Annexe 1 - Job descriptions
Job Descriptions - The Learning Machine Ltd
Chief Regulatory Officer (CRO)
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
The Governing Body through the Chair.
Responsible for:
The standards and integrity of all certificates awarded by The Learning Machine Ltd, appeals, complaints and enquiries related to qualifications.
Key Roles:
- To act as Responsible Officer in relation to the Regulatory Conditions.
- To be accountable for the quality and standards of the certificates awarded by The Learning Machine Ltd.
- To work with the Chief Moderator to ensure consistency in standards and expectations and in the preparation of evidence for presentation to the Governing Body in cases associated with disciplinary action.
- To act as a member of the Governing Body and the Executive providing professional advice, support and technical knowledge to aid decision making and planning based on available evidence and facility necessary communications between the two.
- To support the development of new awards and their implementation including new units in the QCF, rules of combination and assessment methods.
- To sign off newly developed units and rules of combination for the QCF.
- To be responsible for the training of Assessor Trainers, Principal Assessors and Regional Moderators.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for the quality and standards of the certificates awarded
- To ensure criteria for certificates are in keeping with national and international standards
- To keep abreast of developments in assessment techniques and to advise the Governing Body of new developments and potential improvements to the way assessment is implemented.
- To ensure that subject criteria are appropriate to the stated aims
- To ensure that user needs are appropriately reflected in the award criteria including issues of equality of opportunity and inclusion.
Working with the Principal Moderator
- To achieve professional consensus with the Principal Moderator over sampling techniques required to check consistency
- To consult with the Principal Moderator over the appointment of Regional Moderators.
- To work in consultation with the Principal Moderator in making revisions to the assessment methods
- To consult the Principal Moderator in cases of disciplinary issues and prepare the presentation of the case to the Governing Body.
Acting as a member of the Governing Body
- To attend Governing Body meetings and be available for consultation via telephone, E-mail and other communications technologies
- To ensure decisions taken by the Governing Body are collective, objective and informed.
- To take account of the knowledge and expertise available through the Governing Board in any key decisions and to report to the Governing Body any proposals that have a significant material effect on the quality or consistency of the Awards.
Development of new Awards
- Identify areas for demand for new awards that are appropriate to the culture and methods of The Learning Machine Ltd eg through market research and consultation with sector skills councils and clients.
- Work collaboratively with subject specialists to devise the criteria for new awards ensuring they are appropriate to published agreed standards.
- Prepare proposals for new Awards for consideration by the Governing Body.
Training of Assessor Trainers and Regional Moderators
- To Train Assessor Trainers and Regional Moderators to enable them to carry out their duties consistently to a high standard.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Strong knowledge and experience of a wide range of assessment methods (Essential)
- Extensive senior management experience (Essential) in education or training environments (Desirable)
- Graduate (Essential) with relevant post graduate qualifications in management and/or assessment (Desirable)
- Evidence of strong leadership while taking account the views of a wide range of stake-holders. (Essential)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the standards and quality of the awards being made. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills (Essential) with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Desirable)
- Ability to communicate well in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(For the Governing Body)
Job Description
Chief Moderator
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Governing Body through the Chair or the Vice Chair should the Chief Moderator be elected Chair.
Responsible for:
Ensuring evenness of standards for each level of certification awarded by The Learning Machine Ltd
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for the consistency of the standards applied at each certificate level awarded by The Learning Machine Ltd.
- To work with the Chief Regulatory Officer to ensure consistency in standards and expectations and in the preparation of evidence for presentation to the Governing Body in cases associated with disciplinary action.
- To act as a member of the Governing Body providing professional advice, support and technical knowledge to aid decision making and planning based on available evidence.
- To lead the development of new awards and their implementation and submission to the Regulatory IT System.
- To train account managers in moderation techniques when visiting Centres.
- To review proposed units, rules of combination and assessment methods for the Qualifications Credit Framework.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for the consistency of the certificates awarded
- To use samples of work from Centres to provide exemplars of work conforming to the criteria and illustrating minimum standards
- Ensure that Account Managers carry out moderation consistently across centres
- To keep abreast of developments in assessment techniques and to advise the Governing Body of new developments and potential improvements to the way assessment is implemented.
- To provide a second point of reference for standards for the Chief Assessor
Working with the Chief Regulatory Officer
- To achieve professional consensus with the Chief Regulatory Officer over sampling techniques required to check consistency
- To consult with the Chief Regulatory Officer over the appointment of Regional Moderators.
- To work in consultation with the Chief Regulatory Officer in making revisions to the assessment methods
- To consult with the Chief Regulatory Officer in cases of disciplinary issues and prepare the presentation of the case to the Governing Body
Acting as a member of the Governing Body
- To attend Governing Body meetings and be available for consultation via telephone, E-mail and other communications technologies
- To ensure decisions taken by the Governing Body are collective and objective
- To take account of the knowledge and expertise available through teh Governing Body in any key decisions and to report to the Governing Body any proposals that have a significant material effect on the quality or consistency of the Awards.
