Senior Officer Enquiries and Complaints - 12 months Maternity cover

Ofqual is the independent qualifications regulator for England. We currently regulate 200+ awarding organisations, and approx. 11,600 certified qualifications.

These include GCSEs, AS and A levels, and a broad range of vocational and technical qualifications.

For more information about the work we do please visit our website and our Careers Pages https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual and

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/ofqual-hub/

About the role

We are recruiting a Senior Officer to join our Complaints team. This role offers the opportunity to lead on complex casework and contribute directly to protecting standards and ensuring awarding organisations meet their regulatory obligations.

This role is being offered on a 12 month fixed term basis due to maternity leave.

What you will be doing

You'll manage a varied caseload, including enquiries, complaints, whistleblowing referrals, malpractice allegations, executive correspondence and parliamentary questions. You'll gather and analyse evidence, assess complex information, and make well-reasoned decisions while ensuring cases are handled fairly, efficiently and in line with established procedures.

The role offers the opportunity to work closely with colleagues across Ofqual, awarding organisations and other stakeholders, helping to identify trends, emerging risks and issues that may affect the qualifications system.

You will be:

• Managing a diverse caseload of enquiries, complaints, whistleblowing referrals, malpractice allegations and high-profile correspondence.
• Planning and conducting investigations, gathering and evaluating evidence from a range of sources.
• Producing clear, well-reasoned reports, briefings and correspondence for internal and external audiences.
• Making evidence-based decisions and recommendations on complex cases.
• Building productive relationships with awarding organisations and other stakeholders to support the progression of investigations and resolution of issues.
• Identifying trends, risks and intelligence arising from casework and contributing to wider organisational learning.
• Supporting continuous improvement by helping to develop processes, guidance and team practices.
• Providing advice and support to colleagues on casework and procedural matters where required.

Degree level qualification or equivalent, or equivalent knowledge gained through experience.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Please note that Ofqual does not offer Visa sponsorship.

You will be assessed on the Behaviours shown above at interview stage.

Ofqual has adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel. You’ll be asked to remove all personal details from your CV when you apply.

When you press the ‘apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the shortlisting panel), your career history and qualifications.

You will then be asked to provide a personal statement evidencing how you meet the essential criteria shown on the job description attached to this advert. Once this job has closed, the job description will no longer be available. You may wish to save a copy for your records.

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet these requirements as this will form a key part of your evidence when the panel is scoring your application, against the requirements of the role.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will be undertaken using the work history and personal statement against the lead essential criteria, which is Knowledge and experience of delivering complex correspondence and complaint handling, and investigation/case management.

During the interview process, this vacancy will include a presentation and/or task. You will be assessed on Experience in complaints handling.

We reserve the right to offer a second interview, if required.

Please submit your application by 2nd November 2026 @ 23:55PM

Interview dates – 25 - 26th November 2026 (subject to change)

We often have similar roles available at different grades.

If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or at a lower grade than they applied for, we may extend an offer without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has comparable behaviours and essential criteria.

Ofqual works flexibly, with a hybrid office/home based working model. Employees will spend a minimum of two days per week working from our office in Coventry. As Coventry will be your base location expenses for travel to the office will not be paid.

Final panel interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided at invite to interview stage.

One of our resourcing colleagues will be on hand to answer any queries you may have throughout the process.

Please be aware that expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed.

A reserve list may be held for up to 6 months. Ofqual may use this to fill future suitably similar vacancies for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you require assistance or need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should tell us what changes or help you might need further in the recruitment process.

For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. You should contact us at recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk to discuss your needs.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.