About the job Role Purpose
Working closely with the wider teams, the role will involve coordinating assessment activity, managing bookings and assessment data, maintaining accurate records, monitoring progress and supporting the effective administration of the assessment journey through to completion.
The role will contribute to ensuring apprentices receive a consistent, high-quality and supportive assessment experience.
Role Scope
The role is accountable for operational oversight, quality assurance, risk management, complex case resolution, performance monitoring, process ownership and the consistent application of regulatory and organisational requirements, rather than principally completing transactional administration.
Act as the senior operational point of escalation for End-Point Assessment matters, making or recommending proportionate decisions within delegated authority and escalating significant regulatory, quality, safeguarding or commercial risks to the Q&T Practice Head of Assessments (EPAO) & Exams.
Provide day-to-day functional leadership to colleagues involved in assessment coordination and administration. This includes allocating priorities, setting expectations, checking the quality and timeliness of work, providing feedback and supporting consistent practice. This responsibility does not necessarily include formal line management. Lead Accountability and Operational Control
Take ownership of the end-to-end EPA coordination function, ensuring that activity is controlled, prioritised and delivered against agreed service levels, assessment plans, organisational procedures and regulatory requirements. Set and communicate operational priorities for the EPA caseload, balancing apprentice needs, assessor capacity, employer expectations, compliance requirements and organisational risk. Oversee workflow allocation and capacity across assessment activity, identifying pressure points and taking early action to prevent avoidable delay, missed milestones or poor customer experience. Lead the response to complex, sensitive or high-risk cases, including disputed evidence, delayed assessments, approved adjustments, assessor availability, complaints, conflicts of interest and potential non-compliance. Act as the principal operational contact for assessment organisations and internal senior stakeholders where matters require judgement, negotiation, corrective action or formal escalation. Hold colleagues and stakeholders to agreed actions and timescales, maintaining a clear record of decisions, ownership, follow-up and closure. Additional Lead Administration Responsibilities
Oversee the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of administrative activity completed across the EPA journey, carrying out proportionate checks and intervening where standards are not met. Approve or escalate exceptions to standard booking and coordination arrangements in line with delegated authority, ensuring that the rationale and associated controls are recorded Systems and Documentation
Maintain clear and organised accurate records of apprentice progress, assessment outcomes, and results, utilising various AO system, ensuring management systems are used consistently and effectively to record assessment activity, monitor progress and support the efficient and compliant delivery of End-Point Assessment.
Work proactively with relevant internal and external stakeholders to support the timely resolution of issues, minimise disruption to the assessment journey, and ensure that any actions taken are accurately documented and compliant with organisational, regulatory and assessment requirements.
Manages process for apprentice’s end point activity, from apprentice registration ensuring adherence with agreed standards, efficiency’s and time lines whilst, providing an excellent level of customer service at all times.
Collaborate and work closely with external and internal end-point assessment organisations (AOs), apprentices, employers, and colleagues within the team to ensure an outstanding end-to-end experience for apprentices.
Coordinate and communicate End-Point Assessment (EPA) bookings to ensure all relevant parties are informed of confirmed assessment arrangements in a timely and accurate manner, including internal staff, apprentices and employers/settings.
Lead Systems, Data and Case Oversight
Own the operational integrity of EPA data and records, defining required checks and ensuring that discrepancies, overdue actions and incomplete audit trails are resolved. Use system data to identify trends, recurring errors, processing delays and capacity risks, and convert these findings into clear corrective actions. Maintain oversight of key controls, exception logs, risk actions and case escalations, ensuring that issues remain visible until they are evidenced as resolved. Lead Quality, Compliance and Risk Responsibilities
Interpret and apply apprenticeship standards, assessment plans, Assessment Organisation conditions and internal controls, providing clear operational guidance where requirements are complex or open to interpretation. Lead first-line quality assurance of EPA coordination activity, sampling records and decisions to confirm that processes are accurate, consistent, fair, auditable and compliant. Identify emerging compliance, delivery and reputational risks, assess their potential impact and ensure proportionate mitigation, escalation and follow-up. Lead root-cause reviews following errors, complaints, missed deadlines, audit findings or assessment disruption, agreeing corrective and preventive actions and checking that improvements are sustained. Provide operational assurance to the Q&T Practice Head of Assessments (EPAO) & Exams on readiness for assessment, the effectiveness of controls and any matters requiring senior intervention Reporting and Audit
Contribute to the preparation, maintenance and review of regular reports, ensuring data is accurate, complete and up to date. Provide relevant information and insights to support the monitoring of assessment activity, performance, quality, compliance and emerging issues, ensuring reports are produced within required timescales. Conduct regular audits of key documentation ensuring compliance with relevant apprenticeship standards, AO requirements, and data protection regulations, ensuring paperwork is fully compliant, using the endpoint platforms and any other relevant systems. Coordinate and monitor reasonable adjustments for apprentices undertaking End-Point Assessment (EPA), ensuring approved adjustments are accurately recorded, supported by appropriate evidence, and communicated to relevant stakeholders in a timely manner. Contribute to the review and continuous improvement of internal and external processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and the timely successful completion of End-Point Assessments. Ensure the timely, accurate and consistent processing of moderation checks across all End-Point Assessment documentation, working closely with the IQA and wider Quality Assurance and Compliance team to ensure assessment records, evidence and documentation meet required quality, regulatory and organisational standards. Identify, record and escalate any discrepancies or quality concerns promptly, supporting appropriate corrective actions and ensuring all moderation activity is fully documented, auditable and contributes to continuous quality improvement Lead Reporting and Performance Responsibilities
