Subject Officer: Social Sciences

Subject Officer: Social Sciences
Salary: £64,026 - £67,788 per annum (grade 14)
Contract type: Full-time (36.5 hours per week), Permanent

We are excited to be inviting applications for a Subject Officer: Social Sciences (Criminology and/or
Sociology) to join our team.

Subject Officers provide leadership and vision for their designated subject areas, in the context of evolving
qualifications frameworks. They have operational management responsibility for the development of
qualifications and assessments, and the administration of the examination series in their subject areas, the
provision of Professional Learning, and for providing subject-specific advice and guidance to a range of
professional audiences. They are budget holders for designated subject areas.

If you have experience teaching or lecturing and a passion for assessment, we would love to hear from you.

At WJEC, we pride in being an inclusive and supportive place to work. We also offer a range of
excellent benefits including: 25 days annual leave per year (in addition to 16 statutory / additional
holidays) adjusted for part-time/compressed working patterns, free Welsh lessons, a generous
pension scheme and numerous family friendly policies. A career with WJEC can be extremely
rewarding and you will be encouraged throughout with great opportunities to develop your
professional and personal skills.

WJEC operates a hybrid working model, enabling the successful candidate to split their time
between WJEC offices and working at home, subject to business need. As such, applications are
invited from individuals across the UK but please note that regular working from our Cardiff offices
will be required. Welsh language skills are not essential but the willingness to learn is always valued.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This role is instrumental to the design and assessment of live qualifications and
examination materials. As a result, the successful applicant will not be able to hold a teaching position in a
centre offering level 2 and level 3 qualifications (e.g. GCSEs and GCEs), simultaneously to this post, due to
conflict of interest. Applicants are also encouraged to declare any Appointee/Examiner roles (any UK Exam
board) that they want to maintain, as part of the application process.

If you would like to know more about this role, or about working at WJEC, please do not hesitate to contact
Sarah (she/her) in our HR team (HR@wjec.co.uk), who will be more than happy to help.

Please visit our website to download a copy of the job description and application form.

Closing date: 23:59, Sunday 15 March 2026

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Department:

Section:

Responsible to:

Grade:

Location:

Main purpose of Job:

Subject Officer: Social Sciences

Qualifications and Assessment Delivery Directorate

Humanities Domain

Domain Leader

14

Western Avenue, Cardiff

Subject officers provide leadership and vision for their designated subject areas, in the context of evolving
qualifications frameworks. This strategic role requires keeping abreast of current developments in order to be
well-placed to respond innovatively to developmental opportunities and to position and promote WJEC’s offering
in the market.

Subject officers have operational management responsibility for the development and administration of
examinations and assessments in those subject areas, the provision of CPD and for advice and guidance on
subject related matters to a range of professional audiences. They are budget holders for designated subject
areas.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Management of the Examining Process

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To ensure that WJEC has available to it suitable teams of examiners and moderators that are provided with
appropriate advice and guidance to fulfil their roles effectively;

To recommend the appointment of Chief and Principal Examiners/Moderators and other key personnel
such as revisers and scrutineers to the Examinations and Assessment Committee; if necessary to carry out
interviews for such posts;

To ensure the appointment of adequate numbers of appropriate Chief and Principal Examiners/Moderators
and Examiners and Moderators;

To train Chief and Principal Examiners/Moderators, Examiners/Moderators and revisers and scrutineers at
relevant and appropriate times;

•  Where appropriate, to produce guidance notes and materials for examiners and moderators;

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To monitor and evaluate the performance of Chief and Principal Examiners/Moderators and
Examiners/Moderators and when necessary to find replacement examiners;

To ensure, in conjunction with Chief Examiners and Chief Moderators, the co-ordination of marking and
moderating in the relevant subjects;

To monitor, in conjunction with Chief Examiners and Chief Moderators, the accuracy of marking and
moderating in the relevant subjects and where necessary to implement appropriate scaling;

Author: Line Manager & HR

Version: January 2026

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To arrange, service, advise, and direct the procedures of examination conferences and standardising and
awarding conferences;

To report on the awarding process and, in liaison with Chairs of Examiners, make recommendations to the
Awarding Body Accountable Officer;

To prepare reports to centres regarding examination performance and specifically in relation to
performance in internal assessment;

To ensure that the relevant administrative section has the necessary information to administer the
examining process;

To ensure that the necessary changes are implemented in response to the regulators’ scrutiny and code-
monitoring reports.

