Policy and External Affairs Graduate
Shape the future, starting with yours - Join AQA as a Policy and External Affairs Graduate and play your part in shaping the national conversation on education. Over this two-year programme, you’ll work with our Policy and Communications teams, contributing to advocacy, partner engagement, and policy development that influence learners and educators across the UK.
What You’ll Be Doing
As a Policy and External Affairs Graduate, you’ll rotate through four key areas of the business - Policy, Public Affairs, Partnerships, and External Affairs Coordination - gaining insight into how we shape education policy, build strategic relationships, and communicate our purpose.
Policy
Contribute to the development of AQA’s positions on qualifications, assessment, and broader education issues. Analyse policy developments, draft briefings and consultation responses, and support engagement with government departments, think tanks, and education organisations.
Public Affairs
Help build and maintain relationships with politicians, civil servants, and other decision-makers. Your work will include parliamentary monitoring, stakeholder mapping, and supporting engagement planning to ensure AQA’s voice is heard in key conversations.
Partnerships
Support the delivery of AQA’s Purpose Driven Partnerships by coordinating with external organisations and running events alongside subject experts. You’ll also help track the impact of these partnerships to ensure they align with our mission.
External Affairs Coordination
Work closely with colleagues across Corporate Affairs and Strategy (CAS) and the External Affairs directorate to align policy and communications activity with organisational priorities, ensuring a consistent and strategic approach.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a politically aware, articulate graduate with a passion for education and public policy. You’ll need strong writing skills, the ability to build relationships, and an undergraduate degree or equivalent in any field.Other qualities we'd like to see include:
- Clear and confident verbal communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and a positive attitude towards learning
- The ability to collaborate effectively with teams across the business
We believe that everyone stands to benefit when we embrace and value the diversity of thoughts, ideas and ways of working that people from different backgrounds, experiences and identities bring.
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Ready to make a difference in education? Apply now
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.
Contact our team
Email: opportunities@aqa.org.uk
Call: 0800 197 7162
Opening hours: 8am–5pm Monday to Friday
Reasonable Adjustments
If you need any reasonable adjustments to be made to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at
Email: fharrison@aqa.org.uk
Tel: 07813 724161
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