Principal policy advisor jobs

Job Title: Director of Examinations 

Reports to: Chief Executive

Line reports: Examinations Manager (x2) 

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) is a membership organisation and the voice of the profession, with over 4,750 members in the UK and overseas. Our role is to champion the specialty, set standards of training and practice, and influence change to make a difference to the lives of patients with eye conditions.

Job Purpose 

The Director of Examinations plays an important role within the College, providing strategic leadership, oversight and delivery of our exam function in the UK and overseas, at the same time as ensuring alignment with best practice and GMC standards.

This role has responsibility for a budget of £2M+ and for the delivery of exams to around 3,000 candidates each year. The postholder is also responsible for leading a team of six members of staff and forms a key part of our Senior Leadership Team, taking corporate responsibility for the overall direction and operational management of the College.

Main responsibilities 

1. To oversee the strategic direction and delivery of exams 

• Provide strategic leadership for the College's examination function, ensuring all examinations are designed, delivered and continuously improved in accordance with the College's strategic objectives, regulatory requirements, obligations and recognised best practice 

• Develop and implement the long-term exams strategy, anticipating future developments in medical education, assessment, AI technology and regulation to identify opportunities, manage risks and ensure the continued relevance and sustainability of the College's examinations 

• Ensure the College's examinations meet the standards required by the General Medical Council (GMC) and other relevant regulatory bodies, maintaining robust governance, quality assurance and standard-setting processes that demonstrate examinations are valid, reliable and fit for purpose 

• Lead the strategic planning, financial management and performance of the examinations function, ensuring delivery within agreed budgets while maintaining high-quality services and identifying opportunities for innovation and operational efficiency 

• Champion an outstanding candidate and stakeholder experience by ensuring examinations are delivered to consistently high standards of customer service, accessibility, fairness and professionalism, with particular regard to equity, diversity and inclusion, confidentiality and information security 

• Provide executive leadership for the development, implementation and continuous improvement of policies, assessment methodologies and quality assurance frameworks, ensuring alignment with developments in medical assessment and educational best practice. 

• Oversee governance arrangements for examination appeals, reasonable adjustments, examination security and risk management, ensuring robust, transparent and legally compliant decision-making processes 

• Ensure comprehensive monitoring and analysis of examination performance, assessment outcomes and equality data, using evidence and statistical analysis to inform continuous improvement, maintain standards and provide assurance to the College's governance structures and external regulators 

• Drive the development and implementation of digital solutions, leading business change to improve resilience, efficiency, data quality and the candidate experience 

• Lead the strategic development and expansion of the College's international examination portfolio, identifying opportunities for growth while ensuring consistent quality, governance and candidate experience across the UK and overseas in a financially sustainable way 

• Ensure appropriate governance, oversight and maintenance of systems, policies, guidance and digital resources, including candidate communications and public-facing information 

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and evidence-based practice across the examinations function, ensuring emerging risks, operational issues and opportunities are identified and addressed proactively. 

2. To foster close and constructive relationships with key stakeholders 

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with examiners, psychometricians, clinical leaders, regulators and international delivery partners, fostering collaboration to ensure the consistent delivery, quality and integrity of the College's examinations across the UK and internationally 

• Provide strategic oversight of the recruitment, development and performance of the College's volunteer examiner workforce, ensuring examiners are appropriately trained, supported and calibrated to deliver assessments in accordance with regulatory requirements and recognised best practice 

• Serve as the executive lead for the College's Examinations Committee and its subcommittee structure, providing strategic advice, governance support and assurance to enable effective oversight of the examination function and its ongoing development 

• Lead the College's relationship with the GMC, acting as the principal point of engagement on examination matters. Ensure timely and robust regulatory reporting, represent the College in formal discussions, and provide assurance that examinations continue to meet all applicable regulatory standards 

• Build and maintain productive relationships with key UK stakeholders, including the Postgraduate Dean for Ophthalmology, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), NHS partners and other professional bodies, influencing developments in postgraduate medical assessment and promoting collaboration across the sector 

• Lead the College's engagement with international partners, including examination delivery organisations, host institutions and the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COESCA), supporting the strategic growth, quality assurance and sustainable development of the College's international examination portfolio 

• Represent the College externally on matters relating to examinations and assessment, acting as a trusted advisor to senior clinical leaders, regulators and partner organisations, and enhancing the College's reputation as a leader in postgraduate medical assessment. 