Communicating with examining centres and others

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To promote WJEC’s provision in the relevant subject areas through appropriate channels, including writing
and quality assuring the relevant subject specific pages on the WJEC website;

To respond to requests for information and materials from centres, both verbally and in electronic or letter
format, relating to relevant subject issues;

To organise and deliver a variety of CPD training in relevant subjects for teachers and other interested
parties; to provide information and feedback in the relevant subjects;

To provide guidance material where necessary for new product developments;

To communicate information to centres relating to relevant subjects, e.g. written circulars, support
materials; CPD reports;

To offer advice and guidance to headteachers, teachers and others on developments in relevant subject
areas;

To represent the board in inter-board meetings, in meetings with regulators and subject specific
conferences and exhibitions.

Question Paper and Marks Scheme Production

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To provide overall quality assurance across all aspects of question paper and mark scheme development
in the relevant subject areas;

To service and provide administrative and technical support to the Question Paper Evaluation Committee
(QPEC) for the relevant subjects;

To liaise with Examiners, Question Papers Section and Word Processing Unit in order to manage the
question paper preparation schedule and mark scheme production for the relevant subjects from
submission of proofs to Question Papers following QPEC through to authorising final proof, including
monitoring such processes via the Question Paper Management Scheme (QPMS).

Specification Development

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To provide proactive and innovative leadership for developments in the subject areas;

To provide advice and guidance to WJEC qualifications panels and sub-committees in order to implement
the policies of the Committee as they affect subject developments;

To attend regulators’ conferences and contribute to the development of subject criteria;

To organise and implement arrangements for specification revision and development through co-ordinating
the work of examiners, teacher groups and consultants;

To consult with examination centres and regulatory authorities over proposed changes;

To respond to the regulators’ feedback on initial specification submissions;

To be responsible for the updating of specification documents and related materials;

Author: Line Manager & HR

Version: January 2026

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To advise on the nature of educational resources required in order to support the teaching and learning of
WJEC specifications, and to collaborate with others in the development of such resources in hard copy and
electronically. To provide guidance and clarification to such groups and monitor on-going work.

Budget responsibility

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To manage relevant budgets, and to contribute to relevant financial planning and monitoring activities.

Other Responsibilities

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To assist in the appointment of subject support officers, setting and monitoring their work

•  From time-to-time, other duties commensurate with the grade which extend beyond individual subject

areas, e.g. activity in support of developmental initiatives.

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To understand and comply with all WJEC policies and procedures detailed in the Staff Handbook; in
particular, ensuring you understand your role and responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding, Information
Security, GDPR, Confidentiality, Welsh language and Health, Safety and Environment.

•  Participate actively in supporting the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in

WJEC’s Equality & Diversity Policy, embedding ED&I into all projects, policies and practices.

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To be a pro-active team-member, contributing positively to meetings and projects in support of WJEC aims
and objectives.

•  To engage in personal and professional development activities relevant to the role.

Author: Line Manager & HR

Version: January 2026

Person Specification

Job Title:

Subject Officer: Social Sciences

Department:

Qualifications and Assessment Delivery Directorate

Highly Desirable criteria are the optimum skills and experience the applicant will ideally have. Desirable criteria
are those which would add value to the job if present, and also include potential for growth and development
into the role.

Skills and Abilities

Highly desirable

•  Good communication skills, with the ability to explain complex subject material to a variety of audiences.
•  Confidence in designing and delivering presentations.
•  Self-driven, with the ability to independently plan and organise own workload to meet tight deadlines.
•  An excellent eye-for detail and ability to apply this to tasks such as proof-reading, data auditing and

progress monitoring.

