AQA

Digital Adoption Specialist

Manchester Full time

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Digital Adoption Specialist

Location: Manchester
Contract: Full time, fixed term (18 months)
Salary: £49,000 to £53,000 per annum
Working pattern: Hybrid working with 2 days in the office per week
Team: Digital and Blended Learning

You’ll make a difference in this role by

Supporting AQA’s purpose to help students, teachers, parents and education providers succeed by enabling colleagues to confidently use digital tools that underpin how we support our customers and deliver trusted qualifications.

You’ll design learning that goes beyond system training, helping people build digital confidence, capability and curiosity so they can work more effectively and deliver better outcomes for learners and centres.

About the role

As a Digital Adoption Specialist, you’ll shape how people experience and adopt our core technologies, from Microsoft 365 through to bespoke and enterprise platforms.

This role goes beyond traditional IT training. Rather than delivering tool led or system only training, you will focus on digital adoption, behaviour change and building confidence so colleagues can use technology effectively in their roles.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across Enterprise Technology and the wider organisation to design blended learning solutions that support onboarding, system rollouts and longer term digital capability building. The focus is on practical adoption, behaviour change and enabling people to use technology confidently in their everyday work.

What you’ll do

• Design and deliver blended learning solutions that support digital adoption, including e learning, virtual classrooms, simulations and face to face sessions.
• Translate complex technical requirements into clear, accessible learning experiences that support adoption and sustained behaviour change, not just system understanding.
• Work closely with IT and digital teams to scope, shape and support learning interventions aligned to organisational priorities.
• Collaborate with Enterprise Technology teams, subject matter experts, governance teams and product owners to ensure learning is aligned to how technology is being implemented and used.
• Support and manage learning initiatives from scoping through to evaluation, ensuring insight into impact and effectiveness.
• Facilitate workshops and learning needs analysis sessions, including working with our Digital Mentors community.
• Support and coordinate Digital Mentors, using their insight and feedback to continuously improve learning and adoption.
• You’ll operate with a high level of autonomy, influencing approaches rather than being handed predefined training requirements.
• Stay curious about developments in digital learning, AI and workplace technology to keep approaches future ready.

You’ll thrive in this role if you have

• Experience working in learning and development, ideally supporting digital or IT enabled change.
• Experience working with Microsoft 365, enterprise systems and emerging AI enabled tools.
• Demonstrable ability to simplify and explain complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Experience designing blended learning solutions using a range of digital learning tools and platforms.
• An understanding of digital adoption and behaviour change principles.
• Evidenced stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of colleagues.
• Experience working as a learning consultant or digital adoption specialist rather than solely as a delivery focused IT Trainer.

Why join AQA

You’ll be part of a collaborative learning team that values inclusion, experimentation, and continuous improvement. We care about creating learning that genuinely helps people succeed and supports our colleagues to deliver high quality outcomes for our customers.

We believe different perspectives strengthen our work and focus on culture add and the value you bring.

Application process

Applications are open until Sunday 17 May at 23:59. After the closing date, we will review all submissions carefully before confirming the shortlist.

There is a short role related question at application stage which will be reviewed by humans and not AI.

First stage interviews will take place w/c 25 May via Microsoft Teams.
Candidates progressing to the final stage will be invited to a face-to-face interview w/c 1 June 2026 at the AQA Manchester office.

All candidates will be notified of outcomes at each stage in writing, and any preparation materials will be shared in advance.

** Internally we call this role learning Consultant – Digital Literacy**

Diversity and inclusion statement

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 and 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.

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.

Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose: As a Learning Consultant, you will bridge the gap between subject matter expertise and impactful learning design. You will lead the creation of blended learning experiences that build capability, confidence, and fluency across staff, temporary workers, associates, and subsidiaries. Your role involves partnering with subject matter experts (SMEs) and learning teams to deliver scalable, engaging, and future-ready learning solutions.Landscape: The Learning and Development team keep close to the external learning landscape, the world of work and the capabilities needed in the future. This will continue to evolve with more efficiencies through day-to-day use of AI and automation but still a core vision to deliver purposeful learning with a strategic impact.  
 
Activities: 
Act as the learning partner for capability-building initiatives to drive performance improvements. 

Translate complex content into accessible, learner-centric experiences. 

Design blended learning strategies that support onboarding, system rollouts, upskilling, and professional development programs. 

Lead the design of blended learning considering and implementing options such as e-learning, virtual classrooms, simulations, guides, and in-person sessions. 

Collaborate with Instructional Designers to develop high-quality, accessible digital content. 

Ensure learning solutions are inclusive, accessible, and aligned with adult learning principles. 

Partner with stakeholders across various functions to understand learning needs and priorities. 

Manage learning projects end-to-end, diagnosing the need, ensuring timely delivery and measurable impact. E.g. the ADDIE model.  

Facilitate workshops, learning needs analyses, and user testing sessions. 

Define success metrics and evaluate the effectiveness of learning interventions. 

Use learner feedback, analytics, and business data to iterate and improve learning solutions. 

Stay current with emerging trends in learning and capability development. 

 
To be successful in this role, you will need to know: 
Proven experience in a learning or instructional design role. 

Strong understanding of blended learning methodologies and digital learning options. 

Ability to simplify and communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences. 

Ability to analyse needs to achieve the best learning outcome. 

Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation, and project management skills. 

Familiarity with learning technologies (e.g., LMS, LXP, authoring tools like Articulate and Adobe Creative Cloud). 

Experience with agile learning design, design thinking, or user-centred design