Examinations Officer

External examination administration

• Manage the complete administration of external examinations, including IGCSE/GCSE, International AS and A Level, and other qualifications offered by the school.
• Ensure timely communication of all examination board updates to relevant stakeholders, including changes to syllabuses, examination administration, regulations, procedures, and requirements.
• Maintain current knowledge of regulations, procedures, deadlines, and requirements issued by relevant awarding bodies, including Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel.
• Act as the school's primary administrative point of contact with examination boards and relevant examination authorities.
• Register candidates accurately and submit examination entries, amendments, withdrawals, and other candidate information within published deadlines.
• Verify candidates' personal details, subjects, examination codes, and entry information before submission.
• Maintain accurate records of all examination entries, fees, and examination-related correspondence.
• Ensure examination board portals, such as Cambridge International Direct, Edexcel Online, and Oxford AQA, are maintained accurately and securely.
• Coordinate the submission of forecast grades, coursework marks, internally assessed marks, and other required examination information within prescribed deadlines.
• In the event of an emergency, lead contingency arrangements, ensuring all stakeholders clearly understand expectations and that the school responds consistently, fairly, and with integrity.
• Coordinate with examination boards regarding INSET provision to enhance and upskill staff.

External examination planning and timetabling

• Prepare and communicate examination timetables.
• Identify and resolve examination timetable clashes in accordance with awarding body regulations.
• Coordinate examination venues, seating arrangements, room allocations, and candidate lists.
• Liaise with academic leaders to ensure all examination arrangements are communicated effectively to students, parents, and staff.
• Maintain an annual examinations calendar highlighting all key deadlines and activities.

Examination security and confidential materials

• Take responsibility for the receipt, checking, secure storage, and distribution of confidential examination materials.
• Ensure examination question papers, scripts, and other confidential materials are handled only by authorized personnel.
• Maintain appropriate access controls and records for secure examination storage areas.
• Conduct regular security checks of examination materials and immediately report discrepancies or concerns.
• Ensure completed scripts are securely packed, documented, and dispatched according to examination board requirements.
• Maintain confidentiality of examination information at all times.

Examination-day management

• Oversee the smooth running of all examination sessions.
• Ensure examinations start and finish at the prescribed times.
• Brief invigilators on examination procedures and regulations before each examination series.
• Prepare examination packs containing registers, seating plans, attendance records, incident documentation, and other required materials.
• Monitor examination rooms and provide guidance to invigilators when required.
• Manage late arrivals, absences, emergencies, candidate illness, and examination incidents in accordance with examination board regulations.
• Maintain accurate records of all examination incidents and irregularities.

Invigilation

• Coordinate the scheduling and deployment of examination invigilators.
• Maintain an appropriate invigilator-to-candidate ratio in accordance with examination regulations.
• Provide training and briefing sessions for invigilators.
• Monitor invigilator performance and ensure consistent application of examination regulations.

Access arrangements and special consideration

• Work closely with the Inclusion Department to identify candidates requiring examination access arrangements.
• Coordinate applications and supporting documentation for approved access arrangements.
• Ensure arrangements such as extra time, readers, scribes, supervised rest breaks, separate rooms, or use of technology are correctly implemented.
• Maintain confidential records relating to access arrangements.
• Submit applications for special consideration to the relevant examination board following illness, bereavement, or other exceptional circumstances affecting candidates.
• Ensure all arrangements comply with current examination board regulations.

GL assessments and other external assessments

• Liaise with GL Assessment and other assessment bodies, including TIMSS, PISA, and PIRLS, regarding assessment requirements, administration procedures, access to the GL Assessment platform, and any additional support required for effective administration.
• Coordinate with the in-school GL Assessment coordinators for primary and secondary to support budgeting, planning, scheduling, and the timely, smooth administration of GL assessments, ensuring compliance with NAP requirements.
• Coordinate with the primary and secondary coordinators in administering TIMSS, PISA, PIRLS, and other external assessments, ensuring timely communication, effective coordination, and compliance with KHDA and relevant assessment-body requirements.

Results management

• Coordinate examination results days and ensure results are downloaded, processed, and securely distributed.
• Maintain confidentiality of examination results before the official release time.
• Produce examination result documentation and candidate statements where required.
• Work with senior leadership and relevant departments to verify examination results.
• Support students and parents with queries relating to results.
• Ensure applications are completed within examination board deadlines.

Certificates

• Receive, check, and securely store examination certificates.
• Notify students when certificates are available for collection.
• Maintain records confirming distribution and collection of certificates.
• Coordinate replacement certificate queries where applicable.

Pearson/BTEC administration, where applicable

• Support the BTEC leader to register learners accurately and within prescribed deadlines.
• Ensure learners are registered against the correct programme and qualifications.
• Maintain accurate learner information on Edexcel Online.
• Liaise with programme leaders and the quality nominee regarding learner registrations and certification.
• Process learner amendments and withdrawals where required.
• Coordinate certification claims and verify candidate information before submission.
• Maintain appropriate user access to examination administration systems.

Compliance and examination regulations

• Ensure the school complies with all current examination board regulations and procedures.
• Maintain updated copies of examination handbooks, regulations, and guidance.
• Ensure examination procedures are communicated to relevant staff.
• Support the head of centre in maintaining examination-centre compliance.
• Maintain examination records required for inspection or audit.
• Prepare documentation and evidence for examination board inspections where required.
• Report suspected malpractice, maladministration, security breaches, or examination irregularities immediately to the head of centre and relevant awarding organization.
• Ensure staff and candidates understand examination malpractice regulations.

Communication

• Act as the main point of contact for examination-related queries from students, parents, staff, and examination boards.
• Communicate examination deadlines to heads of department and relevant staff.
• Provide regular examination updates to the senior leadership team.

Data and record management

• Maintain accurate and confidential candidate examination records.
• Ensure examination data held on school systems and awarding-body portals is accurate and up to date.
• Produce examination reports, candidate lists, entry reports, and statistics as requested.
• Maintain electronic and physical examination records in accordance with school policies and applicable data protection requirements.
• Ensure confidential student and examination information is protected at all times.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree, or equivalent qualifications.
• Previous experience in examination administration, school administration, or a similar education-based administrative role.

Skills and competencies

• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent time management.
• Ability to prioritize competing deadlines.
• High level of confidentiality and professional integrity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret and implement detailed examination regulations.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Calmness and sound judgment under pressure.
• Strong IT and data-management skills.
• Commitment to safeguarding and student well-being.
• A proactive and solution-focused approach.

Safeguarding

GEMS Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are dedicated to creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where students can thrive, and we expect all employees, volunteers, and partners to share this commitment.

As part of our safer recruitment practices, all successful applicants will be subject to comprehensive pre-employment checks, including verification of identity, qualifications, employment history, professional references, and criminal record checks from all countries of residence and employment, in line with local and international safeguarding requirements. These checks may include enhanced disclosure, prohibition, barring, and overseas police clearance checks where applicable. We are committed to recruiting individuals who uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and child protection.