Senior Assessment Design & Principles Manager (Education)

TL;DR

Senior Assessment Design & Principles Manager (Education): Leading teams to drive innovation and thought leadership in assessment design with an accent on validity, reliability, and fairness in both general qualifications and digital assessment. Focus on shaping the future of educational assessment, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and ensuring high-quality, inclusive outcomes for learners.

Location: Must be based in the UK with a requirement for hybrid working (minimum 2 days per week in the office) in Guildford or Manchester.

Salary: £61,100 – £70,200 (depending on location).

Company

hirify.global is the UK's largest provider of academic qualifications, marking over 10 million exam papers annually and dedicated to advancing education.

What you will do

• Lead and develop a team of assessment design experts focused on qualification reform or digital assessment.
• Drive thought leadership and innovation to ensure assessment experiences are meaningful, inclusive, and fit for the future.
• Act as a senior point of expertise and escalation for complex assessment design challenges.
• Collaborate across internal teams including product, research, and qualification development to shape assessment models.
• Balance quality, pace, feasibility, and risk to make pragmatic, evidence-based decisions.
• Ensure consistent application of assessment design principles across all paper-based and digital qualifications.

Requirements

• Must be based in the UK and able to work in the Guildford or Manchester office at least 2 days per week.
• Strong experience in assessment design, delivery, or research.
• Proven ability to lead teams and support people through organizational change.
• Confidence in applying principles of validity, reliability, and fairness in real-world contexts.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Understanding of the educational landscape, regulatory environments, and digital assessment trends.

Nice to have

• Experience with inclusive design principles such as WCAG accessibility standards.
• Knowledge of the implications of AI on assessment design.
• Experience in interpreting statistical data to inform decision-making.

Culture & Benefits

• Fantastic pension scheme with a combined contribution of up to 18.5%.
• 35-hour working week with 25 days annual leave (rising to 30) plus Christmas office closure.
• Private medical insurance with BUPA.
• Access to diverse employee networks including LGBTQ+, Neurodiversity, and Parents and Carers.
• Up to 4 days of paid volunteering time per year.

Hiring process

• Application via CV and covering letter highlighting alignment with either Digital Assessment or GQ Reform.
• Two-stage interview process including a Teams interview and an in-person interview.