Head of Access to Higher Education Regulation

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education is an organisation with an essential role in the UK’s tertiary education sector. QAA is the UK’s independent quality body for tertiary education, ensuring that students and learners experience the highest possible quality of education. We have changed to meet the evolving needs of a sector that has undergone reform across all nations of the UK. We are the UK’s authority on quality and standards, acting as custodian on behalf of the sector of reference points including the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Subject Benchmark Statements, and the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications.

Throughout the UK, we are the trusted partner of governments and funding bodies. In Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, we work in collaboration with the sector to meet the needs of each nation. In England, our highly successful membership programme provides a rich source of resources to strategic leads, quality specialists, and students and learners alike. Globally, we are recognised as one of the world’s leading quality bodies and support the UK sector as it welcomes international students and extends its reach through transnational education.

We are a remote-first organisation and encourage day-to-day flexibility. It’s important to us that our working environment enables us to deliver our services in a way and location that provides the best outcomes for our stakeholders and customers and meets their expectations. Alongside this, we want individuals and teams to feel empowered to work where, when, and how they want, providing that business needs are met.

The Head of Access to Higher Education Regulation will lead QAA’s work on the regulation, licensing, and development of the Access to HE Diploma. This includes putting into practice new regulatory arrangements and making sure the qualification continues to meet the needs of students and providers. The role involves close collaboration with Access Validating Agencies (AVAs), leading a small team, overseeing monitoring and reporting systems, and helping to shape clear guidance and resources. It is a broad, hands-on role that combines strategic oversight with day-to-day management, helping to protect the quality and value of the Access to HE Diploma across the UK.

We’re looking for someone who understands the importance of accessible routes into higher education and brings experience from education regulation, policy, or quality assurance. You’ll be confident in leading a team, managing systems and processes, and working with data. You’ll also be comfortable engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and making informed decisions. You’ll need to be well-organised, collaborative, and proactive, with a genuine interest in improving opportunities for learners. Most importantly, you’ll be committed to maintaining the quality and integrity of a qualification that opens doors for thousands of students every year.

If you’re passionate about widening access to higher education and have the expertise to lead regulatory work that makes a real difference, we’d love to hear from you!

Location: We offer employees the opportunity to work flexibly from home, providing it is within the UK.

Job type: Full-time

Hours: 35 hours per week, flexible working available

Band: 6

Salary: £50,000 – £67,000 per annum, dependent upon knowledge, skills, and experience, plus excellent benefits.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 6 July 2025, so please do not hesitate to apply. To apply, please create a profile on our recruitment portal and submit your CV with a covering letter outlining your experience. Only applications which include a CV and a cover letter will be considered for the role.

QAA recognises the positive benefits of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society, and for all to feel respected, free to be themselves no matter what their identity or background, and able to give their best. We value the differences that a variety of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and skills bring and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants to apply and join us.

We are committed to ensuring accessibility for all applicants. If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please contact careers@qaa.ac.uk. We are committed to working with all to understand what accommodations are necessary to ensure a fair and accessible process.

If you have not heard from QAA within three weeks of the closing date for this vacancy, then your application has not been successful. Please be aware that we are unable to provide feedback on individual job applications.