engage with stakeholders has never been more important. This role sits at the heart of that challenge and opportunity.

As Lead Stakeholder Engagement Manager, you will play a key role in shaping how AQA engages with people and organisations across vocational education, skills and employment. With a particular focus on vocational qualifications and post-16 reform, you will use your expertise in stakeholder engagement to develop and embed engagement approaches across the organisation.

This is not just about managing relationships, it’s about developing ways of working to ensure stakeholder engagement is strategic and joined up, and that insight meaningfully informs decision-making, qualification design and delivery. You will bring strong experience of stakeholder engagement and be motivated to use that experience to design and improve how engagement happens across a complex organisation.

You will work across AQA Group, collaborating with teams leading strategy, vocational, external affairs, and general qualifications reform. This includes working closely with vocational organisations in AQA Group such as Training Qualifications UK (TQUK).

What you’ll be doing: 

• Developing strategic stakeholder engagement approaches that strengthen AQA’s presence and influence in the vocational landscape.

• Developing and embedding effective ways of working, processes and tools that improve how AQA plans, delivers and learns from stakeholder engagement.

• Building and maintaining relationships across the education, skills and employment sectors to support vocational qualification and assessment reform.

• Supporting the development and delivery of approaches and plans for events, strategic communications and partnerships to increase the profile, reach and influence of AQA Group’s vocational work.

You’ll thrive in this role if you have: 

• Strong understanding of the education and skills policy and the sector, and how it shapes qualifications and assessment.

• Confidence engaging and influencing stakeholders internally and externally.

• Experience developing and delivering strategic stakeholder engagement approaches and plans in complex environments.

• Experience of developing and embedding effective ways of working, processes and tools for stakeholder engagement and management within complex contexts.

• A collaborative mindset, strong communication skills and the ability to work flexibly in changing contexts.

What’s in it for you?  

This is an opportunity to develop AQA’s influence and reach across a highprofile, fastmoving vocational reform landscape. You’ll join an organisation which is growing it’s vocational work and get to collaborate with organisations across AQA Group.

You'll also benefit from a strong, clearly defined package, including:

• 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 with service, plus bank holidays and extra closure days at Christmas

• A 35-hour working week with flexible working arrangements

• Excellent contributory pension scheme (6%–11.5% depending on your contribution)

• Life assurance, BUPA PMI, and health cash plan

• Enhanced maternity and paternity schemes

Application process 

Applications close on Wednesday, 22nd April.  

• First stage interviewswill take placeon 30thApril or 1stMayvia Microsoft Teams.

• Candidates progressing to the second stage will be invited to a

  face-to-face interviewon11thor 12thMayin AQA’s London or Manchester offices.

All candidates will be notified of outcomes at each stage, and any preparation materials will be shared in advance.

To apply, please follow the link and complete the application form. Applications close on Wednesday, 22nd April. 

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.

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

The Lead Stakeholder Engagement Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping AQA’s influence and strategic stakeholder engagement, with a focus on vocational qualifications (VQ) reform and the post-16 landscape. Working across departments and with external stakeholders, the postholder will support the design and delivery of high-quality qualifications through enabling strategic and joined up external engagement.Landscape:

The Lead Stakeholder Engagement Manager sits within AQA’s Strategy and Vocational directorate, reporting to the Head of Strategic Innovation. This is a specialist role focusing on effective stakeholder engagement which is core to delivering our priorities linked to the growth of our vocational services, and effective qualification and assessment reform. The role is designed to operate cross-functionally and across AQA Group. The role will work closely with AQA Group vocational organisations including TQUK and Realise, and with teams such as External Affairs, Product, and GQ Assessment reform.

Activities:

Strategic collaboration, planning and delivery

• Work with the Head of Strategic Innovation and senior colleagues across AQA Group to design and deliver strategic approaches to stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on vocational qualifications and offers, and join up with general qualifications reform.

• Work with the Head of Strategic Innovation to develop internal approaches and ways of working that support joined up cross-functional strategic stakeholder engagement.

• Work with colleagues across AQA group to improve processes and tools related to strategic stakeholder engagement and joined up working.

• Work with External Affairs and other relevant teams to develop our approach and priorities for events, activities, strategic communications and partnerships to increase the profile, reach and influence of AQA’s vocational offers, and support design and delivery as needed.

• Work at pace to lead the delivery of strategic stakeholder projects, ensuring alignment with AQA’s broader strategy.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish strong relationships across AQA Group

• Develop strategic stakeholder engagement approaches and plans for external stakeholder groups and areas, in liaison with relevant colleagues across AQA group.

• Build and maintain relationships with identified stakeholders in the education, skills and employment sectors to support the delivery of high-quality qualifications.

• Represent AQA at conferences, activities and events as needed.

• Monitor and report on stakeholder engagement and insights to the Head of Strategic Innovation, the Executive and wider Directorates as relevant.

Thought Leadership & Innovation

• Develop innovative ways of working and thinking about stakeholder engagement and sharing and applying insights.

• Proactively identify areas of opportunity and risk in order to help improve the quality of qualifications reform.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

Essential Criteria

• Strong understanding of education and skills policy and the sector, and its implications for qualifications and assessment.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills including with senior stakeholders.

• Significant experience of stakeholder mapping and developing strategic stakeholder engagement approaches and plans in complex contexts.

• Significant experience of developing and embedding effective ways of working, processes and tools for stakeholder engagement and management within complex contexts.

• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and strong facilitation skills.

• Experience working in or with educational or skills organisations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate insights into actionable approaches and plans.

• Strategic thinker with a collaborative mindset and a passion for educational impact.

• Able to work flexibly and adapt to changing internal and external contexts.

Desirable Criteria

• Understanding or experience of the vocational landscape and its implications for qualifications and assessment.

• Connections with stakeholders in the vocational, skills or employment sectors.