Quality Manager

£50,832 to £63,540 per annum pro rata (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £73,071 per annum, pro rata).

Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact.

Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook.

Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Our Provost – Learning and Teaching department drives forward the University’s ambition to provide excellence and opportunities for all students; building on Derby’s long-standing reputation for teaching excellence, ensuring the development of sector-leading ?exible, integrated learning that aligns to the needs of learners, not just now but in the future.

Our mission is to enable the University to achieve its strategic aims and wider mission, and to be compliant with external regulatory requirements, through the design and implementation of a Quality Assurance and Enhancement Strategic Framework.

The Quality Manager is a key leadership role within the Centre for Quality Assurance, providing strategic and operational leadership for the University\'s quality assurance, enhancement and regulatory framework.

Reporting to the Head of Academic Quality, you will lead the development and continuous improvement of quality assurance policies, processes and systems, ensuring compliance with internal requirements and external regulatory expectations, including those of the Office for Students (Of S), Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

You will play a central role in maintaining academic standards, enhancing the quality of the student experience and ensuring the University remains responsive to the evolving higher education regulatory environment.

Please note that this is a part time position consisting of 18.5 hours per week (exact hours and days to be discussed at interview).

The anticipated interview date is W/C 1 st September 2026.

You will be an experienced higher education quality professional with a strong track record in quality assurance, regulatory compliance and policy development within a complex organisation.

You will bring detailed knowledge of the UK higher education regulatory landscape, including the Office for Students (Of S) regulatory framework, the QAA Quality Code, and requirements relating to Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) and apprenticeships.

You will have proven experience of interpreting regulatory and institutional requirements, developing and implementing effective policies and processes, and driving continuous improvement.

A strategic thinker with excellent judgement, you will be equally comfortable leading operational delivery, providing expert advice and influencing stakeholders across the University.

A degree or equivalent professional qualification is essential.

• Play a leading role in shaping, developing and implementing the University’s quality assurance and enhancement framework.
• Ensure that effective, integrated and compliant quality management policies, procedures and regulations are in place across the University and are consistently applied.
• Lead and manage key quality assurance and enhancement activities, ensuring alignment with the University’s academic quality framework and external regulatory requirements, such as the Of S regulatory framework.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on quality assurance, academic regulations, policy and regulatory matters to senior leaders, academic and professional service staff and external stakeholders.
• Provide effective leadership and management of staff within the Centre for Quality Assurance, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, customer-focused services and support across the institution.
• Oversee the operation, review and continuous improvement of key quality assurance processes, including areas such as programme approval and review, academic governance, collaborative provision, assessment, external examining and accreditation activity.
• Support the effective management and oversight of the University’s academic portfolio and associated quality assurance activity.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Colleges, Professional Services, collaborative partners, External Examiners, PSRBs and other external stakeholders.
• Lead the review and enhancement of quality assurance processes, systems and ways of working to improve efficiency, effectiveness, consistency and customer experience, making appropriate use of technology and automation.
• Monitor developments within the higher education regulatory environment and advise on institutional responses to emerging requirements and sector developments.
• Contribute to institutional policy and regulatory development through the preparation of proposals, participation in working groups and responses to external consultations.
• Support the University’s preparation for external reviews, audits and regulatory engagement activities.
• Contribute to the effective planning and coordination of quality assurance activities across the academic year, managing peak workloads and competing priorities.
• Lead and manage a team of staff taking responsibility for recruitment, training and development and performance management including conducting individual performance reviews.
• Regularly review, audit and assess team performance and quality of service to ensure that high standards are achieved and maintained and understanding of good practice is shared within and between teams to enhance performance.
• Represent the Centre for Quality Assurance in internal and external networks and deputise for the Head of Academic Quality as required.
• Lead and/or directly contribute to institutional projects as they relate to quality assurance, enhancement and regulatory compliance.
• Any other duties as required to support the Head of Academic Quality, the wider Provost Learning and Teaching leadership team and key University activities (e. g.

Clearing, Graduation etc.).

• Degree level qualification or equivalent professional qualification.

Experience

• Significant experience of quality assurance, regulatory compliance and policy development in higher education.
• Strong leadership skills and proven experience of managing and motivating a team to deliver successful outcomes against agreed targets/objectives.
• Substantial experience of interpreting external regulatory requirements and/or relevant institutional policies to apply to individual cases and situations.
• Proven experience of establishing, developing and implementing improvements to protocols, policies, procedures and systems in a large and complex organisation
• Experience of managing projects and delivering successful outcomes to agreed timescales and quality standards.

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of quality assurance and enhancement in higher education, the associated regulatory environment and current issues facing the sector.

This includes a thorough understanding of the Of S regulatory framework, the QAA Quality Code and other external regulatory requirements, such as those relating to apprenticeships and PSRBs.

• Ability to devise and develop innovative approaches to quality assurance that are risk-based and proportionate, minimise regulatory burden and make best use of available resources.
• Ability to think strategically and contribute to the strategic direction of the team and wider University and to balance this with the requirements of operational delivery.
• Strong leadership and change management skills, with the ability to drive continuous improvement and secure stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write high quality reports and deliver presentations to a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an articulate, confident and diplomatic approach to communications, tact and discretion when dealing with sensitive issues and the ability to lead, negotiate, persuade and influence.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to maintain a high level of accuracy whilst working at pace.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to produce effective operational work plans and manage team performance against those plans.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build effective relationships within the team and across organisational boundaries.
• Ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information and to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines and manage competing priorities on own initiative.
• A high degree of self-motivation and a self-managing work style, with the ability to set goals and work independently.
• Business requirements
• Travel may be required on occasion within the UK and possibly overseas in support of the service. If required it is likely to be infrequent.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification or equivalent relevant work experience
• Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance
• Holiday purchase
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Paula Bushby, Quality Manager via P. Bushby@derby. ac. uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby. ac. uk .

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'.

We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns.

This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates.

Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process.

This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead.

This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings.

Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do.

We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities.

In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

Seek academic excellence by applying now with University of Derby.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application.

Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application.

If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby. ac. uk .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children.

At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody\'s concern.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title \'Mx\'.

We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns.

This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates.

Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process.

This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead.

This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings.

Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do.

We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities.

In line with the University\'s strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University\'s objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

Seek academic excellence by applying now with University of Derby.

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application.

Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application.

If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby. ac. uk .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children.

At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody\'s concern.

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