Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Head Examiner

🎯 Role Definition

As the Head Examiner, you will serve as the ultimate authority on all matters related to examination and assessment within the organization. You are a strategic leader responsible for upholding the highest standards of quality, fairness, and security across our entire portfolio of qualifications. This role requires a deep expertise in assessment principles, psychometrics, and operational management. You will lead a dedicated team of assessment professionals, collaborate with key stakeholders, and drive innovation in examination practices to maintain our position as a leader in the field. You will be accountable for the end-to-end integrity of the examination process, ensuring that all assessments are valid, reliable, and fit for purpose.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Principal Examiner or Chief Examiner
Senior Assessment Manager or Director
Head of a specific subject or faculty with extensive assessment experience

Advancement To:

Director of Qualifications and Assessment
Chief Academic Officer
Vice President, Credentialing & Examination Services

Lateral Moves:

Director of Quality Assurance
Head of Curriculum Development
Senior Policy Advisor (Education/Assessment)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide strategic leadership and vision for the organization's entire assessment and examination strategy, ensuring alignment with overarching business objectives and industry best practices.
Oversee the complete end-to-end examination lifecycle, including syllabus review, question paper development, marking, grading, and the final awarding of results for all qualifications.
Establish and enforce rigorous quality assurance frameworks and protocols to guarantee the validity, reliability, and fairness of all assessment instruments and processes.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of examiners, moderators, assessment specialists, and administrative staff, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Act as the final point of escalation and decision-making for all academic and integrity issues related to examinations, including cases of malpractice, appeals, and special considerations.
Direct the psychometric analysis of examination data to monitor test performance, maintain standards over time, and inform future assessment design and development.
Chair key committees, including the Examination Board and Awarding Committee, guiding expert panels to make robust and defensible judgments on grade boundaries and standards.
Ensure all examination activities and qualifications comply with national and international regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and data protection legislation.
Drive the strategic recruitment, training, and standardization of a large pool of external examiners and subject matter experts, ensuring they are equipped to meet our quality standards.
Champion innovation in assessment, leading research and development initiatives into new assessment methodologies, technologies, and digital examination platforms.
Manage the departmental budget, allocating resources effectively to support all examination operations, projects, and strategic initiatives.
Serve as the principal liaison with regulatory bodies, government agencies, and other key external stakeholders, representing the organization's interests and expertise in assessment.
Author and approve definitive policies, procedures, and guidance documents governing all aspects of the examination process for internal and external use.
Oversee the secure production, printing, distribution, and processing of all examination materials to safeguard confidentiality and prevent security breaches.
Lead the post-examination review process, analyzing performance data, examiner reports, and stakeholder feedback to identify areas for enhancement in subsequent cycles.
Develop and implement contingency and business continuity plans to mitigate risks and ensure the smooth delivery of examinations during any potential disruption.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to inform strategic decision-making across the organization.
Contribute to the organization's broader data strategy and roadmap, advocating for the effective use of assessment data.
Collaborate with business units, including curriculum development and marketing, to translate assessment needs and insights into actionable requirements and clear communications.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies, particularly for projects related to the development of new assessment technologies or platforms.
Provide expert consultation to other departments on matters of educational measurement, assessment design, and evaluation.
Foster strong relationships with educational institutions, professional bodies, and partner organizations to enhance the standing and recognition of the qualifications.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Assessment Theory: Deep, demonstrable expertise in the principles of assessment design, including validity, reliability, and fairness in high-stakes environments.
Psychometrics: Strong practical knowledge of Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) for analyzing examination data, setting standards, and conducting equating.
Regulatory Compliance: Thorough understanding of the regulatory landscape for awarding organizations (e.g., Ofqual, or equivalent international bodies) and data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR).
Statistical Analysis: Proficiency in using statistical software (such as SPSS, R, or Python) for data analysis, modeling, and reporting on assessment outcomes.
Quality Assurance Methodologies: Expertise in designing and implementing robust QA cycles, including moderation, examiner monitoring, and appeals processes.
Project & Operations Management: Proven ability to manage complex, large-scale, and time-sensitive operational cycles with meticulous attention to detail.

Soft Skills

Strategic Leadership: The ability to set a clear vision, inspire a large and diverse team, and make critical, high-impact decisions under pressure.
Stakeholder Management: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to effectively engage with, influence, and manage relationships with examiners, regulators, and internal leaders.
Analytical & Critical Thinking: Superior ability to interpret complex qualitative and quantitative data, identify underlying issues, and develop evidence-based solutions.
Judgement & Integrity: Unquestionable personal and professional integrity, with the ability to make impartial, defensible, and ethical judgments.
Communication & Influence: Outstanding ability to articulate complex assessment concepts clearly and persuasively to both technical and non-technical audiences, both verbally and in writing.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in a relevant field is highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Educational Measurement & Assessment
Psychometrics
Statistics
A specific subject matter discipline with extensive experience in a senior assessment role.

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 10-15+ years of progressive experience in the assessment, examinations, or credentialing industry.

Preferred:

A minimum of 7 years in a senior leadership role within a national or international awarding body, regulatory authority, or large-scale assessment provider.
Demonstrable track record of managing and delivering high-stakes examinations and leading large teams of subject matter experts and assessment professionals.