Apply to become an AAT subject matter expert
We're recruiting for subject matter experts across our accounting portfolio to be involved in qualification and assessment development. We'd like to hear from suitably qualified and experienced accounting and tax professionals who are interested in getting involved in this area of work.
Please read the details below and, if you have the skills, experience and commitment we're looking for, complete the application form (PDF) and email it to Qualifications.Development@aat.org.uk together with your current CV.
Qualifications, skills and experience
You must have:
- an accounting qualification at Level 4 or above
- occupational competence in accounting (preferably within the last five years)
- experience of assessment in an education, training or mentoring capacity.
Don't be put off if you have limited experience of writing qualification and/or assessment content. All our subject matter experts must attend best practice workshops before they carry out any work. Development of content is an iterative process and you'll have an AAT contact providing feedback throughout.
Time commitment
It's difficult to make an accurate assessment of time commitments until you've been commissioned against a specific role within a project. For example, an assessment scrutineer is less time-consuming than an assessment writer. However, we would ask subject matter experts to commit to a minimum of around 10 days per annum, if possible, which will include attendance at training/moderation meetings.
Much of the work will be carried out remotely, which should make it easier to fit around other commitments.
Applying
If you're interested in any of the qualification and assessment development roles and feel that you have the skills, experience and commitment we're looking for, please complete the application form (PDF) and email it to Qualifications.Development@aat.org.uk together with your current CV.
Responsibilities
You can find out about key responsibilities against each subject matter expert role here. Fees will be confirmed at the point of commission.
Unit writer responsibilities
- Attend necessary qualification development training workshops.
- Define the purpose of the unit, specifying what knowledge and skills the unit will cover.
- Write the learning outcomes, assessment criteria and content scope, ensuring appropriate scaffolding to levels below and above.
- Write the assessment test specification.
- Ensure the guided learning hours (GLH) for the unit are appropriate.
- Produce a draft assessment blueprint for the unit which provides a detailed mapping to the unit content and guidelines on weighting against assessment tasks.
- Write delivery guidance for tutors.
- Attend moderation meetings, as appropriate, to provide challenge on the quality, cohesion and accuracy of the units across the qualification level.
Unit moderator responsibilities
- Attend necessary qualification development training workshops.
- Perform a final check on the unit for cohesion.
- Check there are no technical errors in the unit content.
- Check the guided learning hours (GLH) for the unit are appropriate.
- Attend moderation meetings, as appropriate, to provide challenge on the quality, cohesion and accuracy of the units across the qualification level.
Assessment writer responsibilities
- Attend necessary qualification development training workshops.
- Write assessment content in line with AAT commissions, following AAT design guidelines.
- Ensure the assessment content that is produced reflects the unit specification and blueprint for the unit.
- Ensure the assessment content is accessible to students and set at an appropriate level of demand within and across task position.
- Check work for accuracy prior to submission, including calculations and technical accuracy of content.
- Prepare detailed marking schemes (for both human marked and computer-marked tasks).
- Work and cooperate with the Assessment Production team editors and other subject matter experts appointed by AAT to ensure that assessment material is fit for the purpose.
- Review items and/or mark-schemes following initial live assessment or on the basis of performance data.
- Inform AAT of any breach or potential breach of security and/or inform AAT of any circumstances that may jeopardise the integrity of the assessment or harm AAT’s reputation.
- Attend moderation meetings, as appropriate, to provide challenge on the quality, cohesion and accuracy of the assessment tasks.
Assessment moderator responsibilities
- Check that assessment content that is produced reflects the unit specification and blueprint for the unit.
- Check the numerical accuracy of calculations and technical accuracy of content.
- Ensure assessment content is accessible and set at an appropriate level of demand, and that there is consistency between the level of demand within all task positions and across task positions.
- Check that detailed marking schemes clearly communicate how performance should be rewarded.
- Work and cooperate with the Assessment Production team and other subject matter experts appointed by AAT to ensure that assessment material is fit for the purpose.
- Inform AAT of any breach or potential breach of security and/or inform AAT of any circumstances that may jeopardise the integrity of the assessment or harm AAT’s reputation.
- Attend moderation meetings, as appropriate, to provide challenge on the quality, cohesion and accuracy of the assessment tasks.
Assessment scrutineer responsibilities
- Perform a final check on the technically accuracy of assessment content.
- Check that the level of demand across all assessment tasks is at the appropriate level, and accessible to all students.
- Ensure that marking schemes include sufficient detail to enable AAT and assessors to derive assessment decisions.
- Work and cooperate with the Assessment Production team and other subject matter experts appointed by AAT to ensure that assessment material is fit for the purpose.
- Inform AAT of any breach or potential breach of security and/or inform AAT of any circumstances that may jeopardise the integrity of the assessment or harm AAT's reputation.
Learning support author (qualifications and CPD) responsibilities
- Develop and agree the content specification for resources to be authored in consultation with AAT.
- Develop and write original content for e-learning resources (which can also include video scripts.)
- Work constructively with moderator to address any highlighted amends and to resolve any differences of perspective. This also includes with the technical lead as and when required.
- Write question banks for agreed activities to meet the assessment criteria or defined scope of work.
- Check work for accuracy prior to submission, including calculations and technical accuracy of content.
- Attend planning meetings with AAT and moderator(s) as required.
Learning support moderator (qualifications and CPD) responsibilities
- Review content developed by author against original specification and identify any discrepancies.
- Review assets for technical accuracy and flag up any areas that need correcting (numerically and grammatically) or where there is a need for clarity.
- Review question banks against agreed assessment criteria and specification and for technical accuracy and clarity.
- Work with author on amends and work to constructively resolve any differences of perspective. This also includes with the technical lead as and when required.
- Attend planning meetings with AAT and author(s) as required.
Chief Technical Lead responsibilities
- Offer technical content advice across the qualification, from unit content through to practice assessment development.
- Support the Qualification Development team in consolidating employer and training provider feedback throughout consultation periods.
- Offer support in development of assessment blueprint(s) and Sample Assessment and Mark Schemes (SAMS).
- Check the appropriate scaffolding of content across levels and ensure no content areas are over or underrepresented in the qualification specification.
- Check that the level of demand across all units is at the appropriate level and reflected in the SAMS and practice assessments.
- Offer support in the development and/or review of unit/qualification resources.
- Attend assessment moderation meetings to review SAMS and practice assessments.
- Contribute to workshops at our annual training provider conference and online webinars, as and when required.
- Consult with our Qualification Development team on emerging trends in accounting.
- Attend training sessions as and when required.
