Quality Assurance Manager

Job description

Overall purpose

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for the effective operational management of the College's academic quality assurance processes, ensuring that academic standards are maintained and that the College's quality assurance framework operates effectively. Reporting to the Director of Quality & Governance, the postholder will coordinate quality assurance activities, manage key quality processes, and provide expert advice to colleagues on academic quality and regulatory requirements.

The role is central to supporting the College's governance framework by servicing academic committees, managing quality assurance mechanisms, coordinating programme approval and modification activity, and ensuring effective engagement with awarding partners and external examiners. The postholder will work closely with academic and professional services colleagues to promote a culture of continuous enhancement and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulatory expectations.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Service Academic Council and other quality-related committees, preparing agendas, papers, minutes and monitoring the completion of actions.
• Manage the College's annual monitoring process, including coordinating submissions, reviewing outcomes and updating the Annual Monitoring Policy and associated guidance as required.
• Liaise closely with the Intervention Manager to ensure that academic quality assurance processes and B3 performance monitoring are aligned and inform institutional enhancement activities.
• Manage the College's external examiner system, including appointments, reporting, dissemination of outcomes and monitoring institutional responses to recommendations.
• Prepare and contribute to reports relating to academic quality, standards and enhancement for Education Committee, Academic Council and other governance bodies.
• Coordinate and facilitate the approval, validation and periodic review of new academic programmes, working collaboratively with awarding partners and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor and advise colleagues on programme modifications and curriculum changes, ensuring appropriate approvals are secured and records maintained.
• Project manage submissions to awarding partners, coordinating contributions from colleagues, ensuring documentation is complete, accurate and submitted within required timescales.
• Provide advice and guidance to academic and professional services colleagues on quality assurance policies, procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate records of quality assurance activity and ensure documentation is up to date and accessible.
• Support preparations for external reviews, audits and inspections, coordinating evidence and monitoring action plans arising from recommendations.
• Contribute to the continuous review and enhancement of the College's quality assurance framework, policies and procedures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as reasonably requested by the Director of Quality & Governance.

Person Specification Essential

1. Experience of academic quality assurance within a higher education environment.
2. Good understanding of the UK higher education quality framework, including Office for Students regulatory requirements.
3. Experience of supporting academic committees and servicing governance meetings.
4. Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
5. Strong written communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality reports, committee papers and policy documentation.
6. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
7. High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Desirable

1. Experience of coordinating quality assurance processes such as programme approval, annual monitoring or management of external examiner processes.
2. Experience of working with awarding or validating partners.
3. Experience of supporting programme validation or periodic review events.
4. Knowledge of OfS B3 conditions and student outcomes monitoring.
5. A degree or equivalent qualification.

Compliance Statement

Successful applicants will be required to complete pre-employment checks, including a criminal records check, two references, ID and Right to Work verification, and education confirmation. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion, selection for employment is based solely on an individual's skills, qualifications, and experience relevant to the role.