Development of new Awards
- Work collaboratively with the Chief Regulatory Officer in devising the criteria for new awards ensuring they are appropriate to published agreed standards
- Proof read and provide feedback to the Chief Regulatory Officer on proposals for new qualifications including units and rules of combination for the QCF, for consideration by the Governing Body
Training of moderators
- Provide training for Account Managers in moderation.
- Support the Chief Regulatory Officer in training Regional Moderators.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Strong knowledge and experience of moderation in national awards (Essential)
- Senior management experience (Essential) in awarding body environments (Desirable)
- Graduate (Essential) with relevant post graduate qualifications in management and/or assessment (Desirable)
- Evidence of strong leadership while taking account the views of a wide range of stake-holders. (Essential)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the consistency of the awards being made. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills (Essential) with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Desirable)
- Ability to communicate well in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Strong numeracy skills to understand and apply statistical principles to sampling and moderation (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ............................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
………………………………………………………………………..(Line Manager)
Job Description
Representative of the Open Source Community
Pay and Conditions: On contract for specific tasks paid on a consultancy rate of £400 per day + expenses
As contracted.
Reports to:
Responsible Officer
Responsible for:
Ensuring that awards made by The Learning Machine are in keeping with the Open Source community philosophy for Freedom and Open Standards
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for ensuring that where relevant, community interests in freedom, open systems and open standards and equality of opportunity are supported in the awards made by The Learning Machine Ltd.
- To support the development of new qualifications and their implementation with any specific relevance to Open Standards.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for ensuring that where relevant open systems and open standards are fully supported
- To ensure where relevant, criteria for certificates are in keeping with Open Standards and educating people about their importance.
- To keep abreast of developments in the Open Source world and to advise the Governing Body accordingly.
- To ensure that user needs are appropriately reflected in the award criteria including issues of equality of opportunity and inclusion.
Development of new Awards
- Identify areas for demand for new awards that are appropriate to the culture and methods of The Learning Machine Ltd particularly in the field of Open Source software and Open Systems.
- Work collaboratively with subject specialists to devise the criteria for new awards ensuring they are appropriate to the Open Source philosophy.
- Support the preparation of proposals for new qualifications for consideration by the Governing Body.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Strong knowledge and experience of Open Source software, open standards and global technology developments (Essential)
- Extensive experience in an Open Source project (Essential) in education or training environments (Desirable)
- Evidence of strong leadership while taking account the views of a wide range of stake-holders. (Essential)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the support of open source and open standards in the awards. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills (Essential) with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Desirable)
- Ability to communicate well in spoken and written English (Desirable)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Desirable)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
Job Description
Chief Executive
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
The Governing Body through the Chair
Responsible for:
The conversion of the policies of the Governing Body into profitable and sustainable business subject to any constraints imposed by the Regulatory Conditions.
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for the viability of the business.
- To act as a member of the Governing Body providing professional advice, support and technical knowledge to aid decision making and planning based on available evidence
- To act as line manager to Account Managers, Technical Support Manager and Director of Finance and Administration in the day to day running of the organisation.
- To ensure that there is the capacity for the company to offer any proposed new qualifications.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for the viability of the business
- To ensure that the business is managed efficiently and effectively providing a good value service to customers
- To ensure that the company operates legally delegating work to those with appropriate expertise and holding them accountable for the outcomes
Acting as a member of the Governing Body
- To be accountable to the Governing Body through the Chair
- To attend Governing Body meetings and be available for consultation via telephone, E-mail and other communications technologies
- To ensure decisions taken by the Governing Body are collective, objective and informed.
- To take account of the knowledge and expertise available through the Governing Body in any key decisions and to report any issues that have a significant material effect on the quality or consistency of the Awards
To act as line manager to Account Managers and the Technical Support Managers
- To monitor the work of those being managed
- To provide a formal annual appraisal of the work of those being managed
- To recommend and provide training where needs are identified
- To decide issues of remuneration in collaboration with the Director of Administration and Finance.
