Head of Assessment Content Strategy, Planning and Transformation

Join us in transforming English Language Assessment

At Oxford University Press (OUP), we are on an ambitious journey to develop and grow our assessment business. Backed by one of the most respected global names in education and English language teaching, our aim is to become a global leader in the field, delivering innovative, high-quality tests that set new standards in the industry.

Why this matters

The world of English language assessment is changing. Digital transformation, AI-driven solutions, and evolving learner needs are redefining how tests are designed, delivered, and recognised. We believe that this has created the opportunity for OUP to lead, innovate, and shape the next generation of English language testing at scale.

Why join now?

We are assembling a team of experts in assessment, product, technology, operations, research, and commercial growth to take this business to the next level. This is your chance to:

• make a real impact – you won’t be joining a business that’s maintaining the status quo. You’ll be shaping it. Your expertise will directly influence strategy, innovation, and execution.
• lead transformation – we are creating something bold and ambitious, combining the strength of OUP’s legacy with the agility of a high-growth business.
• innovate at the forefront of assessment – work with cutting-edge AI, digital testing, and next-generation assessment models to enhance how people learn and prove their English proficiency.

As a department of the University of Oxford, we are guided in everything we do by our mission; we re-invest in our publishing and our assessment to have a positive impact on our international community of English language learners.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the strategy, development, and transformation of Assessment content at a global scale. As the owner of the end-to-end content operating model, you will shape how assessment content is planned, commissioned, developed, calibrated, produced, maintained, and retired. Working across a diverse portfolio, you will ensure content remains aligned to customer needs, portfolio priorities, and recognised frameworks such as the CEFR, while enabling sustainable growth and innovation across the Assessment business.

You will be responsible for establishing and delivering a robust long-term content strategy that balances quality, scalability, efficiency, and risk. From overseeing item-bank health and content lifecycle planning to making investment and prioritisation decisions, you will play a critical role in ensuring the organisation has the content capability, capacity, and partnerships required to meet current and future demand. You will work closely with colleagues across Product, Research, Security, and Technology functions to anticipate market changes and translate strategic priorities into practical delivery plans.

A key focus of the role will be driving excellence in content quality, governance, and security. You will lead the development of quality assurance frameworks, governance processes, and risk controls that protect content integrity throughout its lifecycle, while supporting innovation and continuous improvement. The role also has responsibility for shaping the future content operating model, leveraging technology, automation, data, and AI to enhance efficiency, resilience, and effectiveness across content development and production activities.

As a senior leader, you will champion large-scale transformation and build the organisational capability needed for long-term success. Leading an international team and working with a broad network of stakeholders and partners, you will drive the adoption of new ways of working, embed a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, and act as a recognised voice within the assessment sector. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the future of assessment content, delivering meaningful impact for customers, learners, and the wider organisation.

We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.

About You

• Strategic planning, evidence-based portfolio management and large programme delivery experience.
• Strong data and analytical capability, including interpreting operational, item-bank and content-performance data to make strategic decisions.
• Experience using data and insight to manage supply, capacity, risk and investment.
• Outstanding leadership, communication and collaboration skills to manage complex stakeholder matrix, and motivate teams to deliver.
• Technology fluency, with experience shaping digital platforms, workflow systems, automation and AI-enabled operating models.
• Has excellent knowledge of test development processes, the principles of assessment and best practice in assessment workflows.
• Strong commercial/supplier strategy capability, including working with partners, suppliers & packers, governance, risk and assurance expertise.
• Preferably experience with large-scale content/item-bank or comparable digital content supply environments.

Benefits

We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.

We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.

This role comes with the added benefit of private medical insurance and a management bonus.

Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.