APPOINTMENT OF HEAD OF REGULATION

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1 APPOINTMENT OF HEAD OF REGULATION CANDIDATE Page 1 INFORMATION PACK

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3 FOREWORD FROM TREVOR CARSON Dear Candidate Thank you for your interest in the role of Head of Regulation at the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). I am proud to be the Chair of this high performing organisation and have committed to finding an outstanding Head of Regulation. At CCEA, our aim is to support the learners by rewarding their learning and standards of attainment through the awarding of internationally recognised qualifications. Like many organisations in the public sector, the last few years have been challenging. We have managed the changes emanating from the Review of Public Administration and, at the same time, maintained our focus on delivering the best possible services to schools, colleges and the wider educational community. It is now imperative for the Council to continue to develop world class curricula, modes of assessment and valued qualifications. We are looking for an exceptional candidate who can work with the Chief Executive and Council to develop effective governance and management of qualifications in Northern Ireland. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with committed staff. This is an exciting opportunity. If you feel you are the right candidate for the role, we look forward to receiving your application. Yours sincerely Trevor Carson Chairman, CCEA Page 1

4 FOREWORD FROM JUSTIN EDWARDS Thank you for your interest in the post of Head of Regulation. At CCEA, we place learners at the centre of everything we do. Through our work, we aim to enable the full potential of all learners to be recognised. Over the past three years, we have continued to meet the needs of our sponsoring department, the Department of Education (Northern Ireland), key stakeholders and our customers. Our work is far-reaching and critical to societal and economic success. It requires the highest degree of integrity and precision, but is also extremely rewarding as it provides opportunity for a positive impact on our society. To achieve the strategic vision, laid out in the CCEA corporate plan, it has become essential to remain agile and to modernise our work with digital technology and services. Increasingly, our business is adopting digital approaches in order to reduce cost, improve accuracy and enhance productivity across all that we do. CCEA is also a key link between the world of work and education. We have progressively worked with industry to develop education solutions that address the skills shortfalls of today and tomorrow. This approach has led us to develop unique and innovative approaches to curriculum and assessment. We are a high performing business, with a growing international reputation. We have a highly committed and professional workforce who are keen to develop the next generation of curriculum, assessment and examination. We are also a key source of policy advice and information for government and agencies on education matters. The post you have shown an interest in is a rare opportunity to work to shape the future of the qualifications landscape. The role is also central to maintain public confidence in our examinations system, ensuring comparability between jurisdictions and advising on qualifications to support key government programmes. Justin Edwards Chief Executive, CCEA Page 2

5 ABOUT US CCEA brings together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment. We put every learner at the heart of what we do, from advising government on what should be taught in schools and how it should be assessed, to the diverse range of qualifications we offer. The work we do is driven by a commitment to ensure that learning opportunities are available to all. Our mission is: to enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised CCEA s vision is one where education provision reflects the needs of individual learners, the community and the Northern Ireland economy. We are a non-departmental public body reporting to the Department of Education (DE) in Northern Ireland, with a core remit to: keep under review all aspects of the curriculum, examinations and assessment for grant aided schools and colleges of further education and to undertake statutory consultation on proposals relating to legislation; advise the Department of Education and Department for the Economy on matters concerned with the curriculum, assessment, examinations and external qualifications and accredit and approve qualifications; conduct and moderate examinations and assessments, ensuring that standards are recognised as equivalent to standards of examinations and assessments conducted by other bodies or authorities exercising similar functions in the United Kingdom; publish and disseminate information relating to the curriculum, assessment and examinations; develop and produce teaching support materials for use in schools; and carry out research and development. CCEA also has a remit to develop educational technology and the production of multimedia resources and is considered a leader in this field. CCEA qualifications meet the changing needs of a wide range of learners of all ages in schools, colleges and other educational settings, creating opportunities for personal fulfillment, social inclusion and cohesion, and economic prosperity. We operate from 3 sites: our headquarters and secondary office at Clarendon Dock, Belfast and our distribution centre at Mallusk. We employ 310 core staff with a range of expertise, from educationalists to ICT programmers, from administrators to researchers, from project managers to finance and HR specialists. Page 3

6 THE ROLE OF HEAD OF REGULATION Department: Chief Executive s Office Grade: Business Manager Reports to: Chief Executive Scope of the role CCEA Head of Regulation is a key role within the organisation, responsible for the safety, validity and reliability of qualifications used in Northern Ireland. Qualifications and awarding organisations, regulated by CCEA Regulation, are required to comply with our rules. CCEA Regulation provides guidance on these rules to aid compliance, including examples of both good and poor practice. CCEA Regulation highlights to CCEA Council, the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy when qualifications or awarding organisations do not comply with these rules. CCEA Regulation maintains a qualifications register as an accessible way for stakeholders to find qualifications that CCEA regulates. The register also provides assurance that awarding organisations, operating in Northern Ireland, are required to follow CCEA Regulation rules for qualification design, development, delivery and awarding. CCEA Regulation focuses on areas of greatest risk to the qualifications system and, in particular, matters which can affect public confidence in qualifications. Regulation of qualifications requires mitigation of threats to standards and qualification validity. The Head of Regulation supports the CCEA Council and Chief Executive in leading and managing the work of CCEA Regulation. The post holder will work with key stakeholders to ensure that qualifications standards are maintained, that they remain valid and that public confidence in the qualifications system is retained. The Head of Regulation, along with their team, do this by gathering intelligence, analysing evidence and evaluating risks to the qualifications system. They provide mitigation options and advice, at a strategic level, to ensure mitigation of risks to the qualifications system. Where appropriate the Head of Regulation may advise CCEA Council of the need for reform of qualifications to ensure threats to validity, standards, public confidence or reliability are anticipated and mitigated. The post holder will report to the Chief Executive in relation to day-to-day operational activities, corporate compliance and operational performance. Page 4

