Academic Quality Officer

Job Title:  Academic Quality Officer  

Grade and Salary: Grade 6: £31,236-£36,636

FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE- full time (35 hours per week) open-ended. Opportunity for a flexible working pattern, with support for some remote working (3 days on campus).

Our Team:

Organisation Name: Academic Quality, within Registry and Academic Support Directorate.

The Global Registry and Academic Support Directorate supports our students and staff colleagues across the full student life-cycle from enrolment to graduation. The Directorate has responsibility as the definitive record-keeper of all student information and programme and course details, and leading services that help students settle and stay at the University with professional help and advice, through a range of wellbeing services.  

It supports academic and professional services staff across the University in a number of areas, including: academic, institutional and student-related Regulations and Policies and global, national and institutional quality matters. It delivers these services through four Divisions, each managed by a Global Head, and two Heads of Campus Registry:

• Student Life
• Off-Campus Students
• Academic Operations
• Academic Quality
• Head of Registry – Dubai Campus
• Head of Registry – Malaysia Campus

The Academic Quality Division consists of three teams: Quality Assurance; Academic Enhancement; Accreditation and Academic Partnerships. The work of the Academic Quality Officer will involve collaboration across all three teams, with  the majority of tasks related to the Quality Assurance team.  

The Academic Quality Team is responsible for strategy and policy development and the provision of advice, guidance and support in the relation to the assurance and enhancement of academic standards, the quality of taught programmes and the quality of the student learning experience, across the wider, global University (ie, for all academic provision delivered at all five campus locations and by all study modes including via partnership arrangements and online).

Purpose of Role:

The Academic Quality Officer will be responsible for undertaking key quality assurance activities on behalf of the University, particularly in relation to Academic Review, Annual Monitoring and Review, support for the Learning and Teaching Academic Operations Committee, Examination Board processes and guidelines.  The role-holder will be responsible for the drafting of new, reviewing and revising of existing, policies and procedures.  They will take responsibility for providing an integrated, coherent approach across all modes and locations to maintaining and assuring the quality and academic standards of the University’s provision.  

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Co-ordinate and manage activities associated with the preparation for, and completion of, Academic Review (HWU’s internal periodic review process) events, across the University (all campuses, online and partnerships).    
• Draft policies and procedures related to quality assurance and manage the associated processes of consultation, publication, implementation and review/revision.
• Provide advice and guidance for the interpretation and application of quality assurance policies and procedures.  
• Co-ordinate and manage the University’s Annual Monitoring and Review process, whilst taking responsibility for: the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data and presentation of themes for action to University-level committees; collaborating with Schools to ensure effective sub-School AMR processes at discipline and programme levels.
• Be responsible for working with relevant teams across the University for the review and revision of quality processes to shape a data informed approach to quality for enhancement purposes.  
• Co-ordinate and manage activities for supporting the University’s Examination and Assessment processes, such as: examination and assessment guidelines and procedures; approval of Chairs of Examination Board process; process for Academic Deans’ Representatives at Examination Boards; annual briefing sessions.  
• Act as Clerk to the Learning and Teaching Academic Operations Committee, including producing agenda and papers, and liaising with the Associate Principal (Education and Student Life) to ensure the effective operation of the Committee.
• Produce, and contribute to, reports for University committees (eg Annual Summary Reports) and external bodies (i.e. Scottish Funding Council, Quality Assurance Agency Scotland).
• Progress any other tasks associated with the work of the Academic Quality team, as designated by the post’s line manager.  
• Progress any other tasks associated with the work of the wider Registry and Academic Support Directorate, eg assisting at student enrolment and at graduation ceremonies.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the Global Director of Student Experience & Academic Registrar and/or Head of Academic Quality.

Education, Qualifications & Experience:  

These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made:

Essential

• Educated to  at least SCQF level 6-7 or similar or equivalent practical experience in the workplace
• Demonstrable ability to plan and prioritise workload, whilst working independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrable ability to work under pressure, within a dynamic, changing and pressured environment, whilst maintaining accuracy and quality  
• Demonstrable ability to use own initiative for overcoming challenges
• Strong analytical skills
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and demonstrable excellent customer service experience
• Experience of identifying and implementing improvements and developments
• Competent in the use of relevant IT packages  

Desirable

• Experience of Higher Education
• Experience of working within an academic quality environment in a quality assurance-related role
• Experience of preparations for internal or external periodic review
• Experience of policy and process development and review
• Experience of collaborating with multi-location teams
• Report writing for both internal committees and external quality agencies
• Experience of clerking/acting as a committee secretary

How to Apply

Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment page.

Applications can be submitted up to 11:55pm (UK time) on Sunday 26th April.

For any enquiries about this position, please contact Helen Crosby, RAS Quality Assurance Manager- h.a.crosby@hw.ac.uk

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. 

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ . 

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.