Head of Digital Assessment
University of the Built Environment · Reading, United Kingdom · hybrid
JOB DESCRIPTIONEmployment status and working hoursPermanent, full time.
Full time hours at the University are 35 per week with the standard working pattern Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00, with some flexibility in start/finish times.
Organisation structureEducation and Students, Digital Assessment.
Your line manager will be Ruth Grindey, Director of Digital Learning and Engagement.
Place of work flexibilityYour time will be split between the Horizons, Reading office and your home*. The exact split of days/hours is negotiable but must include a minimum of two to three working days each month in Horizons on (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). The office is closed on Fridays. *Working from home is only possible if your environment is suitable – please see the ‘Working from home’ section on our Careers Site for further information.
High level summary of job roleAs the Head of Digital Assessment, you will support the Digital Campus strategic leadership by realising and embedding the potential of state-of-the-art assessment platforms and tools within our digital assessment portfolio. You will ensure the effective design, delivery, enhancement, and governance of our digital assessment and feedback practices.
You will act as a vital bridge between our academic specialists and subject matter experts, our talented team of learning designers and digital education specialists, and our senior leadership of student experience. Working collaboratively across academic schools, professional services, and external partners, you’ll drive innovation and deliver continuous improvement in assessment practice, overseeing assessment platforms, digital workflows, assessment and feedback analytics, and emerging technologies.
Specific job role accountabilities and responsibilitiesLeadership- Lead the development of new and enhanced assessment practices by leveraging the capabilities of the University’s investments into assessment, marking and feedback platforms.
- Own the University's digital and online assessment framework and ensure its alignment with academic practice and the expectations of external stakeholders, regulators and accrediting bodies.
- Be a trusted advisor on digital assessment policy, standards, best practice and innovation.
- Model collaborative and participation-based practice as a mechanism for enhancing digital capabilities and skills across the University’s assessment stakeholders.
Digital assessment and delivery- Collaborate with academic schools, professional services and digital learning teams to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the operational management and administration of the University’s assessment activities.
- Improve the reliability, scalability, and security of the University’s assessment services.
- Enhance the University’s end-to-end assessment workflow, foregrounding business continuity, risk management and contingency planning.
- Champion and embed evidence-based assessment design that maximises learning outcomes and student engagement.
Student experience and accessibility- Partner with our student representatives to ensure our assessment activities and experiences are shaped by those they are designed to develop.
- Align the University’s digital assessment practices with its Learning Teaching and Assessment Strategy (LTAS 2025/30), and its Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) roadmap.
- Diversify and tailor the University’s digital assessment practices so that they are effective for our diverse student body and embed accessible and inclusive assessment design and delivery as standard.
- Enhance our assessment satisfaction and engagement metrics through regular monitoring of student feedback and performance data and the development and implementation of continuous improvement activity.
Governance and compliance- Work with the Academic Quality and Governance Directorate to ensure compliance with institutional governance for digital assessment systems and processes.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks including:
- Office for Students (OfS) conditions of registration
- Data Protection legislation (UK GDPR)
- Ofsted
- Apprenticeship end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) national standards
- Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) expectations
- Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) expectations
- The University’s Academic regulations and related policies
People management- Build, motivate and manage a high-performing specialist digital and online assessment team.
- Create a culture of curiosity, innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Manage workforce planning and staff capability development within the digital assessment team.
Evaluation and reporting- Establish meaningful performance indicators and success measures for digital and online assessment initiatives.
- Produce regular updates and reports on the impacts of digital assessment on student experience and outcomes.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the University’s assessment offer using evidence-based approaches.
- Make recommendations for future investment and development priorities based on emerging needs and impact data.
Other important features of the job roleLine management responsibilities: Yes, you will manage a small team of digital assessment specialists.
Budget responsibility: None.
In this role you will liaise with the following: Digital Learning, Academic team, Academic Operations and Quality and Governance Directorate.
PERSON SPECIFICATIONE = Essential person requirement; D = Desirable person requirement
How the person requirement will be assessed:
A = Application; I = Interview; T = Test or other assessment
Please be aware that as part of safer recruitment and onboarding processes, we will seek original documentary evidence of the relevant academic and/or professional qualifications which you include within your job application. This is all part of our comprehensive pre-employment screening which also includes checking your identity, right to work, criminal record history (basic disclosure unless specified otherwise), and three years employment history. This is all part of our commitment to safeguarding our students. Keeping our students safe is a responsibility shared by everyone within the University.
Qualifications and trainingBachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification and/or experience (E, A).
A strong track record of continuing professional development relevant to digital education, assessment, learning technology, or higher education leadership (E, A).
Relevant postgraduate qualification in teaching and learning, digital education, assessment, learning technology, academic quality, or a related field (D, A).
Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) or other relevant professional accreditation (e.g. CMALT) (D, A).
Previous experienceLeading assessment, digital education, learning technology, academic administration, or related functions within or for a higher education environment (E, A, I).
Designing, implementing, and/or improving digital assessment workflows, systems, processes, and services at scale (E, A, I).
Evidence of using a diverse range of learning platforms and assessment technologies, including online assessment, marking, feedback, and academic integrity solutions, to enhance assessment experience and outcomes (E, A, I, T).
Developing and implementing policies, frameworks and standards for assessment enhancement (E, A, I).
Managing teams and developing their digital capabilities (E, A).
Using data and analytics to improve assessment outcomes, student engagement, and service performance (E, A, I).
Supporting apprenticeship assessment and EPA requirements (D, A).
Working with Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) (D, A).
Procurement, supplier management, and contract oversight for assessment technologies (D, A).
Behaviours and attitudesAlignment to the University’s core