Produce and present management information on EPA volumes, timeliness, outcomes, backlog, exceptions, quality findings, service performance and emerging risk. Establish and monitor practical performance measures for the EPA coordination function, challenge underperformance and agree recovery actions with clear owners and deadlines. Lead preparation for internal and external audit activity within the role’s area of responsibility, coordinating evidence, responding to findings and tracking actions through to verified closure. Lead Training, Guidance and Continuous Improvement Responsibilities
Lead induction, coaching and ongoing process guidance for colleagues undertaking EPA coordination and administration activity, checking understanding and consistent application. Develop, maintain and communicate practical procedures, checklists, controls and guidance that translate regulatory and assessment requirements into clear operational practice. Chair or lead operational EPA meetings where required, ensuring decisions, risks, actions and accountabilities are clearly recorded and followed through. Sponsor and deliver process improvements across the EPA journey, evaluating whether changes have improved quality, efficiency, control and apprentice experience. Build effective working relationships across Quality, Compliance, Delivery, Exams, assessors, employers and Assessment Organisations to resolve cross-functional barriers and secure agreed outcomes. Collaborate and liaise with cross-functional teams to provide guidance, support and promote consistent advice, support and guidance to ensure shared best practices. Support and guide new colleagues in understanding and applying key End-Point Assessment processes, procedures and compliance requirements, helping to ensure consistent and compliant practice across the team. Maintain updated knowledge with the conditions for Assessment Organisations (AOs) and other relevant regulations, ensuring compliance practices remain current.
About you Person Specification
Essential Criteria :
Experience in a back-office function with a strong focus on customer service. Proficiency in Microsoft 365, especially Outlook, Word, Excel (advanced level), and Teams. Commitment to continuous improvement (personal and organisational). Strong analytical skills for evaluating detailed information and preparing/presenting reports. Ability to work within tight deadlines and remain focused under pressure. Experience working in a dynamic, change-oriented environment. Excellent communication skills (written and verbal). Tenacious, results-driven, and team-oriented. GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English at Grade C or 4. Demonstrable experience of leading, overseeing or quality assuring an operational process, service or caseload, including responsibility for the work or outputs of others. Experience of resolving complex cases, managing escalations and making evidence-based recommendations or decisions within a regulated or quality-controlled environment. Experience of monitoring performance information, identifying risk or underperformance and implementing corrective action. Ability to interpret detailed requirements and translate them into clear procedures, controls and guidance for colleagues and stakeholders. Confidence to challenge constructively, hold others to agreed actions and communicate risk, performance and compliance concerns to senior colleagues. Strong leadership behaviours, including prioritising work, coaching colleagues, setting standards and promoting accountability without relying on formal authority. Desirable Criteria:
Experience with government-funded programmes, including apprenticeships. Familiarity with apprenticeship standards, EPA regulations, and AO requirements. Previous experience in further education or a similar environment. Knowledge of apprenticeship standards and delivery platforms such as ACE360 and Proficient Personal Attributes
The successful candidate will:
Be organised and methodical, able to manage competing priorities, deadlines and a high volume of assessment activity while maintaining accuracy. Have a strong attention to detail, able to identify discrepancies, omissions and inconsistencies in assessment records, evidence and documentation. Be quality-focused and committed to maintaining high standards and ensuring assessment processes are completed accurately, consistently and compliantly. Is a clear and confident communicator, able to communicate effectively and appropriately with apprentices, colleagues, assessors, employers/settings and other stakeholders. Be collaborative and supportive and works positively with colleagues, to achieve shared objectives. Confident working with systems and data and is able to use management systems effectively and maintain accurate, auditable records. Is discreet and professional, demonstrating appropriate confidentiality, sensitivity and professionalism when handling apprentice information and assessment matters. Demonstrate sound professional judgement and is comfortable taking ownership of decisions, recommendations and escalations within the remit of the role. Be confident providing functional leadership, setting clear expectations and addressing inconsistent or underperforming practice respectfully and promptly. Remain calm and evidence-led when managing competing demands, complex cases, complaints, risk or challenge from stakeholders. Be improvement-focused, willing to question established practice and implement better controls or ways of working where these improve quality, compliance or service. Safeguarding
Actively support and promote safeguarding and the welfare of learners, colleagues and visitors, complying with organisational safeguarding and Prevent policies and procedures. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Support and promote equality, diversity and inclusion across the organisation and contribute to an environment where learners and colleagues are treated fairly and respectfully. Role Boundaries
The postholder may complete administrative tasks where necessary to maintain service continuity. However, the defining purpose of the role is to lead, oversee, assure and improve the EPA coordination function, not simply to process routine EPA administration.
The postholder is accountable for the quality and effectiveness of the coordination process within delegated authority. Formal assessment decisions remain with appropriately appointed and competent assessors, and any final regulatory or organisational decisions remain with the authorised role holder.
Other Duties
Actively participate in organisational initiatives aimed at improving compliance and operational effectiveness. Support internal and external audits conducted by governing bodies and other stakeholders. Perform additional duties related to the role as required.