•  Good computer literacy, with confidence using Microsoft Office (particularly: Teams, Word, Excel and

PowerPoint) and the ability to learn new software with minimal supervision.

Desirable

•  Welsh language skills.
•  Basic financial aptitude and experience, with the ability to apply these skills to budget management

(relevant subjects).

Knowledge

Highly desirable

•  A high level of knowledge of Social Sciences, Criminology and/or Sociology, in education.
•  An understanding of the UK examinations cycle and relevant assessment techniques.
•  Up-to-date knowledge of education sector developments.

Thorough understanding of general and vocational qualifications systems, in England and Wales.

Desirable
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•  An understanding of Entry Pathways, Level 1,2 and 3 qualifications.
•  Knowledge of Awarding and Standardising practices.

Experience

Highly desirable

•  Demonstrable ability to initiate and maintain good working relationships with contacts within and outside

an immediate work team.

•  Experience producing high-quality written materials such as reports or teaching curriculum, for delivery to

a wider team or audience.

•  PGCE and/or significant teaching experience, ideally with experience in middle management or Head of

Department responsibilities.

•  Evidenced experience of problem solving with the ability to provide outcomes to customers with tact and

diplomacy.

Desirable

•  Previous experience working as an Examiner or Moderator.

Training / Qualifications

Highly desirable

•  Degree or equivalent qualification in Social Sciences, Criminology and/or Sociology, or a related subject.

Author: Line Manager & HR

Version: January 2026

  Telerau ac Amodau Gwasanaeth / Terms and Conditions of Service

Teitl y Swydd /
Job Title:

Swyddog Pwnc: Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol /
Subject Officer: Social Sciences

Cyflog /
Salary:

£64,026 - £67,788  y flwyddyn (pro-rata lle y bo'n gymwys /
£64,026 - £67,788 per annum (pro-rata where relevant)

Gradd /
Grade:

14

Gwyliau Blynyddol /
Annual Leave:

25 diwrnod (182.5 awr) y flwyddyn. Mae CBAC hefyd yn darparu 16 diwrnod (116.8 awr) i
gyfrif am Wyliau Cyhoeddus a chyfnodau Cau CBAC (gwyliau ychwanegol). Mae'r
lwfansau hyn yn cael eu haddasu ar gyfer staff sy'n gweithio'n rhan-amser neu batrymau
gweithio cywasgedig.
25 days (182.5 hours) per annum. WJEC also provides 16 days (116.8 hours) to account for
Bank Holidays and WJEC Closure periods (Additional leave). These allowances are adjusted for
staff who work part-time or compressed working patterns.

Pensiwn /
Pension:

Mae gofynion y Cynllun Pensiwn Llywodraeth Leol neu reoliadau Pensiwn Athrawon yn
berthnasol.
The provision of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or Teachers’ Pension (TP)
regulations applies.

Math o Gytundeb / Contract Type:

Oriau Gwaith / Working Hours:
☒  Llawn-amser / Full-time

☐  Rhan-amser / Part-time

Nifer yr oriau yr wythnos /
No. of hrs per week:

36.5

Hyd y Contract / Length of Contract:
☒  Parhaol / Permanent

☐  Tymor penodol / Fixed-term

Dyddiad gorffen arfaethedig /
Planned end date:
Rheswm dros y cyfnod penodol /
Reason for fixed-term:

Arall / Other:
Cyfnodau prysur llwyth gwaith /
Workload Peaks:

Mai-Awst yn flynyddol /
May-August annually

Dull Ymgeisio / Method of Application:

Dylid anfon ffurflenni wedi’u llenwi ar e-bost at AD@cbac.co.uk erbyn 23:59, dydd Sul 15 Mawrth 2026.

Completed forms should be sent by email to HR@wjec.co.uk by 23:59, Sunday 15 March 2026.

Author: Line Manager & HR

Version: January 2026