3. To lead the directorate 

• Provide executive leadership of the team, creating a high-performing, collaborative and customer-focused culture that enables colleagues to deliver excellent outcomes 

• Lead, develop and empower the team through effective coaching, succession planning and identification of professional development opportunities, building capacity and resilience

• Establish clear individual and team objectives aligned to the College's strategic priorities, monitoring performance, fostering accountability and supporting the successful delivery of agreed outcomes

• Promote effective communication and collaboration across the team, ensuring colleagues are informed, motivated and connected to the College's strategic direction, while championing the team's achievements across the organisation 

• Ensure robust financial stewardship, including strategic financial planning, budget management and long-term forecasting, contributing to the College's sustainability and value for money 

• Provide strategic advice, analysis and assurance to the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, reporting on performance, risks, financial position and progress against objectives 

• Establish effective governance and programme management arrangements to deliver strategic initiatives, foster cross-College collaboration and drive continuous improvement. 

4. To contribute as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) 

• Play a full and active role as a member of the SLT, contributing to the development and delivery of the College's strategy and organisational priorities 

• Provide visible organisational leadership, promoting collaboration across teams and embedding a one-College approach that delivers consistently high standards of service and performance 

• Contribute to the development, implementation and review of College-wide policies, governance arrangements and organisational processes, ensuring effective and consistent application across the organisation 

• Share collective corporate responsibility for decisions taken by the SLT and Board of Trustees, supporting their successful implementation and promoting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement 

• Lead and contribute to cross-organisational change programmes and strategic projects, ensuring effective engagement with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver sustainable improvement 

• Champion and role model the College's values, behaviours and leadership expectations, fostering an inclusive, respectful and high-performing organisational culture. 

5. To undertake other duties as required:  

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the Chief Executive

• Extensive travel in the UK and overseas is required, alongside working outside normal hours from time to time during exam sittings. 

Person Specification 

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience 

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification 

• Significant senior leadership experience in examinations, education, assessment or a professional membership organisation 

• Experience of leading high-stakes assessment or examination services, including quality assurance and regulatory compliance 

• Experience of strategic planning, budget management and organisational performance 

• Experience of leading, developing and motivating high-performing teams 

• Experience of working with Boards, committees, regulators and senior stakeholders 

• Experience of leading organisational or digital change programmes 

Skills and Abilities 

• Strategic leadership with strong planning, analytical and decision-making skills 

• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship management skills 

• Financial and commercial awareness with the ability to manage resources effectively 

• Ability to lead change, manage risk and deliver continuous improvement 

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results 

Personal Qualities (Attributes) 

• Collaborative, inclusive and values-driven leader who demonstrates integrity, professionalism and sound judgement 

• Resilient, adaptable and committed to innovation, continuous improvement and customer excellence 

• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and to continuing professional development 

Other requirements

Willingness to travel within the UK and internationally and work occasional evenings or weekends during examination periods

Help us tackle disadvantage and change lives

Salford Foundation is looking for an experienced, values-driven Head of Finance & Resources to join our Senior Management Team and play a key role in ensuring the organisation is financially sustainable, well governed and equipped to deliver lasting impact for local people.

This is a varied and hands-on leadership role combining strategic responsibility with operational delivery. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will lead our finance function while providing oversight of people, IT, facilities, data protection and organisational compliance.

You will be responsible for financial planning and reporting, budgeting, risk management and governance, while supporting colleagues across the organisation with the systems, processes and resources they need to succeed. You will also act as the Foundation's Data Protection Officer and lead officer to the Audit and Risk Committee.

About you

You will be a qualified accountant with strong financial management experience and the ability to communicate financial information clearly to a wide range of audiences. You will be comfortable operating both strategically and operationally, bringing a collaborative and solutions-focused approach to leadership.

You will have experience of supporting organisational decision-making, managing people and resources, and building effective relationships with colleagues, trustees and external partners.

Most importantly, you will share our commitment to tackling disadvantage, supporting communities and creating opportunities for people to thrive.

We offer

• Salary of £45,000 - £50,000 per annum
• Hybrid working
• Opportunity to influence the future direction of a respected local charity
• Supportive and values-led working environment
• The chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people across Salford

Join us and help ensure Salford Foundation has the resources, systems and leadership needed to continue tackling disadvantage and changing lives.

A job and person specification is attached along with our company benefits.

The AI Engineer is a hands-on role where you’ll work across the full development lifecycle, from shaping ideas and building prototypes through to deploying production-ready solutions. You’ll play a key role in applying AI and modern software engineering practices to real-world service challenges. 

As AI Engineer, you’ll be part of a small, collaborative team, working closely with product, user experience and operational colleagues to deliver impactful, user-focused solutions. 

This role is predominantly home-based with occasional attendance at our Birmingham Office (minimum of four days per year).  However, during probation more frequent office attendance will be required to ensure you receive full support.  

