Professional learning to embed educational reform may need to take account of the stage of the reform rather than previous teaching experience. As reforms move to the embedding phase, some teachers have become more expert in executing the reform than others and may be well placed to provide professional learning. In 2007, the New Zealand Ministry of Education funded a "Senior Subject Adviser" pilot to further embed the National Certificates of Educational Achievement assessment reform. This involved seconding 22 teachers from schools to advisory services in universities. This paper outlines that the pilot offered a successful structure that supported the needs of teachers. The key to success was the devolved nature of the pilot, which acknowledged that embedding reform can be facilitated by teachers. (Contains 4 figures, 2 tables, and 3 notes.)