Senior External Verifier (Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment)

A Senior External Verifier is responsible for ensuring that all tasks associated with external verification and qualification approval activities are carried out under the conditions, timescales and arrangements set by SQA.

The prime role is to manage the team of external verifiers in the delivery of verification procedures for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods scheme to ensure that standards are maintained.

These activities will be under the direction of SQA's Contract Services team.

Senior external verifier

The senior external verifier (SEV) is the person appointed by SQA to carry out the duties of visiting and reporting the findings of training courses conducted by approved training providers.

Senior external verifiers are authorised officials who have the right to access, at any time, any course being run by an approved provider. Additionally, SEVs manage the performance of the external verification team.

The SEV shall have access to all notified courses via the SQA database. In discussion with SQA the SEV can manage their own schedule on a monthly basis but must seek SQA approval to conduct more than one visit per day.

SEV duties:

Leadership and management

• Manage and appraise a verification/invigilation team of experienced staff
• Continually review resource levels and external verifier (EV) training provider allocations
• Create and apply quality control systems to ensure consistency of decision making by (EVs) (standardisation)
• Conduct EV performance reviews on a quarterly basis and report to SQA every six months
• Update SQA regarding EV performance against targets on a monthly basis
• Conduct scheduled management visits with EVs to ensure standards of conduct are being adhered to, one per EV per annum at a minimum
• Prepare and submit an annual report on verification activity by 28 February each year

Engagement

• Attend various industry events and meetings, at the request of SQA, to provide professional input
• Proactively seek training providers' feedback about quality assurance visits

Consultation and guidance

• Monitor and suggest amendments to the Manual of Practice (MoP) as requested
• Advise the SQA on adhoc matters as they arise
• Provide consultation on revisions to the syllabus and MoP to maintain alignment with changing legislation, industry agreements and industry best practice
• Monitor and review examination questions and contribute to question bank review teams
• Provide input and guidance to SQA staff regarding EV reports following visits to training providers

In addition to the duties above, the SEV will also be expected to carry out the duties of an external verifier.

EV duties

• Carry out monitoring of training and assessment activity within a geographical area, to ensure compliance with standards in accordance with the syllabus and MoP. There may also be instances when visits are required to be conducted out with a specific geographical area.
• Observe training and assessment being conducted to ensure it is in accordance with the syllabus and Manual of Practice.
• Provide support to training providers through advice and suggestions for improvement on any matters which may have arisen. The advice must be directly relevant to the standards for training laid out in the syllabus and offered with the sole aim of helping improve or maintaining the standard of training.
• Discuss the findings with the key contact of the visited training provider, if available.
• Provide guidance and training on SQA database.
• Carry out centre approval visits to ensure requirements have been met including Instructor approval.
• Participate in monitoring visits to centres providing advice and guidance relevant to the standards and ensure any recommendations or corrective actions have been carried out.
• Complete written reports to SQA requirements within 10 days of the visit.
• Assist with specific enquiries from centres, and SQA officers.
• Participate in EV training events and meetings required by SQA.
• Complete CPD in line with SQA requirements¿

Selection Criteria

Essential characteristics

Successful candidates must:

• Be able to demonstrate experience and knowledge in the Carriage of Dangerous Goods industry within the last 5 years, and a high level of expertise in training and assessment
• Have knowledge of national and international regulations and agreements concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods.
• Be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and be able to engage positively with all members of a team
• Be able to demonstrate line management experience and expertise in performance management.
• Be able to communicate confidently, effectively and professionally (both orally and in writing) with customers, colleagues and stakeholders
• Be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and administrative skills and provide an attention to detail
• Have a home computer or laptop with broadband internet connection and a private e-mail address.
• Have excellent working knowledge of Microsoft packages including but not limited to Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Hold a current clean driving licence.
• Hold a current ADR Driver Training Certificate.

Desirable characteristics

Successful candidates should:

• Hold a current DGSA qualification or equivalent
• Hold or be working towards an External Verification Award.
• Hold a formal training qualification and or an external audit qualification
• Be qualified and or trained in instructional techniques
• Have an in-depth understanding of all documentation, duties, tasks and procedures associated with the verification area for which they will have responsibility

Key performance measures for external verifiers

Each year on completion of the duties outlined in the External Verifier contract specification, the External Verifier will be measured against the following key performance measures and informed of the outcome in relation to their performance in that year.

• Demonstrate an up to date and sound knowledge of the occupational standards and qualifications/courses/units and make sound judgements about the quality of assessment and the assessment process.
• Undertake required training to demonstrate current understanding of SQAs QA policies and processes that are relevant to the QA activity.
• Complete scheduled allocation of QA activity within conditions and timescales for SQA.
• Complete QA reports as per SQA quality standards and within agreed timescales.
• Engage with all members of the team, SQA centres' personnel and with all members of SQA staff displaying SQA's corporate values.
• Submit CPD record within agreed timescales where appropriate.