Description
Summary
The Strategic Planning & Delivery Lead plays a vital role in the Strategy team overseeing the maximisation of collective opportunities across AQA Group’s vocational subsidiaries. This role combines hands-on project management with departmental business planning, being responsible for maintaining a singular view of the plans across the vocational subsidiaries to ensure alignment. Additionally, the postholder will manage the department’s governance rhythm, ensuring robust planning and risk management across the function.This role is responsible for driving the vocational agenda by leveraging commercial opportunities across subsidiaries, while simultaneously holding the pen on the department’s critical planning requirements (BCP, Risk, and Annual Plans) to ensure the Strategy function operates efficiently. Crucially, the role ensures that delivery plans across the vocational unit are viewed holistically, identifying interdependencies and opportunities for collaboration.
Vocational Partnership & Project Delivery:
Lead and deliver discrete and at times complex ,strategic projects (e.g., Vocational Strategy implementation), providing hands-on management rather than just tracking.
Lead and co-ordinate projects to deliver key initiatives on time and within budget and scope, specifically identifying and leveraging commercial opportunities across subsidiaries to grow market share.
Drive collaboration between subsidiaries to optimise resources and capabilities, ensuring alignment with AQA Group objectives.
Develop and maintain project plans, track progress, and manage risks and dependencies for discrete strategic projects.
Hold project sponsors and delivery leads, including senior stakeholders, to account for agreed outcomes, timelines and decisions, providing constructive challenge and escalation where delivery is at risk
Departmental Planning & Governance:
Own and manage the department’s general planning requirements, including the Annual Business Plan, Business Continuity Planning (BCP), and Risk Logs.
Track post-acquisition integration plans and workstreams to ensure milestones are met.
Develop frameworks for consistent reporting and performance monitoring to track the department's delivery plan.
Operational Support & Best Practice:
Act as the single point of contact for operational initiatives, ensuring subsidiaries receive the necessary support from AQA Group functions (e.g., IT, Finance, Marketing).
Promote and share best practices across subsidiaries and the wider Strategy team to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Stakeholder Engagement:
Provide regular updates to AQA Group leadership, including at times the Board, on key initiatives, progress, and challenges.
Maintain clear communication channels between subsidiaries and AQA Group to foster a culture of transparency.
Liaise with functional leads to align outcomes and unblock barriers to delivery.
Essential Experience & Skills:
Proven experience in project management and delivery (Prince2, Agile, or equivalent).
Strong organisational skills with experience managing business planning processes (Risk, BCP).
Ability to work effectively across all levels of the organisation, developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a range of partners and stakeholders
Ability to work autonomously and drive projects to conclusion ("hands-on" approach).
Experience of working with senior stakeholders
Excellent communication skills including the ability to work collaboratively, negotiate, influence and provide constructive challenge
Assertive and resilient to be able to challenge stakeholders when they are not delivering on their accountabilities
Experience managing timelines and tracking workstreams in a complex environment.
Desirable:
Previous experience in the education, public, or not-for-profit sectors.
Values & Behaviours:
Demonstrates AQA’s values and leadership behaviours.
Committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Curious, collaborative, and forward-thinking.
Able to think about the big picture.