Subject Lead: Languages

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 Support Lead - Languages

Permanent

Locations: Manchester, Milton Keynes, London or Guildford

South: £48,418 - £55,571

North: £46,500 - £53,370

Smart Hybrid Working

Closing date is 11:59pm on the 11:59pm on the 23rd April 2025

Are you passionate about Languages, specifically French, German & Spanish?

Would you like to work in a role where you will be supporting customers, retaining and growing market share in Languages?

In addition to your Languages expertise, leadership will be a key part of this role. You will be leading the Languages Subject Support Team.

This is a truly great time to join AQA, the leading provider of accessible qualifications and support services for teachers and students in the UK

The role will require extensive national travel to represent AQA, meet with customers and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders

What’s in it for me?

• A 35-hour working week with 25 days annual leave, rising with service, with bank holidays and extra closure days around Christmas on top
• An excellent contributory pension which could see up to 18.5% combined contribution
• Private Medical Insurance and a Health Care Cash Reward Plan
• A new Electric Vehicle Leasing Scheme
• Up to 5 days for volunteering
• Newly refurbished offices with a variety of individual and collaborative workspaces

What will I be doing?

• Responsible for planning, monitoring and delivering Customer and Product priorities within the Languages subject
• Responsible for managing and monitoring performance of a small team
• Use relevant systems, reports and dashboards to plan and record delivery for your subject to meet delivery targets
• 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
• 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.
• Ensure your work supports continuous improvement in process and delivery, to drive customer experience and satisfaction levels
• Be a brand advocate for AQA with customers and associates.

What will I need to succeed?

• Expertise in at least one of French, German or Spanish to degree level.
• An excellent understanding of the languages educational landscape and current pedagogy
• People leadership skills
• Previous or current teaching experience or ability to demonstrate credibility with teachers
• Excellent communication, presentation and training skills in line with AQA brand and tone of voice
• Stakeholder management and collaborative working 
• Influencing and brand advocacy 
• 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)

How do I apply?

Read the full job description below, then upload your most recent CV with a cover letter explaining how your skills and experience match what we are looking for.

Interviews will be over 2 stages, one on Teams and one face to face.

AQA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique. 

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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)