Ensuring the company has the capacity to offer any proposed new awards
- To understand any administrative implications of any proposed new awards
- Provide plans for quality assurance for new qualifications in collaboration with the Chief Assessor and Chief Moderator
- To ensure all members of the company understand their role in the delivery of any new awards
- To ensure that the potential customer base is aware of any proposals for new awards and that appropriate pilots take place to test systems.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Broad management experience in relevant industries (Essential)
- Up to date knowledge of technological systems related to E-commerce and the Internet in global business (Essential)
- Graduate (Essential) with higher degree in a management related discipline (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the commercial viability of the company, compliance with statutory regulations and customer satisfaction. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills (Essential) with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Desirable)
- Ability to communicate well in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
Job Description
Finance and Chief Operating Officer
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Chief Executive and Governing Body
Responsible for:
All financial matters related to the operation of the company and day to day management of the company’s activities
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for financial management and the day to day operations of the business
- To act as secretary to the Governing Body
- To provide regular financial information to those that need it, particularly the Chief Executive and Governing Body
- To ensure that customer service procedures are effective
- To act as line manager to all administrative staff
- To be the officer responsible for diversity and equality of opportunity
- To direct day to day running of operations
Key Tasks:
Accountability for financial management and day to day operations
- Ensure that the financial systems are legal and secure in collaboration with the company’s accountants
- To ensure that debts are paid by the company promptly and within agreed timescales
- To ensure that all company standards comply with the criteria set by the regulatory authorities.
- To ensure money owed to the company is paid to agreed timescales
- To ensure that company financial reserves are invested with the greatest possible return
Providing financial information
- To be consistently up to date with cash flow and inform the Chief Executive if there is any cause for concern at the earliest possible stage
- To provide information required by third parties including Inland Revenue/Customs and Excise, company accountants and suppliers.
- To provide financial projections in collaboration with the Chief Executive
Customer Service
- To ensure day to day customer enquiries are dealt with promptly and with courtesy and good humour
- To ensure the company performs to its customer service policy
- To ensure all members of the company understand their role in relation to putting the customer first
- To support the Chief Executive in ensuring that the potential customer base is aware of any proposals for new awards and that appropriate pilots take place to test systems.
Line management of administrative staff
- To monitor the work of those being managed
- To provide a formal annual appraisal of the work of those being managed
- To recommend and provide training where needs are identified
- To decide issues of remuneration in collaboration with the Chief Executive
Diversity and equality
- To monitor complaints and enquiries for issues related to diversity and equality
- To make recommendations to the Governing Body in relation to issues arising related to equality of opportunity
- To ensure statistical monitoring and analysis takes place in relation to diversity and equality including learner views.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Experience of managing accounts and company finance (Essential)
- Up to date knowledge of technological systems related to accounting (Essential)
- Graduate level professional qualification (Essential) in management, finance or personnel (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the financial well-being of the company. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Essential)
- Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(Line Manager)
Job Description
Technical Support Manager
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Chief Executive
Responsible for:
All technical matters and in particular the development and support of the Websites.
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for the technical development, design, security and function of the certification web site.
- To line manage any additional technical support staff that the company employs
Key Tasks:
Accountability for the technical development, design, security and function of the main web site
- To ensure that the web site conforms to international open standards
- To ensure that the site supports customers as conveniently as possible
- To ensure that the site is secure and is not vulnerable to viruses or hackers.
- To be responsive to customers and to support them with any technical problems that they have associated with the web site
- To collaborate with other members of the company to further develop the technological facilities available to support customers
Line management of technical support staff
- To monitor the work of those being managed
- To provide a formal annual appraisal of the work of those being managed
- To recommend and provide training where needs are identified
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- High level skills in PHP scripting and SQL databases (Essential)
- Good knowledge of Open Source software and associated issues (Essential)
- Up to date knowledge of technological systems related to the Internet (Essential)
- Graduate level qualifications in Computer Science or mathematically related subject (Desirable)
- Bi-lingual in English and another globally used language such as Spanish, German or French (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the technological operation of the company. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(Line Manager)
Job Description
Operations Director
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Chief Executive
Responsible for:
First line support for Centres and Academies and overseeing the work of Account Managers.
Key Roles:
- To be accountable for management of the implementation of the moderation and verification policy, procedures, and training with due reference to the Principal Moderator and Chief Assessor
- To support the implementation of the Customer Care policy
- To publicise the certification and explain its purpose to prospective Centres and Academies
- To contribute to the development of new units, rules of combination and assessment instruments under the guidance of the Chief Assessor.
- To monitor diversity and Equality of Opportunity and feed evidence back the DEO officer.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for managing the implementation of moderation
- To ensure that each Centre/Academy receives its annual visit
- To ensure that support for Centres and Academies is efficient and effective through the Account Managers
- To receive feedback from Centres and Academies with respect to the moderation and verification process, equality of opportunity and other issues
- To provide feedback to assessors to help them achieve increasingly consistent standards
- To provide training where moderation indicates it is needed
- To provide training and support for the Account Managers in moderation and verification to achieve consistency between them
- To communicate with the Principal Moderator with regard to standards and consistency
Supporting the implementation of the customer care policy
- Monitoring the Account Managers to ensure that customer care policy is implemented consistently to a high standard
- Collaboration with the Director of Administration to feedback customer care issues
Assisting development
- Supervise and contribute to the production of drafts of new units, rules of combination and assessment materials for editing and sign off by the Chief Assessor.
