Manager, Content Developer

Manager, Content Developer - this role aligns to industry-level titles such as Qualification Development Manager and Senior Qualification Developer.

Job purpose: to lead key aspects of our qualification development strategy for International Qualifications, and to support the development of outstanding customer-focused International qualifications* that inspire teachers, engage learners and enable progression, as well as driving the growth of our qualifications.

* Including specifications, Sample Assessment Materials and associated support materials.

This role operates in a matrix structure, with two essential elements.

• It sits functionally within the International Qualifications Product team, with close collaboration and working alongside the central Qualification Development team.

• The role has an important cross-divisional element, with responsibility for shaping and driving key elements of our International qualification development strategy, in line with the whole product division – including activity related to internal accreditation of qualifications. The role works closely with counterpart roles in other subject teams, and the Qualification Development Manager role has responsibility for owning technical qualification development expertise as a specialism and embedding this across the business, working closely with International and UK Product leadership teams, GQ Assessment division and the Accreditation and Standards division.

Key accountabilities

1. International qualification and product development

Provide expertise, leadership and a critical eye to International Product teams, as they manage the design, development and implementation for market winning academic qualifications and associated teaching and learning materials in select subject areas.

• Maintain visibility and clarity of the Qualification Development Pipeline across the International qualification suite, liaising with internal teams to ensure visibility of upcoming development and amendment activity.

• Work in partnership with Head of Product and Product team to ensure an excellent understanding of the development process, tailoring to each situation as is appropriate.

• Support Product Developers and Product teams to establish timelines, document process and deliver development activity in line with internal and regulatory requirements, whilst ensuring support of the International strategic goals of PSQI and the broader business

• Work alongside QDM team to support the design and delivery of ongoing training and development of the International Product team, equipping teams to continuously improve in their approach, technical knowledge and assessment expertise, in order to develop market-winning qualifications.

1. Approval of qualifications

• Lead on the development of the general assessment strategy during qualification reform and also lead on the template for the subject strategy ensuring it is appropriate for International qualifications.

• Work with subject and portfolio teams on approaches to ensure design and development of market-winning qualifications that meet both customer and regulator/stakeholder requirements.

• Support the teams to ensure the appropriate quality assurance checks are carried out to ensure qualifications are submission-ready with sign-off by key stakeholders and compliant with processes.

• Support on the wider aspects of developments when scaling-up for full developments as required

• Manage the International amendments log and advice on regulatory issues relating to these amendments.

• Maintain and build strong understanding of internal regulatory needs and priorities and customer needs and priorities; support subject teams to interpret these effectively and ensure that both are reflected appropriately in our qualifications, both at the point of development and through the ongoing qualifications lifecycle

1. Qualification development strategy and implementation

• Articulate and identify opportunities to innovate how we work, processes and accountabilities to develop winning International qualifications and associated support materials that delight the customer (teachers and learners) and acknowledge UK regulatory requirements. Support implementation and ongoing improvement across teams.

• Lead and/or facilitate key aspects of our International qualification development strategy, for example qualification design principles; including identification and cultivation of key talent, recruiting, inducting and training of internal (Product Developers) and external team (writers, reviewers); training and development across the team to embed key skills and processes; end-to-end design process to ensure alignment of accredited SAMs and live papers throughout the qualification lifecycle. Confidently navigate ambiguity, bringing structure to emerging or complex problems and translating strategic intent into clear, tangible plans, decisions and deliverables.

• Support relationships between Product and Assessment teams to ensure appropriate and timely involvement in the development, review and approval of qualifications and assessments.

• Actively communicate and engage with all internal stakeholders from across the company who contribute to qualification and assessment development and accreditation to ensure the final products meet all requirements.

1. Lead and manage Product Developers

• Lead and line manage the Product Development team, to achieve the overall International strategy; includes setting priorities and allocating specific projects.
• Support team in generating compelling business cases for qualifications at different stages of the product life cycle.
• Support development and effective working of direct reports.
• Ensure deliverables as a team are to time, cost and quality - and in line with overall International strategy.
• With support, recruit into team as required.

1. Manage budgets, forecasting revenues

• Support team to manage opex and capex budgets for given qualifications, and maintain overarching budget spreadsheet for International.
• Work with Head of to compile one- and three-year forecasts for subject/s as part of our annual planning cycle

Personal style and behaviour:

• Possess drive and energy and a can-do attitude;

• Ability to motivate, lead, influence and empower others.

• Demonstrate a dynamic, professional approach to developing and implementing priorities;

• Be positive and have a proactive outlook to improvement, opportunities and problem solving;

• Be motivated by customer centric product and service improvement;

• Have a drive to learn new skills and adapt to change;

• Be comfortable working with ambiguity, using sound judgement to create clarity, make complexity tangible and move work forward constructively.

• Show a willingness to take on responsibility and grow within the organisation;

• Be a leader, with the ability to work as part of a team, and within matrix-working

• Have good organisational and planning skills, in order to manage and prioritise workload, whilst maintaining flexibility and achieving tight deadlines.

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Strong understanding of schools environment and school, teacher and learner needs, contexts and priorities.

• Academic qualifications, e.g. the market, customers, learners, assessment, technology

• Experience of designing and developing qualifications, products or curricula that delight teachers and learners, are used effectively in the classroom and attract increasing numbers of schools.

• Understanding of education assessment, practice and policy, including academic assessment principles and techniques.

• Experience of working with ambiguity in complex development environments, turning uncertain or emerging requirements into practical options, clear recommendations and tangible outputs.

• Experience of working effectively in a complex matrix.

• Experience of presenting to/training/supporting teachers or colleagues

• Experience of influencing stakeholders (subject stakeholders and internal stakeholders).

• Strong project management experience with demonstrable track record of delivering high quality (in customer and regulator terms) products to time, cost and quality requirements

• Managing budgets.

• Planning and managing large scale projects.

Desirable

• Understanding and experience of International schools environment.

• Teaching experience.

• Product management experience.

• Assessment experience.

• Knowledge and experience of specific subject portfolio.

Skills

Essential

• Qualification and product development skills.

• Project management skills.

• Customer empathy.

• Ability to motivate, lead and influence.

• Excellent collaboration skills.

• Creative thinking and problem solving

• Ability to deliver.

• Attention to detail.

• Ability to think strategically.

• Ability to make complex or ambiguous ideas tangible through clear frameworks, plans, models, examples and decision-making tools.

• Strong communication, interpersonal and influencing skills.

• Collaborative decision-making.

• Financial and budget management.

• Commercial acumen.

Your rewards & benefits
We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too.
Please see our attractive UK benefits here: Pearson Jobs – Benefits