7 Key Accountabilities The post holder will: Report to CCEA Council and the Chief Executive on qualification and awarding body compliance with the regulatory rules, including reporting on non-compliance with regards to design, development, delivery or awarding; Maintain qualification standards over time and ensure that qualifications remain valid and are delivered safely, whilst ensuring that changes to regulated qualifications are managed in a safe and appropriate way; Ensure that professional and technical qualifications have the same validity, standard and focus as general qualifications, promoting public confidence in parity of esteem between qualification types; Promote public confidence in regulated qualifications and awarding processes; Advise the Chief Executive, CCEA Council and Government Departments when risks are introduced by qualifications providers that have the potential to undermine public confidence in the qualifications system; Maintain the standards of assessments within the public education system over time; Monitor changes to regulated qualifications in other jurisdictions and advise CCEA Council on action to be taken as a consequence of such changes; Review regulated qualifications to ensure they are providing value for money; Maintain the qualifications and awarding body register for Northern Ireland, making sure that all qualifications and awarding bodies conform to the appropriate regulatory rules; Engage with key stakeholders in relation to changes to regulated qualifications, ensuring that regulatory activities are outlined to key stakeholder and reported on annually, to enhance public confidence; Prepare, monitor, manage and be accountable for an annual budget of around 0.75m and accountable for corporate requirements of business planning, quality assurance and CCEA Regulation staff in line with CCEA policy and relevant legislation; responsible for critically reviewing, on an ongoing basis, structures and resources and for implementing any resultant organisational change to ensure that structures and resources are aligned with operational and strategic priorities; and Carry out all other duties as required by the Chief Executive. Page 5

8 PERSON SPECIFICATION HEAD OF REGULATION Essential Criteria Education, Training & Qualifications A post-graduate qualification (Level 7 or above) in a relevant discipline. At least 5 years recent experience within the education sector at a senior level 1 Maintenance of Standards in Qualifications At least 5 years experience of developing: Qualifications and/or curriculum in a primary, post-primary, further education or higher education setting; and Assessment standards in an education setting. Stakeholder Management A least 5 years experience of creating solutions to complex problems in a workplace. Resource Management At least 5 years experience of: Managing a budget in excess of 0.5m; Managing a team; Providing reports, recommendations and advice to a Chief Executive and/or Board; and Contributing to a corporate strategy and operational plan. 1 A senior level is defined as someone reporting to a chief executive OR providing advice and information at board level. Page 6

9 Project Management & Governance Demonstrating experience in being accountable for the delivery of multiple, complex, interdependent projects to achieve organisational goals. Demonstrating personal impact in managing and mitigating high-level strategic risks for an organisation. Having delivered a significant programme of educational improvement, creating evidence and improving confidence in the management and leadership of an organisation. Personal Attributes Candidate will display: Excellent questioning, objective setting, time management, information management, influencing, learning and evaluating skills; Outstanding communication skills, including presentation skills; Outstanding analytical skills and ability to reduce complex information into clear, precise and accessible written communication. Desirable Criteria Education, Training & Qualifications 5 years work experience within the UK or ROI qualifications sector at a senior level, with either an awarding organisation or a regulatory authority. Page 7

10 TERMS AND CONDITIONS Salary The salary for the post is 59,224 61,950 Performance related pay will be dependent upon the achievement of pre-agreed performance objectives. Pension CCEA operates two pension schemes, the Local Government Pension Scheme for NI (NILGOSC) or, if you are joining from a teaching background, Northern Ireland Teachers Pension Scheme. Annual Leave The annual leave entitlement for the post is 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days after 5 years of continuous service. In addition there are 12 public holidays per year. Length of contract This role is offered on a permanent basis. Time commitment This is a full time role. Location The role will be based at CCEA s Headquarters at 29 Clarendon Road, Belfast. Contract A contract of employment containing full Terms and Conditions will be issued to the appointed candidate. All appointments are subject to two satisfactory references and a satisfactory pre-employment medical. Prior to starting duties, appointed candidates must supply proof of eligibility to work in the UK. Page 8

11 THE SELECTION PROCESS AND HOW TO APPLY Closing date for applications 12 noon on Friday 21 September 2018 Interviews scheduled 1 October 2018 To apply for this role please download and complete the application form and equal opportunities monitoring form available at ccea.org.uk/careers Applications should be sent to: By By post: humanresources@ccea.org.uk Marie Matthewson Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment 29 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock BELFAST BT1 3BG CCEA will carry out an initial shortlisting assessment of candidate applications against the criteria specified in the person specification. In the event of an excessive number of applicants, CCEA reserves the right to enhance the criteria. Any enhancements will be applied equally to all candidates. CCEA will then invite short-listed candidates to attend interview. The final offer will be made subject to satisfactory references and medical. If you have any queries please contact Marie Matthewson on Page 9

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