Sharon is the Quality Assurance Manager at Focus Awards, bringing more than 23 years of experience in education, training and quality assurance, alongside over 30 years of vocational expertise within the hairdressing industry. Throughout her career, she has held a range of senior leadership positions including Quality & Compliance Manager, Quality & Operations Manager, Director of Education, Managing Director and Operations & Quality Director, giving her extensive knowledge of quality systems, regulatory compliance and operational management.

As Quality Assurance Manager, Sharon works closely with centres, External Quality Assurers and internal teams to maintain high standards across qualification delivery. She provides guidance and support to ensure centres meet Awarding Organisation and regulatory requirements, while promoting continuous improvement and best practice throughout the quality assurance process.

Sharon has significant experience of working with Ofsted, ESFA funding requirements and awarding organisations. She has successfully led ESFA audits, acted as an Ofsted nominee, managed external quality assurance activity, maintained Direct Claims Status (DCS), developed quality improvement plans and supported organisations in achieving key accreditations. Her practical experience enables her to help centres build effective quality systems that support both compliance and learner success.

Passionate about raising standards across further education and skills, Sharon is committed to working collaboratively with centres to deliver positive outcomes for learners. She believes that quality assurance should be both supportive and developmental, helping providers build confidence while ensuring the integrity and value of every qualification delivered.