At AQA were committed to advancing education and were committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and its our people who make this happen.

Job title: Planning Manager
Contract type: Permanent
Location: Guildford and Manchester
Salary: Guildford - 54700 to 62400 and Manchester - 52500 to 59900
Working Arrangements: Hybrid working 2 days a week in office

Are you at your best when bringing clarity to complexity

As Planning Manager youll help bring together Sales and Subject Support activity through clear planning strong governance and data-led decision making. Youll work with senior leaders to turn priorities into coordinated action that delivers meaningful outcomes for customers and learners.

Purpose of the role

This role sits at the heart of AQAs integrated go-to-market approach. Youll lead planning frameworks coordinate priorities across our Sales and Subject support teams and provide oversight of delivery risks and resource requirements.

Your work will help ensure customer engagement activity is aligned effective and supports AQAs mission of helping learners realise their potential. Youll play a key part in improving visibility accountability and collaboration across Sales and Subject Support helping teams focus on the activity that delivers the greatest impact for centres trusts and subject communities.

In this role youll be responsible for:

• Leading planning governance and delivery oversight across Sales and Subject Support ensuring activity aligns with strategic priorities and customer needs.
• Working with senior stakeholders to manage priorities risks dependencies capacity and resources across multiple programmes campaigns and initiatives.
• Leading and developing a team of Coordinators and Analysts creating a collaborative high-performing environment and ensuring delivery is supported by robust tracking analysis and insight.
• Using performance data reporting and insight to support decision making drive continuous improvement and ensure effective delivery against agreed objectives.

Youll thrive in this role if youre highly organised enjoy bringing structure to complexity and can build strong relationships across a wide range of stakeholders. Youll bring:

• Experience leading planning operational coordination project management or programme delivery activities within complex environments.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence challenge constructively and build alignment across senior teams.
• Experience leading coaching and developing individuals within a collaborative high-performing team environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data and turn insight into practical actions and recommendations.
• Experience working in customer-focused sales support marketing or go-to-market environments would be advantageous.

Whats in It for You

This is a great opportunity to influence strategically important activity while developing your leadership and planning expertise within a purpose-driven organisation.

• The opportunity to shape activity that supports schools teachers and learners across the UK.
• Exposure to senior leadership and cross-functional decision making across multiple business areas.
• Opportunities to develop your leadership programme management and operational planning skills.
• The chance to work within an organisation that values collaboration innovation and continuous improvement.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyoneregardless of religion ethnicity gender identity or expression age disability sexual orientation or backgroundis valued respected and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language avoid stereotypes and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application process

• To apply please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23.59 on Sunday 26 July.
• First stage interviews will take place remotely on Tuesday 04 and Wednesday 05 August second stage interviews will take place in our Manchester office on Monday 10 August and London office on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 August.

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Recruitment Agencies

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Full Job Description

Summary

Job Profile Summary

The Planning Manager is responsible for leading the planning framework governance and delivery oversight for Sales and Subject Support activity within the Commercial Directorate. The role supports AQAs integrated go-to-market approach by ensuring that activities are prioritised planned coherently resourced effectively governed robustly and delivered with clear visibility and accountability.

Working closely with leaders across the business the postholder will shape shared priorities provide constructive challenge manage interdependencies oversee resource and capacity planning and use systems data and insight to support escalation prioritisation and senior decision-making.

The role will play a key part in embedding the operating rhythm required to support reform. This includes shared priority planning Ladder of Adoption (AQAs opportunity pipeline) progression centre trust segment and subject-specification-level activity planning pipeline discipline formal governance risk and issue management performance reporting and continuous improvement.

The postholder will provide leadership to a team of Coordinators and Analysts ensuring the team provides the insight delivery discipline and operational analysis needed to inform senior choices keep delivery on track identify risks and opportunities early and drive greater efficiency and effectiveness across Sales and Subject
The Planning Manageroperateswithin a fast-pacedcustomer-focused environment supporting the delivery of AQAs integrated go-to-market activity across Sales and Subject includes both AQAs General Qualificationsproductportfolio and Unit Award Scheme.
The role is central to ensuring that activity across Sales and Subject Support isled through a clear planning framework aligned to shared priorities customerjourneysand measurable progression and challenged where needed in partnership with adjacent functions such as Marketing and Product Management.
A key focus of the role will be supporting the practical implementation of integrated go-to-market ways of working. This includes helping teams plan and manage activity at centre trust segment and subject-specification level using agreed segmentationandcustomer insight.
The postholder willdrive improvements in operational consistency visibility governanceefficiencyand effectiveness ensuring that senior leaders have a clear view of priorities risks resource requirements delivery progress operationalimpactanddecision-makingoptions.
Activities
Leading the planning framework and priority-setting approachacross Sales and Subject Support ensuring alignment with strategicobjectives.

