Assessment Support Assistants

We are currently recruiting Assessment Support Assistants for a 12-month Fixed term contract. 
This role is hybrid, both working from home and in our Oxford hub. The successful candidates need to be in the Oxford hub at least twice a week, and more often (with daily attendance) during exam periods.

We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly between home and the hub to suit their needs and preferences, in line with our hybrid working policy.
Colleagues are able to work their hours flexibly, in line with core business hours and requirements. We also offer formalised flexible working agreements.  

The starting salary is £29,450.

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk  

Purpose of the job

This role is to support users of the IFoA’s qualification processes, predominantly members, non-members, employers and self-employed contractors. 

Dimensions

There are over 15,000 learners who are registered to sit the assessments relating to the IFoA qualifications. There are 26 assessments which run twice a year (in April and September) plus a further 3 assessments which can be sat throughout the year relating to the IFoA qualifications. All these assessments must be added accurately onto the exam platforms in sufficient time for the assessment to take place on the agreed date.  Supporting 40 plus exam centres, each requiring a secure file platform to allow for transfer of data which includes over 400 attendance registers, which are manually collated.

The role will have responsibility for the accuracy of the assessment material and data entered onto the internal and external platforms working with external suppliers and IFoA colleagues to deliver all key assessment processes within the agreed dates. There are over 400 external examiners and markers that support this work whom the post holder will be engaging with.

Principal accountabilities

• Supporting the exam centres that all need a secure file platform to allow for transfer of data which includes the manually collated attendance registers.  Support is needed to ensure that each centre has the correct imagery set up and the correct data sets for the different exams. Whilst the exams are running there is need to support centre incidents and reconcile the data received from each centre after the exam. 
• Providing multi-channel first-line support to both centres and individual candidates sitting remotely on the exam days including by phone, Teams and email.
• Effective management of key inbox traffic which is essential to maintaining a smooth communication flow, prioritising critical tasks, and ensuring timely responses to both internal and external stakeholders. The two key inboxes receive high volumes of messages from candidates, employers, other Actuarial Associations, markers, and examiners as well as internal colleagues such as the Member Services team that range from urgent action items to routine updates. The traffic to these inboxes has more than trebled as the move to exam centres has increased the overall number of queries and increased the complexity of Access Arrangements, Mitigating Circumstances and Appeals which need to be managed efficiently within tight deadlines. 
• Detecting and reporting breaches of examination regulations through reviewing video recordings and other documentation for candidates sitting the examinations online or other instances where a candidate may have breached the rules in a centre. These breaches may include cheating, plagiarism, use of unauthorised materials, impersonation, or other forms of misconduct during an assessment. If a concern is raised and substantiated then there needs to be evidence collection, notifying the candidate, receiving any response and preparing cases for the Panel to review before notifying the candidate of any outcome of the panel meeting. 
• Effective support of the self-employed contractors setting up secure file transfers, ensuring documents are accurately moved at key times, setting up marking meetings and formatting examiner reports which aid candidates in their revision.
• To administer the CERA seminars, professionalism courses, CB3 (Business Management) and exam counselling.

Main contacts

• Several teams within the Learning Group (including Assessment Delivery, Registry and Qualifications & Standards)
• Member Services 
• External: exam centre staff, exam candidates, markers and examiners

Impact

The roleholder will play an important role in the smooth running of the assessments, and the integrity of the results. They provide the assurances that those acquiring the IFoA Associate or Fellowship qualification have met the required standards and are fit for purpose.

Decision-making and complexity

• The post holder has to work on their own initiative to undertake a variety of tasks.
• The post holder has to act as a point of contact for internal and external enquiries and will often be the first point of contact at the IFoA
• The post holder has to be prepared to be flexible and adaptable to ensure that priorities can be met. 

Knowledge and experience

Essential:

• Excellent attention for detail and able to maintain high levels of accuracy
• Excellent customer care skills including sensitivity to the needs of the customer 
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
• Must organise own workload and take responsibility/ownership 
• Strong IT skills 
• Ability to multi task and prioritise.
• Integrity, discretion and diplomacy in the handling of confidential and sensitive information

Desirable: 

• Experience within a professional body or higher education provider
• Working with volunteers 

IFoA’s values

The role holder must be an ambassador for and demonstrate the IFoA Values in all aspects of their work.

• Member-focused: We put members at the heart of everything we do
• Action-oriented: We work hard, we work smart, and we take pride in getting things done, valuing action over perfection
• Forward- and outward-looking: We’re always looking to be bold and improve, innovate and take the next step
• Team-driven: We work in partnership, advancing together as one IFoA

Alternative format and adjustments

Please email the HR Team if you require:

• any information regarding our vacancies in an alternative format
• any adjustments to support you to fully participate in any part of the application and recruitment process

Any information shared will be used only to enable us to make reasonable adjustments to support candidates to participate in the recruitment process. It will not inform selection decisions.

You can reach us at HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk.