Strategy and Business Development Manager (M&A)

Strategy and Business Development Manager (M&A)

Position type: Fixed term (9 months maternity cover)

Location: London

Salary: £79,100 - £93,600

Working pattern: Hybrid (minimum two days per week in the office)

About the role

You'll step into a high-impact role at the centre of AQA's future growth. As Strategy and Business Development Manager (M&A), you'll help shape how AQA expands into new markets, products and partnerships through mergers, acquisitions and strategic deals. This is a hands-on, senior role where you'll take the lead on real opportunities, working alongside senior leaders and external advisers to assess, shape and deliver complex transactions.

The role provides senior-level corporate development support to the Head of Strategic Planning and the Executive Director, with a primary focus on identifying, progressing and shaping new strategic opportunities for growth. You'll lead discrete opportunity workstreams across mergers, acquisitions and partnerships, developing robust evidence, analysis and recommendations to inform Executive and Trustee decision-making.

Key responsibilities

New Opportunity Identification and Development

• Lead the identification and initial shaping of potential acquisition and partnership opportunities aligned to group strategy
• Develop early-stage opportunity assessments, including strategic fit, market attractiveness and indicative financial returns
• Work with the Head of Strategic Planning to prioritise opportunities and agree progression routes

M&A and Partnership Delivery

• Lead assigned workstreams within live M&A or partnership opportunities, from initial assessment through to transaction decision points
• Conduct commercial due diligence and coordinate with Finance, Legal, Tech DD workstream and external advisers
• Work with the Finance team to develop valuation models, scenario analysis and investment logic to support decision-making
• Drive M&A and partnership workstreams through due diligence, financial analysis and decision points, working with Finance, Legal and external advisers

Executive and Trustee Decision Support

• Draft clear, high-quality papers and presentations for Executive Team and Trustee consideration, ensuring complex information is translated into clear options and implications
• Support the Head of Strategic Planning and/or Chief Strategy and Vocational Officer in preparing for Executive and Board discussions, including briefing notes and supporting analysis
• Develop high-quality business cases, papers and presentations to support Executive and Trustee decision-making

Business Case Development

• Lead the development of investment cases for new opportunities, ensuring strategic rationale, financial evidence and risk articulation are robust and proportionate
• Challenge assumptions and test scenarios, escalating issues or uncertainties appropriately
• Support Executives in identification and assessment of acquisition and partnership opportunities, including strategic fit, market attractiveness and commercial potential

Ways of Working and Collaboration

• Build effective working relationships across AQA entities to ensure opportunity development reflects operational and regulatory realities
• Model disciplined, pragmatic and delivery-focused ways of working

What we are looking for

Essential experience and skills

• Strong experience in M&A, corporate development, transaction advisory or strategy, with the ability to step in and deliver from day one
• Deep understanding of the end-to-end M&A process, including due diligence, negotiation support and working with advisers
• Strong experience in corporate development, M&A, transaction advisory or strategy roles
• Proven ability to evaluate new growth opportunities and develop evidence-based investment cases
• Strong financial modelling and commercial analysis capability
• Experience working directly with senior executives on complex strategic decisions
• Can build clear, evidence-based investment cases and translate complex analysis into compelling recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including drafting papers for senior audiences
• Confident working with senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and preparing materials for Executive and Board audiences

Desirable

• Experience operating within regulated environments
• Exposure to education, skills, assessment or adjacent markets
• Experience supporting M&A transactions through to completion

Values and behaviours

• Demonstrates AQA's values and behaviours
• Exercises sound professional judgement and discretion
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and incomplete information
• Collaborative, credible and able to influence without formal authority

What's in it for you

• The opportunity to work on live M&A and strategic opportunities that shape AQA's future direction
• 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working
• Exposure to high-profile, business-critical programmes
• 25 days' annual leave (rising to 30), plus Christmas closure days
• Excellent pension (up to 11.5% employer contribution)

About AQA

AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential.

AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities, with over 50% of permanent roles being filled internally.

Diversity and inclusion

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Application process

Submit your CV and a short supporting statement.

Closing date: Sunday 7th June

Important information

Reasonable adjustments

If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or on 07813 724161.

Smart working

We're operating a smart working model. This allows for colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.

Conflict of interest

Due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.

Safeguarding

AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We're dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.

Recruitment agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place. Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Contact

• Temporary roles: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
• Permanent and Fixed Term roles: opportunities@aqa.org.uk