Head of Assessment (Part-time)

Association of Commonwealth Universities

Hours
21 hours per week

Duration
This post will commence in January 2026 for the duration of a 7-month fixed-term contract, subject to the grant agreement signature.

About the Organisation

Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and use your extensive experience in assessment quality, education sector insight, inclusive safety, and operational control to lead the ACU’s contribution to the successful delivery of an education mobility scheme, working with a range of UK-based partners.

The ACU offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the higher education sector. We are one of the largest, most diverse international university networks, bringing together over 440 universities in over 40 countries. We support Commonwealth Universities to collaborate and work together to build a more equitable and sustainable world.

The ACU Programmes, Business Development and International Mobility Team look after a portfolio of research capacity strengthening and education mobility programmes. These programmes are funded by a variety of internal and external funding sources and are often developed in collaboration with ACU member universities and other strategic partners.

About the role

The Head of Assessment will lead the ACU’s contribution to the successful delivery of a major education mobility scheme, providing strategic leadership and robust contract management in collaboration with a wide range of UK-based partners (subject to funding being available). This pivotal role demands a results-driven professional with education sector insight and extensive experience in assessment quality, inclusive safety, and operational control. You should be capable of deploying effective tools to monitor progress, manage dependencies, and mitigate risks - ensuring full assurance to the ACU senior team and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and co-ordinate contract management, reporting externally to our partners and internally to the Head of Programmes, Business Development and International Mobility. This will involve developing a map of KPIs, deliverables and timelines, including an IDA log, based on the subcontract, for the ACU components of delivery, ensuring that these are updated and kept live.
• Lead ACU services for the Mobility Scheme, the Assessment Hub, Assessors’ recruitment, and the ACU internal team for the mobility scheme, including line management of the Assessment Hub Manager.
• Lead service delivery as agreed in the subcontract and ensure compliance with agreed outputs. This requires an understanding of the Mobility Scheme and its key performance metrics.
• To coordinate, track and monitor the financial plan for the ACU services for the Mobility Scheme to ensure ACU remains within the budget profile. This involves liaison with the ACU’s Finance team, and monthly invoicing for agreed activity and tracking payments.
• Liaise with our partner’s delivery team, attending meetings as required to ensure ACU alignment with service delivery and to alert ACU, especially the Head of Programmes, to any risks affecting delivery.
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Executive and Leadership team and other internal stakeholders on programme outcomes and delivery. To keep up to date, monitor the risk register and make appropriate treatments where necessary.
• To provide feedback and intel to our partners from the sector, primarily in HE, through the ACU’s broader work.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Essential Criteria:

• Significant project management experience at a senior level in an educational setting, professional track record, and appropriate qualifications.
• Expertise in risk management.
• Demonstrable experience of managing multiple priorities and working under pressure and to deadlines.
• Demonstrable knowledge and expertise in relevant IT/ software, Excel.
• Expertise in data visualisation and dashboard/reporting for senior leadership.
• Proven financial skills, with knowledge and experience of budget development, financial monitoring and reporting.
• Experience in leading, empowering, and motivating teams to promote a high-performance culture.
• Experience of working at pace with a focus on results.
• Strong sense of personal accountability whilst ensuring others clearly understand their accountabilities.
• Strategic thinker with ability to anticipate impact of actions on partners, customers and colleagues.
• Ability to champion a shared culture, working across teams and integrated shared services.
• Advanced Project Management qualification.
• Understanding or interest of HE/Schools/FE/VET in the UK.  
• Strong commitment to international education and partnerships.
• Strong commitment to widening participation and the values of the ACU – Quality, Collaboration, Innovation, Respect, and Inclusion.
• Track record of effective external relationship management, including presentation to clients/partners and networking.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing and negotiating skills, including an ability to present complex ideas and information in a clear, succinct, and persuasive manner and make effective presentations.
• Outstanding skills in communicating data, including visually ensuring information is easily understood by non-experts.

Desirable Criteria:

• Hands-on experience in education is an advantage, but not essential.
• Experience of working in the development or third sector in the private sector.
• Understanding of education systems and their role in skills development.
• Knowledge of theories of change and logical frameworks, and experience managing project monitoring and evaluation

Values:

• Collaboration: Strive to build an empowered community who share ideas and catalyses change. 
• Creativity: Encourage curiosity, innovation and exploring new ideas, adapting to an ever-changing world.
• Equity: Celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, and act with respect and integrity. 
• Excellence: Endeavour to be impact-focused, delivering high standards and upholding our good reputation.

 

Required Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (with post-graduate qualifications an advantage) or with the equivalent in professional experience.

Compensation & Benefits

• 27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays (part-time employees) and 4 Christmas closure days
• Generous pension scheme 5% employee contribution, 10% employer contribution 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave
• Significant investment in your personal and professional development
• Regular social activities
• Health and well-being programmes
• Give as you earn charitable donations scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Interest-free travel season ticket loan

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Apply via our recruitment portal, submitting your CV (maximum 2 pages) and online application form (maximum 1000 words) outlining how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the criteria for the role. Please include your motivation for applying.

Interviews

• Interview dates TBC
• Interviews will take place virtually.

Policies

The ACU aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation (defined as Protected Characteristics in the UK Equality Act 2010). In addition, no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment in regard to neurodiversity, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, accent or socio-economic background. We positively encourage applications from any underrepresented groups.

It is important that the people in our organisation reflect the wider community. Bringing together a diverse range of people helps us perform to our best, whether bringing universities together from around the world, supporting international collaboration, providing great scholarship services or realising our ambitions to build a better world through higher education.  Our focus on Access and Inclusion through grants and initiatives that help to drive systemic change and by working with universities to widen access and reduce inequality, helps to tackle socioeconomic disparities and level the playing field.

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