Publicising certifications
- Take part in education conferences and exhibitions to ensure that the certification is known in the wider community
- Respond to requests from schools to visit and explain the certification delegating to Account Managers as appropriate
- Provide ideas for promotion and widening the take of the certification
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Thorough knowledge of the certificate criteria and the philosophy, culture and aims of the scheme (Essential)
- Sound and consistent judgment in relation to interpreting criteria (Essential)
- Management experience and evidence of leadership (Essential)
- Good knowledge of Open Source software, Open Standards and associated issues (Essential)
- Graduate level qualifications in computer related subject discipline (Desirable)
- Experience of using a range productivity software tools in a business/commercial environment (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the work of the Account Managers. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Essential)
- Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(Line Manager)
Job Description
Account Manager
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Senior Account Manager
Responsible for:
Support for specifically named Centres and Academies
Key Roles:
- To be accountable to the Senior Account Manager for a consistent approach to assessment across the named Centres and Academies including diversity and equality of opportunity.
- To act as the first point of contact for Principal Assessors in named Centres and Academies that have specific issues that need resolving
- To contribute to the development of new units, rules of combination and assessment instruments.
- To publicise and promote the certification.
Key Tasks:
Accountability for consistent assessment
- To make visits to named centres to ensure that they are assessing accurately to the criteria
- To receive feedback from Centres and Academies with respect to customer satisfaction and to act on these comments appropriately
- To provide training and support for assessors
- To check work for issues related to diversity and equality of opportunity
- To communicate with the Senior Account Manager on issues of quality and consistency
Acting as first point of contact
- To respond promptly to complaints in accordance with the stated policy and to endeavour to resolve issues to the satisfaction of the customers while as a first priority maintaining the integrity of the certification.
- To respond to feedback from Centres and ensure that Centres perceive participation to be good value for money.
To contribute to the development of new units, rules of combination and assessment instruments.
- Provide drafts for new questions assessment criteria and similar materials under the guidance of the Senior Account Manager and Chief Assessor.
Publicising certifications
- Take part in education conferences and exhibitions to ensure that the certification is known in the wider community
- Respond to requests from schools to visit and explain the certification
- Provide ideas for promotion and widening the take of the certification
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Thorough knowledge of the certificate criteria and the philosophy, culture and aims of the scheme (Essential)
- Sound and consistent judgment in relation to interpreting criteria (Essential)
- Good knowledge of Open Source software, Open Standards and associated issues (Essential)
- Graduate level qualifications in computer related subject discipline (Desirable)
- Experience of using a range productivity software tools in a business/commercial environment (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for standards in the named Centres. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Essential)
- Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(Line Manager)
Job Description
Governing Body - Director
Pay and Conditions:
As contracted.
Reports to:
Governing Body through the Chair
Responsible for:
Ensuring the commercial viability of The Learning Machine Ltd in keeping with the roles of company directors as determined by English Law.
Contributing to the expansion of the business by overseeing market research.
Key Roles:
- To monitor the performance of the company personnel in achieving a financially viable undertaking.
- To ensure that all legislation relateing to running a company is properly implemented
- To provide advice and support in the expansion of the business.
Key Tasks:
Monitoring company performance
- To meet regularly and review financial control and status
- To receive reports from the Chief Executive on the current state of the business and opportunities for expansion
- To specify actions to be taken to ensure that the business is opeartionally, efficient and sustainable
- To check work for issues related to diversity and equality of opportunity
Compliance with legislation
- To review operations in the light of any existing and new legislation to ensure there is compliance
Business growth
- To make decisions about the viability of options for growth based on current resources and projected demand.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Professional Requirements:
- Experience of running businesses (Essential)
- Sound and consistent judgment in relation to business legislation (Essential)
- High ethical and moral standing (Essential)
- Good knowledge of Open Source software, Open Standards and associated issues (Desirable)
- Graduate level qualifications (Desirable)
- Shareholder in The Learning Machine Ltd (Desirable)
Personal Skill Requirements:
- Willingness to be held accountable for the commercial performance of The Learning Machine Ltd. (Essential)
- Self-sufficiency in the use of ICT for general communications, obtaining information from Internet based resources and communities and the preparation of reports (Essential)
- Willingness, flexibility and adaptability in tackling the variety of tasks arising related to the job specification (Essential)
- Good interpersonal skills with friendly, approachable, calm and objective disposition (Essential)
- Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English (Essential)
- Ability to prioritise tasks and decisions in response to unforeseen problems (Essential)
- High levels of self-reliance and self-motivation (Essential)
- The ability to be accurate and methodical (Essential)
I am in agreement with this Job Description,
Dated ..........................................
Signed……………………………………………………………….. (Post Holder)
…………………………………………………………(Line Manager)