What You’ll Be Doing 

• Designing and building applications and tools using modern engineering practices 

• Developing integrations, APIs and automation to support key services 

• Translating business and user needs into working technical solutions 

• Exploring where AI and automation can add value to real workflows 

• Building and testing prototypes, then iterating based on feedback 

• Supporting deployment and early-stage live running of new solutions 

• Collaborating with non-technical stakeholders to shape and refine ideas 

What We’re Looking For 

Core Experience 

• Strong background in software or application development 

• Experience working with Python and/or Microsoft technologies 

• Experience building and integrating APIs and services 

• Ability to deliver solutions end-to-end (design through to deployment) 

• Confident communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences 

AI & Innovation 

• Good understanding of AI / Generative AI concepts and use cases 

• Interest in applying emerging technologies to solve real problems 

Nice to Have (but not essential) 

• Experience building AI-enabled features or tools 

• Knowledge of technologies such as RAG, vector databases or LLMs 

• Background in regulated, public sector or customer-focused environments 

• Experience working with CRM, contact centre or case management systems 

• Awareness of accessibility, data protection or service design principles 

What We Offer:   

We believe in taking care of our people, and we offer a great range of benefits, including:   

• 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays   

• A contributory pension scheme   

• Flexible hybrid working arrangement   

• Generous Life Insurance   

• Wellbeing days to support your mental health   

• A healthcare cashback scheme   

• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme  

• Working outside the UK (up to 30 days in a 12-month period)  

• Free on-site gym    

• Enhanced maternity pay    

Recruitment Process  

*We will review all applications after the closing date and contact shortlisted applicants thereafter** 

• Stage 1: informal chat  

• Stage 2: interview 

Accessibility and Adjustments  

We want every candidate to feel confident and supported. If you need any adjustments or have specific preferences during the recruitment process, just let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.  

Important Information  

We will only use the data you supply to us for recruitment purposes, and it will be held for twelve months. For further details, please see our Privacy Notice for Job Applicants on our vacancies page.  

 Our Commitment to Inclusion  

 We take diversity seriously and are committed to creating a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. Our values: ‘We put people first, We support each other, We solve problems’ underpin our vision to be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We warmly welcome applications from all backgrounds.  

About Depaul International

Our vision is of a society in which everyone has a place to call home and a stake in their community. We aim to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it. Depaul International, made up internationally of eight member organisations, exists because we believe everyone deserves the dignity and security of a place to call home. We are committed to ending homelessness and improving the lives of the people affected by it.

Depaul International’s current six-year strategy is focussed on four key areas:

• Service: Developing evidence-based solutions to develop services to prevent and end homelessness on a local, national and global scale
• Reach: Empowering member organisations to lead services in their own countries, establishing partnerships and cross-sector working globally to strengthen capacity and scale.
• Voice: Advocating for local, national, and global responses to end homelessness
• Values: Working to strengthen client involvement and enabling our clients to influence decision making to ensure our services are welcoming, accessible and just.

The incoming Director of Finance will play a key role in delivering this strategy, providing the financial leadership needed to support international growth, strengthen resilience, and ensure sustainable impact worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial management across Depaul Group, supporting National Members, this includes consolidated reporting, budgeting, cashflow and audits.
• Develop and implement financial strategy, controls, policies and best practice across the charity
• Act as principal financial adviser to the CEO, Executive Team, Board and Committees.
• Provide insightful financial reporting, forecasting and risk analysis to support decision-making.
• Oversee governance, compliance, company secretarial duties and data protection.
• Lead group-wide internal audit processes and financial due diligence activities.
• Support and strengthen finance capacity across international member organisations.
• Manage key external relationships including auditors, bankers, legal advisers, investment portfolio managers, insurers and regulators.
• Pivotal member of the Executive Team, which leads the development of organisational strategy, performance and culture.
• Lead and develop the finance function.

About You

• You will be a qualified accountant (CCAB qualified or equivalent),
• You will have experience in senior leadership roles (Head of Finance, Director of Finance or similar) within the charity or wider non-profit sector
• You will have the ability to balance strategic leadership with operational delivery in a small, collaborative organisation
• You will be pragmatic and collaborative, and passionate about social justice and the work Depaul International undertakes to end homelessness.

We welcome applications from ambitious senior finance leaders who are ready to take their first step into a Director of Finance position and can demonstrate the strategic capability, leadership skills and values alignment required for the role.

Further Information

• Hybrid working of 3 days per week of central London based office
• This role will require occasional international travel to member organisation countries
• Interviews will be held w/c 13th July and w/c 20th July for first and second stage interviews respectively
• Ivy Rock Partners is working exclusively with Depaul International for this appointment.

Depaul International is a faith-inspired charity rooted in St Vincent de Paul's tradition of dignity and compassion. We welcome people of all backgrounds, faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs, working together towards a shared goal of ending homelessness and creating positive social change.

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your financial leadership skills to drive meaningful social impact on a global scale, we would love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Holly Arrowsmith at Ivy Rock Partners.