Lead Specialist - Education Specialist

Job Title: Lead Specialist, Education Specialist

Division: Assessment
Reports to: Head of Operations
Role type: Senior expert, individual contributor — no direct reports

This role aligns with positions commonly known in the external market as Modification Unit Lead, Assessment Operations Lead, Assessment Exception Management Lead or Document Processing Operations Lead.

About Pearson

At Pearson, our purpose is to help people realise the life they imagine through learning. We create digital learning experiences, assessments and qualifications that help people build skills and unlock opportunities throughout their lives.

About the role

Help protect pupil outcomes by ensuring every assessment script is handled securely and accounted for, even when it cannot follow the standard processing route.

We’re looking for a Modification Unit Lead to oversee exception script handling across the TOpS assessment programme. You’ll lead the approach to securing, investigating, processing and tracking scripts that cannot move through standard collection, scanning or marking processes, ensuring each case reaches a confirmed and evidenced outcome.

As the senior subject-matter expert, you’ll coordinate resolution across Print and Logistics, Scanning, Marking, Technology, Customer Services, schools and suppliers. From damaged or incomplete scripts to missing materials and data discrepancies, you’ll bring clarity to complex issues and ensure actions protect the integrity of pupils’ responses.

This is a senior individual contributor role with no direct reports. You’ll lead through expertise and influence, establishing clear controls and coordinating delivery while individual service leads retain accountability for their operations.

What you’ll do

• Own the exception-handling approach. Define the operating model, controls, evidence standards and escalation routes for scripts requiring specialist intervention.
• Prepare the Modification Unit for delivery. Lead readiness, capacity planning and contingency arrangements, intervening early where risks could affect deadlines or pupil outcomes.
• Resolve complex script issues. Act as the expert escalation point for damaged, incomplete, contaminated, non-standard, misrouted or otherwise unprocessable scripts. Determine appropriate treatment and processing routes using evidence, security requirements and sound judgement.
• Maintain clear oversight of every exception. Establish one reliable view of each script’s location, condition, owner, status, processing route and expected outcome.
• Lead missing-script investigations and reconciliation. Reconcile scripts expected, received, quarantined, processed and unresolved, distinguishing physical loss from processing delays, identification issues, alternative routing or pupil-record errors.
• Protect security and traceability. Define and assure chain-of-custody controls covering secure storage, handling, access and transfer. Escalate suspected loss, tampering or compromise through the appropriate incident and security processes.
• Coordinate teams and delivery partners. Work with operational leads, suppliers and technology partners to create effective handovers and resolve issues across service boundaries.
• Provide evidence-based assurance. Ensure cases are closed only when the required evidence, decision records and outcome confirmations are complete. Escalate unresolved risks with clear impacts, options and recommendations.
• Report on performance and risk. Track exception volumes, ageing, outcomes and outstanding risks, providing concise senior-level reporting and an accurate, reconciled position to the Closure Delivery Lead.
• Improve processes and capability. Identify recurring causes, strengthen controls and playbooks, coach colleagues and introduce improvements that reduce repeat exceptions and manual failure points.

What you’ll bring

• Substantial experience in assessment operations, script processing, scanning, marking, logistics, operational assurance or the delivery of complex regulated services.
• Demonstrated expertise in resolving complex script, material or data exceptions.
• A track record of leading critical operational activity across multiple functions through influence rather than formal management authority.
• Strong knowledge of chain-of-custody controls, secure material handling, operational assurance and audit evidence.
• The ability to interpret and reconcile complex operational data and translate findings into clear decisions and recommendations.
• Experience designing or improving controls, work instructions, playbooks, decision frameworks or operating models.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the judgement to resolve ambiguous issues and identify underlying causes.
• Confidence advising and constructively challenging senior colleagues, suppliers and clients under significant time pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive reporting and leading decision-making meetings.
• Strong prioritisation skills and the ability to maintain accuracy and control against demanding deadlines.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word and collaboration tools, or equivalent platforms.

It would also be helpful to have

• Experience in national curriculum testing, regulated qualifications or another high-stakes assessment environment.
• Knowledge of TOpS script collection, scanning, quarantine, marking, reconciliation and closure processes.
• Experience working with supplier-operated logistics, fulfilment or document-processing services.
• Knowledge of missing-script investigations, non-standard script processing or manual marking routes.
• Experience supporting formal audits, client assurance or government-contract governance.
• A relevant qualification in service delivery, operations, project or programme management, risk, quality or professional management.

What success looks like

You’ll ensure exception scripts are secure and traceable from identification through to their final confirmed outcome. Teams will have a shared, accurate understanding of outstanding cases, with clear ownership and timely resolution or escalation.

Your work will provide complete, audit-ready evidence to support programme closure, protect pupils from avoidable processing failures and reduce recurring issues across future assessment cycles.

Why join Pearson?

You’ll play a critical role in protecting the integrity of assessment delivery and the outcomes that matter to pupils. Working across operational teams, technology partners and suppliers, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your expertise, influence important decisions and build more reliable ways of working.