OFFICE/DIVISION: Office of the Vice President, Academic Affairs

POSITION TITLE: Director, Quality Assurance

POSITION NUMBER: WPUQA001

POSITION CLASSIFICATION: Academic

JOB LOCATION: Ialibu, Western Pacific University

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIP:

Accountable to: Vice President, Academic Affairs

Reports to: Vice President, Academic Affairs

Coordinates with: Faculty’s Deans, Heads of Departments and Registrar

Supervises: Quality Assurance Officers; Institutional Research and Planning Staff; Administrative Support Staff

JOB PURPOSE:

The Director, Quality Assurance provides strategic leadership over the University's quality assurance framework, ensuring academic, research, administrative, and support services meet institutional standards, stakeholder expectations, accreditation requirements, and national/international quality benchmarks; working closely with academic and administrative leaders, the role sets quality strategy, policies, systems, and performance monitoring processes to build a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement, while driving quality enhancement initiatives, managing quality-related risk, promoting evidence-based decision-making, supporting accreditation and regulatory compliance, and reducing inefficiencies to strengthen the University's delivery of high-quality education, research, and outcomes for stakeholders.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Quality Management

1. Develop, implement, and oversee the University's Quality Assurance Framework, policies, procedures, and strategic quality roadmap.
2. Lead institutional quality initiatives aligned with the University's Strategic Plan and national higher education standards.
3. Establish and monitor quality performance indicators (KPIs) for academic and administrative units, including accreditation status, audit outcomes, stakeholder satisfaction, policy compliance, and quality improvement targets.
4. Promote a culture of quality, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the University.
5. Advise the Vice-Chancellor, Executive Management, Senate, and Council on quality assurance matters, emerging trends, and best practices in higher education.
6. Lead, mentor, and manage the Quality Assurance Directorate, including staff development, performance management, and succession planning.

Quality Management Systems, Accreditation and Compliance

1. Design, implement, maintain, and continuously improve the University's Quality Management System (QMS).
2. Coordinate institutional accreditation, program accreditation, review, and re-accreditation processes.
3. Ensure compliance with requirements of national regulatory agencies, professional accreditation bodies, and institutional policies.
4. Serve as the University's principal liaison with accreditation agencies, regulatory authorities, professional bodies, and external quality auditors.
5. Lead internal and external quality audits and ensure successful audit outcomes.
6. Develop and oversee corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes to address audit findings, compliance issues, and quality risks.
7. Monitor regulatory developments and recommend institutional responses to maintain compliance.

Academic Quality Assurance

1. Oversee the approval, review, monitoring, and improvement of academic programs.
2. Ensure academic standards, curriculum quality, assessment practices, and learning outcomes meet institutional and regulatory requirements.
3. Coordinate academic audits, peer reviews, and quality evaluations across faculties and academic departments.
4. Support faculties and departments in implementing quality enhancement initiatives and continuous improvement activities.
5. Promote quality-by-design principles in curriculum development and program delivery.
6. Monitor student success indicators, graduate outcomes, and academic performance measures.

Institutional Effectiveness and Performance Monitoring

1. Develop institutional quality metrics and performance dashboards.
2. Analyze institutional data to assess effectiveness, efficiency, student outcomes, and operational performance.
3. Conduct benchmarking exercises against national and international higher education standards and best practices.
4. Prepare quality assurance reports, institutional performance reports, and quality scorecards for management and governance bodies.
5. Monitor implementation of quality improvement initiatives and measure their effectiveness.

Internal Quality Audits and Continuous Improvement

1. Develop and implement an annual internal quality audit programme covering academic, administrative, and support units.
2. Coordinate reviews of faculties, departments, centres, and administrative units.
3. Investigate quality concerns, audit findings, complaints, non-conformances, and performance gaps.
4. Lead root-cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions.
5. Monitor implementation of audit recommendations and quality improvement plans.
6. Ensure timely follow-up, evaluation, and reporting of improvement actions.
Policy Development, Risk Management and Governance
1. Develop, review, and update quality assurance policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines.
2. Identify institutional quality-related risks and recommend mitigation measures.
3. Collaborate with Risk Management, Legal, and Compliance functions on governance, regulatory compliance, and institutional risk matters.
4. Support quality readiness reviews for new academic programs, campuses, partnerships, and strategic initiatives.
5. Ensure quality management systems remain effective, relevant, and aligned with institutional objectives.

Stakeholder Engagement and Customer Focus

1. Engage students, staff, alumni, employers, industry partners, and external stakeholders on quality matters.
2. Coordinate student evaluations, graduate surveys, employer feedback, and stakeholder satisfaction assessments.
3. Manage stakeholder complaints relating to service quality and academic quality.
4. Facilitate quality improvement initiatives informed by stakeholder feedback and data analysis.
5. Represent the University on quality assurance forums, networks, and professional bodies.

Training, Capacity Building and Quality Culture

1. Develop and implement training programmes on quality assurance principles, accreditation requirements, assessment practices, and continuous improvement.
2. Build institutional capacity in quality management, data-driven decision-making, and compliance.
3. Provide technical guidance and support to faculties, departments, and administrative units on quality matters.
4. Foster awareness of quality standards and promote a culture of excellence across the University.
Reporting, Documentation and Communication
1. Prepare annual quality assurance reports, accreditation reports, audit reports, and institutional effectiveness reports.
2. Maintain accurate quality assurance records, databases, and documentation.
3. Present quality reports, findings, and recommendations to Executive Management, Senate, Academic Board, Council Committees, and external stakeholders.
4. Communicate quality performance outcomes and improvement initiatives throughout the University.
5. Ensure data integrity and evidence-based reporting for institutional decision-making.
Budget and Resource Management
1. Prepare and manage the Quality Assurance Directorate budget.
2. Ensure effective allocation of resources for quality initiatives, audits, accreditation activities, training, and quality management systems.
3. Evaluate and implement quality assurance technologies, data management systems, and process automation tools.
4. Ensure efficient utilization of staff, financial resources, and quality-related infrastructure.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

a. Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Life Sciences, or related field (Master's often preferred).
b. 8–12+ years of progressive quality assurance/quality management experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role.
c. Deep knowledge of quality frameworks relevant to the industry (ISO, Six Sigma, Lean, GMP, etc.).
d. Certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Manager (CQM), Six Sigma Black Belt, or industry-specific credentials (strongly preferred).
e. Proven experience leading audits and managing regulatory relationships.
f. Strong analytical, statistical, and root-cause analysis skills.
g. Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional influence skills.

How to Apply

If then interested, all candidates must send their Expression of Interest, CV, and relevant documents to [email protected] / [email protected].

All corresponding emails must have in their subject “Position Description: [Position Title]” — e.g. “Position Description: Research Coordinating Officer.”

All application documents must be merged into one (1) PDF file before submission.

Attention to: Human Resources Director, P.O. Box 1791, Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application via email.

Applications close: 23rd October 2026, 4:06 PM

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.