Designingdevelopingand managingoperational plans frameworks and governance processes that enable effective execution across Sales and Subject Support.

Owning and managingthe operating rhythm for Sales and Subject Support activity including planning cycles priority reviews delivery checkpoints capacityreviewsand performance reporting.

Working with Regional Sales Managers Portfolio Leads Subject Support leaders and senior stakeholders toshape priorities provide constructive challengemanage interdependenciesrisksand delivery timelinesacross multiple initiatives. This includes managing the action and risk logs for the area.

Leadingandembeddingthe use of the Ladder of Adoption as a shared planning and progression framework helping ensure that activity is linked to customer movement from awareness and interest through to commitmentonboardingand entries.

Overseeing planning at centre trust segmentsubjectand specification level ensuring that subject and support requirements are clearlyidentifiedand coordinated.

Leading resource and capacity planning across relevant teams ensuring that peoplebudgetand external support are aligned to business demand and strategic priorities.

Lead Coordinators and Analysts to provide robust delivery tracking performance insight and operational analysis ensuring risks issues and improvement opportunities areidentifiedearly and translated into clear actions.

Monitor delivery performanceidentifyrisks andissues andprovideclear insightchallengeand evidence-based recommendationsto senior leadership to support informed decision-making.

Supporting effective use of systems and tools such as Microsoft Dynamics LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Power BI to improve planning visibility activitytrackingand performance oversight.

Leading continuous improvement activity to enhance operational efficiency planning effectiveness governance reporting and cross-functional ways of working.

Manageallocatedbudgets whereappropriate.

Acting as a key liaison between Sales SubjectSupportand functions across the organisationinfluencing alignment and supporting senior-level trade-off decisions where priorities capacity or risks need resolution.


Need to Know
To be successful in this role the postholder will need:
Experienceofleading planning scheduling operational coordination or delivery oversight across complex programmes or business functions.

Strong leadership and people management capability with experienceofdevelopingcoachingmotivatingand supporting high-performing teams.

Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability toinfluence senior stakeholders provide constructive challenge negotiateprioritiesand build effective relationships at senior levels.

Strong operational and strategic planningexpertise including experience translating business priorities into clear plans milestones governanceprocessesanddecision-ready delivery actions.

Proven project and programme management capability including experience managing risks dependencies resourcestimelinesand continuous improvement activity.

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret dataidentifyrisks understand operationaldemandand recommend practical solutions.

Strong commercial and operational awareness ideally within customer-focused sales educationsupportor go-to-market environments.

Experience using data reportingCRMandplanning systems to support prioritisation performancemanagementand delivery oversight.

Ability to support activity across multiple customer journeys workstreams campaigns or operational priorities.

Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across multi-functional teams.

Responsibilities
Lead the planning framework governance and delivery oversightof Sales and Subject Support activity ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and reform activity within the scope of the integrated go-to-market model.

Provide effective leadership and line management to Coordinators and Analysts fostering a high-performing collaborative and development-focused team culture.

Support the successful delivery of initiatives that enhance customer engagement strengthen subject support improve operationalcoordinationand contribute to commercial and customer outcomes.

Act asa central pointof coordination between Sales Subject Support wider directorate planningfunctionsand other directorates to ensure aligned and integrated deliverywhile shaping priorities escalating trade-offs and supporting senior decision-making. This will include coordination with the Further Education Partnerships team within the Vocational Business Unit.

Partner with Regional Sales Managers Portfolio Leads and senior stakeholders toinfluence and shapecross-functional activity dependencies risks and priorities across teams and programmes of work.

Lead shared planningincluding centre trust and subject-specification-level prioritisation resourceallocationandcapacity-based recommendations.

Monitor delivery performanceidentifyand escalate risks or issues and provide cleartimelyreportingoptionsand evidence-based recommendationsto senior leadership.

Drive continuous improvement across planning operational processes reportinggovernanceand ways of working to increase efficiencyeffectivenessand overall business impact.


Qualifications / Education
N/A


Work Experience
Significant experiencein planning scheduling operationalcoordinationor project/programme management.

Proven experience in people leadership and line management.

Experience working with senior stakeholders toshape prioritiesinfluence decisions manage risks dependenciesresourcesand delivery.

Experience using data reportingandCRM systems to support planningprioritisationand performance oversight.

A background in sales planning customer support customer-facing operations marketingoperationsor go-to-market planning is desirable.


Competencies
Leadership and people management.

Strategic planning and operational execution.

Stakeholder management and influence.

Planning framework leadershipgovernanceand delivery oversight.

Analytical thinking and problem-solving.

Commercial and customer awareness.

Communication and collaboration.

Governancereportingand risk management.

Continuous improvement mindset.

Data-led planning and prioritisation.