Academic Accreditation Specialist (Education Sector)

Job descriptionJob Summary: We are seeking a highly experienced Academic Accreditation Specialist with a solid background in educational quality assurance, accreditation inspections, and academic assessment. This role is focused exclusively on building and maintaining academic quality frameworks, managing the accreditation processes, and ensuring continuous compliance with UK-based academic standards and accreditation requirements.Key Responsibilities:Accreditation Process Management:Prepare and submit comprehensive accreditation documentation required by accrediting bodies.Coordinate and conduct internal reviews and mock inspections to evaluate readiness for accreditation.Manage and facilitate site visits or virtual reviews by accreditation authorities.Develop and oversee implementation plans addressing recommendations from accreditation reviews.Maintain expert knowledge of UK accreditation standards, processes, and compliance requirements.Act as the primary liaison with all accreditation bodies.Continuously monitor changes in accreditation standards to maintain compliance.Project Planning and Initiation:Develop detailed project plans including objectives, deliverables, timelines, resource allocation, documentation, and communication strategies specific to academic accreditation.Conduct initial gap analyses and assessments to identify areas for improvement to meet accreditation criteria.Establish clear project roles, responsibilities, and communication channels.Proactively manage and resolve project challenges and risks.Provide regular project status reports and presentations to leadership.Quality Assurance Framework Development:Design and implement organisation-wide quality assurance frameworks, policies, and procedures aligned with educational standards.Collect, analyse, and report data related to academic quality and performance indicators.Plan and execute internal audits to ensure compliance with quality standards.Develop and deliver training programmes focused on quality assurance in education.Ensure compliance with UK data protection, education regulations, and accreditation audit standards.Governance and Compliance:Establish and manage governance frameworks for accreditations, quality assurance, and compliance.Develop comprehensive manuals, handbooks, SOPs, workflows, and KPIs related to accreditation and quality assurance.Conduct regular governance audits and prepare performance reports.Provide training and guidance on governance, accreditation standards, and compliance best practices.Align accreditation and quality assurance initiatives with the organisational risk management strategy.Qualifications:Master's degree in Education is must, Quality Assurance, Business Administration, or related field.Minimum of 5 years of experience specifically managing academic accreditation and educational quality assurance projects.Proven track record with UK accreditation bodies and academic standards.Strong analytical, organisational, and project management skills.Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation abilities.Proficiency in project management tools and Microsoft Office Suite.Detail-oriented with strong commitment to accuracy and compliance.Preferred Qualifications:Experience in managing accreditation processes specifically within UK educational institutions.Direct involvement with UK-based academic accreditation bodies.