Customer Journey Strategy & Governance Manager

Job description

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. Customer Journey Strategy & Governance Manager Permanent Manchester Salary: £54,400 - £60,700 Hybrid Working- a minimum of 2 days per week in the office Turn customer strategy into journeys that work. As the Customer Journey Strategy & Governance Manager , you’ll shape how AQA plans, governs and improves customer journeys at a point when new customer data and marketing technology is being introduced across the organisation. Make customer journeys clearer, joined up and measurable Customer journeys already exist across AQA, but they are managed in different places and at different levels of maturity. You’ll bring that work together, create a consistent approach and translate agreed strategy into practical ways of working. This is a new role with room to influence how the function develops. You’ll work across Marketing, Sales and Technology, providing oversight of customer journeys while Customer Journey Managers configure and deliver them. Your recommendations will help AQA prioritise customer contact, use data responsibly and improve engagement, conversion and retention. What you’ll do Create and maintain the customer journey strategy and roadmap across the customer lifecycle, bringing together work that currently sits across different teams. Establish practical governance and standards for journey prioritisation, customer contact, communication frequency, consent and review. Turn insight into action by setting measures, reviewing performance and recommending improvements to customer journeys. Guide colleagues through change explaining complex customer journey and data concepts clearly and helping teams adopt consistent ways of working. Connect strategy with delivery working with Customer Journey Managers and other specialists who build and configure journeys in the CRM platform. What's in it for you? A genuine opportunity to shape a new role and influence how AQA manages customer journeys. Work at the centre of new Customer Insights-Journeys and Customer Data Platform capability as it moves from agreed theory into day-to-day practice. Visibility across Marketing, Sales, Technology and customer-facing teams. 35 hour working week, 25 days annual leave increasing with service with additional office closure at the end of December Private Medical Insurance, and a generous pension, including an AQA contribution of up to 11.5% of your salary What you’ll bring You’ll be suited to this role if you can create structure, use evidence to make decisions and influence people with different priorities. You do not need experience of AQA’s technology, but you will need to understand how customer journeys operate in a CRM, customer data platform or marketing automation environment. Experience designing, managing or improving customer journeys and turning strategy into clear plans or frameworks. Experience creating governance, standards or operational processes that others can apply. Evidence of using customer insight, data and performance measures to improve outcomes. Experience leading change across different teams and achieving results through influence rather than direct authority. An understanding of customer data, consent, preferences and responsible customer communication. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365, Customer Insights-Journeys, ClickDimensions, Salesforce or similar technology would be useful, but the specific platform can be learned. Apply Upload your most recent CV with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23:59 on Sunday 8 November 2026. Interviews will take place over two stages with shortlisting between. A Teams interview in the week beginning 16 November A face to face interview in the Manchester office in the week beginning 23 November All applications will be reviewed by a human and will receive a written response. Diversity and inclusion statement At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences #MCRE #LI-FH1 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: The Customer Journey Strategy & Governance Manager will lead the development, governance, optimisation and continuous improvement of AQA's end-to-end customer journeys, ensuring every customer interaction supports AQA's strategic objectives for customer retention, growth and successful adoption through assessment reform. The role will act as the operational lead for customer journey management across the Customer Data Platform (CDP), translating commercial strategy into customer journey roadmaps, prioritising customer engagement opportunities and ensuring journeys are designed, governed and measured effectively. Working across Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Technology and Analytics teams, the role will provide a single point of accountability for journey effectiveness, customer data quality from a business perspective and customer engagement governance, ensuring AQA delivers joined-up, data-driven and customer-centric experiences at every stage of the customer lifecycle. The role will act as the deputy and trusted partner to the Customer Connections Manager, providing oversight of the customer engagement ecosystem and maximising the value delivered through AQA's CDP investment.Landscape: Assessment reform represents one of the most significant commercial opportunities and risks facing AQA over the coming years. To successfully retain existing customers, grow market share and improve customer advocacy, AQA is investing in a Customer Data Platform (CDP) to create personalised, insight-led customer experiences at scale. The CDP will enable AQA to manage increasingly sophisticated customer journeys across the full customer lifecycle, from lead generation and customer acquisition through onboarding, adoption, retention and advocacy. As capability grows, the need for strategic ownership, governance and optimisation of customer journeys becomes critical. The Customer Journey Strategy & Governance Manager will work across multiple functions, bringing together customer insight, journey design, segmentation strategy, performance analysis and governance frameworks to ensure customer engagement activity is aligned to commercial priorities and delivers measurable business outcomes. This role will play a key part in embedding customer-centric ways of working and establishing best practice customer journey management across AQA. Activities: The role holder will be expected to be responsible for the following: Customer Journey Strategy: Develop and maintain AQA's customer journey strategy and roadmap across the customer lifecycle. Identify opportunities to improve customer experience, engagement and commercial outcomes through journey optimisation. Translate commercial objectives and reform priorities into journey requirements and customer engagement plans. Work closely with Marketing (propositions and operations) and Customer Success teams to align customer engagement activity. Journey Governance: Establish and manage the governance framework for customer journeys and customer communications. Define journey design standards, best practice guidance and operating principles. Lead governance processes for journey prioritisation, review and approval. Develop and maintain customer contact policies, communication frequency standards and channel governance. Ensure customer journeys remain aligned to customer needs, organisational priorities and regulatory requirements. Journey Performance & Optimisation: Define and monitor the performance framework for customer journeys. Track customer engagement, conversion, retention, adoption and advocacy measures. Lead journey reviews and identify opportunities to improve customer outcomes and business performance. Establish an experimentation and optimisation framework including A/B testing and continuous improvement activity. Translate customer and business insights into actionable recommendations. Customer Data Quality & Insight: Act as the business owner for customer data quality requirements within customer journeys. Work with Technology, Product and Data teams to improve data completeness, accuracy and usability. Champion the effective use of customer data, behavioural insight and customer intent signals. Ensure customer journey decisions are informed by evidence, performance data and insight. Support the development of customer segmentation and personalisation strategies. Stakeholder Management & Leadership: Build strong partnerships across Commercial, Technology, Product, Analytics and operational teams. Act as the subject matter expert for customer journey management and customer engagement governance. Influence stakeholders to adopt customer-centric approaches and best practice journey management. Support organisational adoption of CDP capabilities through coaching, guidance and community building. Deputise for the Customer Connections Manager where required. To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate: Essential Criteria Experience designing, managing or optimising customer journeys within a customer engagement, CRM, CDP or marketing automation environment. Experience establishing governance frameworks, standards or operational processes. Evidence of using customer insight, data and performance measures to drive improvement. Strong stakeholder management skills with experience working across multiple business functions. Experience leading change or transformation initiatives. Excellent communication, facilitation and influencing skills. Experience managing competing priorities and delivering outcomes through others. Strong problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset. Desirable Criteria Experience of Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Dynamics 365, ClickDimensions, Customer Insights Journeys or similar technologies. Understanding of customer segmentation, personalisation and lifecycle marketing. Experience within education, qualifications, membership, public sector or highly regulated environments. Knowledge of customer experience (CX), customer success or service design methodologies. Experience of experimentation, testing and optimisation frameworks. Understanding of data governance, customer consent and customer communication compliance requirements. Experience supporting large-scale customer, digital or CRM transformation programmes.