Academy Compliance Officer | Circa £43,000 + excellent benefits | Permanent | Hybrid

Thatcham Research is looking for an Academy Compliance Officer to play a pivotal role in ensuring our apprenticeship and adult education provision meets the highest standards of compliance, quality and learner welfare. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced compliance or quality professional within Education, who enjoys working at the intersection of regulation, data, safeguarding and continuous improvement - and who wants their work to genuinely make a difference.

As the Academy’s subject matter expert for compliance, you’ll ensure we always remain inspection‑ready, including for Ofsted, while supporting high‑quality outcomes for learners and employers. You’ll work closely with curriculum, operational and pastoral teams to embed robust compliance frameworks, lead quality assurance activity, and produce insightful data and reporting to support decision‑making at senior and board level.

Once settled in your new role, you’ll also provide deputy cover for the Academy Compliance & Performance Manager, helping to maintain business continuity when needed.

In this exciting new role, you’ll be responsible for:

Regulatory Compliance & Ofsted Readiness

Ensuring ongoing compliance with statutory, regulatory and inspection requirements, including Ofsted

Maintaining continuous inspection readiness in line with the Education Inspection Framework

Overseeing internal audits, assurance activity and risk‑based compliance checks

Leading preparation of Self‑Assessment Reports (SAR) and Quality Improvement Plans (QIP)

Confidently challenging non‑compliance and escalating risks where required

Safeguarding & Learner Welfare Oversight

Monitoring safeguarding and learner welfare arrangements, trends and assurance activity

Performance Data & Analytics

Producing accurate, inspection‑ready compliance dashboards and Academy performance reportsfor both adult and apprentice provision

Interpreting data on learner engagement, attendance, progression and welfare

Policy & Assurance

Maintaining policies, compliance trackers and risk registers

Monitor staff compliance with mandatory training and safeguarding requirements

Skills & experience that will set you up for success in this role:

You’ll be a confident, detail‑driven professional who is comfortable working independently and exercising sound judgement in complex or high‑risk scenarios.

Knowledge of safeguarding, learner welfare and education compliance requirements

Experience in a quality assurance, compliance or inspection‑readiness role within education or training

A track record of working with regulatory frameworks such as Ofsted

Good literacy and numeracy skills, evidenced through the production of formal reports, analysis and regulatory documentation.

Excellent analytical skills with the ability to identify risk, trends and improvement opportunities

Advanced written communication skills, including formal reports and senior‑level summaries

High levels of professionalism, discretion and integrity when handling sensitive information

(This role requires an Enhanced DBS check to be carried out on appointment)

Did you know...

Research tells us that men are more likely to apply to jobs if they meet only 60% of the criteria, whereas women often hesitate or don't apply unless they meet all of the criteria. This difference in application behaviour can contribute to the gender gap in career advancement and opportunities.

We know the perfect candidate doesn't exist! If you think you have what it takes but don't tick every box, we'd still encourage you to apply - it could be a perfect fit!

Perks & Benefits

Salary - Circa £43,000 dependent on skills & experience.

10% non-contributory pension

29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays

Group Life Assurance (equal to 4 x basic salary)

Group Income Protection (after 6 months’ service)

Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)

Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure

Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform

Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)

Benenden Health Care (opt-in benefit)

Reward & Recognition Programme

Discounted gym membership

Sports & Social club

Payroll charitable giving

Subsidised on-site restaurant

Free on-site parking

When we work

Our standard working hours are 8:30 - 16:30 Monday - Thursday, early finish on Friday - 8:30 - 15:45 (Talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you – we take work-life balance seriously!)

How we work

We understand the benefits of remote and in-person collaboration and therefore have a hybrid working model – you’ll be expected to work from our office in Thatcham at least two days per week.

What we do

At the cutting edge of automotive research in the UK, Thatcham Research has a unique role in shaping the design of new vehicles and influencing ever higher standards of safety, security and repair. With an on-site Crash Laboratory, Repair Technology Centre and Training Academy, our research expertise is driving some of the very latest automotive developments in technology, materials and standards in this fast moving and highly technical industry.

Our Gamston facility is one of the UK’s leading sites for active safety, trialling and assessing the latest crash avoidance and driver assistance technologies.

Our Values

As an organisation that believes a strong set of Values are key to our organisational success and a sense of belonging for all colleagues, we ask that you understand, represent and apply our Values of Fearless, Inquisitive, Resourceful, Supportive and Trusted and demonstrate these Values throughout the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace which values diversity and embraces each individual's authentic self. We are proud to champion a culture where colleagues freely share their diverse perspectives, recognising that these contribute to our innovative spirit. Our journey of growth and understanding is continuous as we actively invest in diversity training, workshops, and partnerships to ensure positive change.

Beyond our partnerships with the Automotive 30% Club and Women in Data (WiD), we collaborate with various organisations to advance equity not only in gender but also across ethnicity, age, disability, social mobility, LGBTQ+ identities, experiences, and thinking. Our aspiration is to create an environment where everyone thrives, achieves, and experiences a genuine sense of belonging.

Recruitment process

We’re proud to manage our recruitment in-house and believe this direct approach enables us to give you the best possible Employee Experience we can – which starts right here, your application! We’re continuously striving to improve the candidate journey, and transparency (or communication) is a key area of focus – yes, even with salary & benefits.

What can you expect from our recruitment process?

Regular updates on the progress / outcome of your application

An initial telephone screening call with a Talent Acquisition Partner

First interview with the hiring manager, usually via Teams

Second/Final interview, in-person at our office (we may give you a role specific task to present on!)

Personalised feedback following your interview – because everyone deserves that!

An opportunity to give us your honest feedback in a short survey on all of the above

Check out our post on using AI during your application and interview!

We’re committed to removing barriers. If there are any adjustments we can make to better support you, please let us know when you apply.

All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.

If you're experiencing any issues with our career site or application from, please let us know here: careers@thatcham.org ⁠

We are proud supporters of Women in Data. Connect, engage and belong to the largest free female data community in the UK – visit: www.womenindata.co.uk to join our community.

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