External Affairs Coordinator

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.

External Affairs Coordinator

Contract type:  Permanent 
Location:  Manchester or London
Salary:  Manchester £35,000 - £38,000 | London £36,000 - £39,500 
Working arrangements:  Hybrid, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office

Help shape how AQA engages with government, policymakers and the wider education sector.

This is an opportunity to work at the centre of AQA's influencing activity, helping to coordinate the work that informs education policy debates and supports better outcomes for learners. You'll work across policy, public affairs and communications, ensuring priorities stay on track, senior stakeholders remain informed and key projects are delivered effectively.

This role gives you the opportunity to develop your career in public affairs, policy and communications while contributing to work that influences important education debates and priorities.

Purpose of the role
The External Affairs team sits at the heart of AQA's influencing strategy. In this role, you'll help coordinate the activity that supports AQA's engagement with policymakers, education stakeholders and the wider sector. You'll maintain oversight of priorities across the team, ensuring projects, events, reports and engagement activities are planned effectively and delivered on time. You'll play a key role in supporting strategic planning, risk monitoring and reporting, while providing the coordination that enables the team to respond quickly to emerging policy developments and opportunities.

Key responsibilities

- Coordinate and oversee the delivery of the External Affairs team's priorities, ensuring activity is aligned to strategic objectives and delivered effectively.
- Support business planning, risk management and performance reporting, providing oversight of key workstreams and emerging priorities.
- Supporting the Head of External Affairs with governance activity, strategic updates, business planning and cross-functional collaboration.
- Monitoring policy developments and announcements, identifying areas where AQA may wish to engage or respond
- Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, supporting AQA's influence across the education sector.
- Produce high-quality briefings, reports and insight for senior leaders, helping inform decision-making and strategic discussions.
- Support the coordination of stakeholder engagement activity, events and forums that strengthen AQA's external relationships and reputation.

What’s in it for you

- Career development and professional growth in a leading education charity
- Hybrid working and flexibility to support work-life balance
- Comprehensive benefits including Bupa Health Insurance, Health Care Cash Plan, Life Assurance and an Electric Vehicle Leasing scheme, generous combined pension contributions up to 18.5% and 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and extra closure days at Christmas
- An inclusive culture that welcomes new perspectives, values collaboration and encourages innovative thinking to improve how we support teachers and students

You’ll thrive in this role if you have:

- If you enjoy bringing structure, clarity and energy to a busy and fast‑moving environment
- Experience within public affairs, policy, membership organisations, charities, think tanks or the education sector
- A track record of developing and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt your style for different audiences.
- Experience coordinating projects, programmes or business activity across multiple stakeholders
- Experience using CRM systems, planning tools or reporting systems to track activity and engagement
- A proactive and adaptable approach, with the confidence to take ownership, drive continuous improvement and build effective relationships across a range of stakeholders.

Diversity and inclusion

At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application process

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

- Application deadline:  Sunday 1st November 23:59
- Short application questionnaire
- Interview Process:
- First stage: Teams Interviews taking place on 11th and 12th November
- Second stage: Face to Face with a task to complete, which will be shared in advance. Interviews will take place on 16th and 17th November in either Manchester or London.

Onboarding expectations: Please note that an Enhanced DBS check will be required for the successful candidate.

Successful candidates will be unable to maintain an Associate role with AQA or any other exam board.

Reference code: #MCRE

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
Purpose: To lead on the planning and delivery of external affairs plans, working collaboratively across the business with multiple stakeholders, with the goal of increasing AQA’s impact within our influencing work. The post holder will facilitate the smooth and effective operation of the External Affairs business area by providing administrative and planning support to the team, particularly through managing a live grid of proposed external activities such as report publications and events. The post holder is also responsible for reporting on the progress and milestones across AQA’s influencing strategy.Landscape: It is important that attention is paid to the sequencing of policy reports, events and planned communications activities, to maximise the impact AQA has externally. The postholder will be key in making that vision a reality – planning and coordinating activities, as well as providing administrative support as necessary for individual teams during high workload periods. The External Affairs business area is at the heart of the Influencing strategy, so the postholder will play an important role in ensuring it’s implemented, reviewed and reported on for senior internal stakeholders.

Activities:
Responsible for planning and monitoring progress to ensure key deliverables and milestones are achieved within workstreams related to the Influencing strategy
Responsible for organising and chairing regular cross-department working groups and team meetings
Working collaboratively with senior leaders across AQA departments, holding them to account to ensure key Influencing strategy deliverables are delivered
Managing the comparison of quotes and business cases for key Influencing strategy project spend to prove value and justify spend
Managing and updating overarching planning documents to keep on track of when key events and reports are happening
Supporting the Head of External Affairs in complying with AQA reporting, strategy updates, and assurance processes, and with organising any large and/or regular meetings
Produce briefings for events and provide updates for elsewhere in AQA, for example for the Chief Executive Officer
Working with public affairs colleagues in managing events, such as booking venues, procure name tags, request dietary information from attendees, etc
Working with public affairs colleagues to manage AQA’s strategic stakeholder management system
Supporting policy colleagues in publishing reports, for example analysing data, researching policy areas and with proof reading
Supporting media colleagues during busy times, for example by proofreading communications and helping to keep track of external media interest
Working with the Head of External Affairs to help foster a joined-up approach to working across comms, policy and public affairs
Conducting specialist research into external events and stakeholders to inform strategy

Need to know (to be successful in this role, you will need to know):
Experience in the implementation and tracking of projects, including across departments
An understanding of the context within which the External Affairs business area and AQA operate, including good knowledge of the political landscape and the education policy arena
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders
Experience of delivering, reviewing and reporting on a preferably politically influential strategy
Good analytical skills, for example summarising stakeholder insight research
Good working knowledge and understanding of administrative procedures, processes and relevant IT applications
How to develop and maintain high quality planning documents, in particular timelines and grids
Good writing skills, for example experience of drafting briefings and/or proofreading documents for publication
Excellent attention to detail, for example spotting errors in a document or when something is missing in preparing for an event
A good general level of education including Maths and English GCSE or equivalent (A-C grades)