Description
Summary
Purpose:
This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in delivering high quality recruitment support across AQA, ensuring that candidates and hiring managers experience a professional, inclusive and timely service. The role exists to source, assess and progress candidates across a wide range of roles, contributing directly to AQA’s ability to meet its workforce and strategic needs. It enhances organisational capability by ensuring recruitment activity is efficient, compliant and aligned with AQA values.Landscape:
The role sits within the Talent & Resourcing function as part of the wider People Group. It is an individual contributor position with no line management responsibility and works closely, where relevant, with Hiring Managers, HR Business Partners, the People Services Team and colleagues across all AQA business units. This role is responsible for sourcing talent for permanent, contract, temporary and associate/examiner mandates. The role interacts daily with candidates, hiring managers, recruiters, agencies, job board partners and assessment providers, representing the AQA brand at every stage of the recruitment process.
Activities:
Manage and deliver recruitment activity across permanent, temporary, internal and associate roles, ensuring adherence to agreed processes, timeframes and quality standards.
Screen, assess and shortlist candidates against defined selection criteria, using sound judgement to progress, pipeline or reject applicants in a fair and consistent way.
Source candidates proactively via job boards, CV databases and platforms such as LinkedIn to ensure strong pipelines for specialist or hard to fill roles.
Coordinate and implement assessment activities, including online tests, interviews and assessment centres, ensuring each candidate has a positive and professional experience.
Prepare and publish job adverts, ensuring accuracy, inclusivity and effective use of media channels, working with suppliers and internal teams as required.
Progress candidates through to offer and onboarding, including making verbal offers, initiating contracts and new starter documentation, and supporting right to work checks and induction.
Maintain clear communication with candidates and hiring managers, providing regular updates, guidance and support throughout the recruitment process.
Support examiner and associate workforce planning, including processing applications, monitoring holding pool levels and escalating capacity issues where needed.
Represent AQA at recruitment and attraction events, engaging with potential candidates and promoting future opportunities.
Contribute to continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, enhance candidate care and strengthen recruitment outcomes.
Ensure compliance with employment legislation, AQA policies, data protection requirements and best practice recruitment standards.
To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
Knowledge & Understanding
Working knowledge of recruitment practices, processes and relevant employment legislation.
Good understanding of recruitment systems, applicant tracking tools and Microsoft Office applications.
Skills & Behaviours
Ability to deliver accurate screening and data input with strong attention to detail.
Effective written and verbal communication skills tailored to different audiences.
Ability to build positive relationships and collaborate effectively across teams and stakeholder groups.
Ability to manage competing priorities, working at pace and meeting tight deadlines.
Proactive approach to problem‑solving, with the ability to work independently when required.
Commitment to confidentiality, data accuracy and compliant recruitment activity.
Ability to adapt to change and apply learning to improve processes and outcomes.
Alignment with AQA’s values, demonstrating accountability, collaboration and a focus on delivering quality outcomes. (derived from behaviours guidance)
Experience
Experience working in a recruitment or HR environment (in‑house or agency).
Experience using an ATS or recruitment/HR system.
Qualifications
A good standard of general education (e.g., GCSE Maths and English or equivalent).
Desirable Criteria
Interest in or willingness to pursue relevant qualifications (e.g., CIPD/MIRP).
Experience supporting high‑volume or associate/contractor recruitment.
Additional Information
The role may require occasional travel to other AQA sites or events.
Hybrid working is typically available depending on business need. A typical requirement is to attend the office two days every week.