Quality Assurance Compliance Officer
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Full timeOn-site
Job description
Overall, Purpose of the Job:
The Quality Assurance & Compliance (QA&C) Officer supports the implementation of quality assurance, regulatory compliance, institutional effectiveness, and continuous improvement activities across the University of Manchester – Dubai. The role plays a key part in ensuring that academic and operational practices comply with local regulatory requirements while maintaining alignment with the University of Manchester's academic standards and quality frameworks.
Working closely with the Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager, the postholder supports institutional licensure and programme accreditation activities, regulatory reporting requirements, institutional effectiveness processes, and the implementation of the UAE's Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework (OBEF) and Higher Education Database (HEDB) requirements.
The role contributes to the collection, analysis, monitoring, and reporting of institutional performance indicators, student outcomes, stakeholder feedback, and quality metrics to support evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement. The QA&C Officer also supports compliance activities with regulatory authorities including the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and Dubai Development Authority (DDA).
The postholder will contribute to fostering a culture of quality, accountability, institutional effectiveness, and continuous enhancement across the institution.
Key Responsibilities
1. Quality Assurance and Operational Support
• Support the QA&C Manager in ensuring compliance with institutional policies, local regulations, and quality assurance requirements.
• Assist in the implementation, monitoring, and review of quality assurance policies, procedures, frameworks, and operational processes.
• Support the development and promotion of a culture of quality enhancement and continuous improvement across the institution.
• Maintain quality assurance documentation, records, manuals, and procedural guidelines.
• Support institutional committees and quality-related meetings through administrative coordination and reporting.
2. Institutional Effectiveness, OBEF and Performance Monitoring
• Support the implementation and monitoring of the Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework (OBEF) requirements and institutional performance indicators.
• Assist with the collection, validation, analysis, and reporting of institutional effectiveness data and evidence.
• Support the monitoring of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across all OBEF pillars and institutional strategic objectives.
• Assist in maintaining institutional dashboards and performance monitoring tools.
• Support the collection and analysis of graduate outcomes, employment outcomes, research performance, student experience, and operational effectiveness indicators.
• Assist in identifying trends, gaps, risks, and opportunities for institutional improvement.
• Support the preparation of institutional effectiveness reports and performance reviews for senior management and regulatory bodies.
• Assist in monitoring and documenting continuous improvement initiatives arising from OBEF assessments and institutional reviews.
3. Higher Education Database (HEDB) and Data Governance
• Support the preparation, validation, and submission of institutional data required for HEDB reporting.
• Assist with institutional data collection, data verification, cleansing, and reconciliation activities.
• Support the maintenance of data quality standards, data governance procedures, and reporting protocols.
• Liaise with internal departments to ensure timely and accurate submission of regulatory data.
• Assist in monitoring institutional compliance with HEDB reporting requirements and timelines.
• Support the preparation of data reports, statistical summaries, and institutional performance analytics.
• Contribute to the development of institutional reporting frameworks and data management processes.
4. Accreditation, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
• Support the preparation of documentation for institutional licensure, programme accreditation, re-accreditation, and audit activities.
• Assist in the preparation of substantive change submissions and regulatory reports.
• Maintain records, correspondence, and communication logs with regulatory authorities.
• Support institutional readiness activities for accreditation visits, audits, and inspections.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with:
o CAA Standards
o MoHESR regulations
o KHDA requirements
o OBEF requirements
o HEDB requirements
o University of Manchester policies and procedures
• Support the coordination and follow-up of accreditation recommendations and action plans.
• Maintain institutional evidence repositories and regulatory documentation.
5. Quality Assurance Systems and Academic Monitoring
• Assist in maintaining institutional quality assurance systems, frameworks, and procedures.
• Support academic and administrative departments in collecting evidence related to quality assurance activities.
• Assist in monitoring programme reviews, course evaluations, and institutional review processes.
• Support the collection and analysis of student, academic staff, alumni, and stakeholder feedback.
• Maintain digital course files and supporting academic documentation in accordance with institutional and regulatory requirements.
• Support the monitoring of academic standards, assessment practices, and student outcomes.
• Assist with benchmarking exercises and comparative institutional analysis.
6. Continuous Improvement and Quality Enhancement
• Support institutional quality enhancement initiatives through evidence gathering, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement.
• Assist in tracking improvement actions arising from:
o OBEF assessments
o HEDB reporting
o Accreditation recommendations
o Internal audits
o Student feedback
o External benchmarking exercises
• Support the preparation and monitoring of quality improvement plans.
• Assist with institutional self-evaluation activities.
• Support quality awareness initiatives, workshops, training sessions, and staff development activities.
7. Reporting, Surveys and Institutional Analytics
• Assist in preparing:
o CHEDS reports
o KHDA Census submissions
o MoHESR reports
o HEDB submissions
o OBEF performance reports
o Institutional effectiveness reports
o Student outcome reports
• Support the design, administration, analysis, and reporting of surveys for:
o Students
o Alumni
o Academic staff
o Professional staff
o Employers
o Other stakeholders
• Assist in producing analytical reports and management dashboards.
• Support comparative analysis with University of Manchester home campus data where appropriate.
• Prepare reports and summaries for institutional committees and senior leadership.
8. Institutional Support and Collaboration
• Collaborate with academic and professional service teams to support quality assurance and compliance activities.
• Provide guidance and administrative support relating to quality assurance processes.
• Support institutional projects related to quality enhancement, accreditation, and institutional effectiveness.
• Report identified risks, non-compliance issues, or quality concerns to the QA&C Manager.
• Support external visits, audits, workshops, and regulatory meetings.
• Undertake other duties as reasonably assigned by the QA&C Manager or Director of UoM Dubai.
Reporting Structure
• Reports directly to the Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager.
• Works collaboratively with the Student and Academic Services Division at both Dubai and Home Campus.
• Supports cross-functional collaboration across academic and professional service departments.
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Professional Experience
• Minimum of 3–5 years' experience in quality assurance, compliance, institutional effectiveness, accreditation, educational administration, or related areas, preferably within the UAE higher education sector.
Higher Education Experience
• Experience or familiarity with UK and UAE higher education systems, regulations, and quality assurance practices.
Regulatory Knowledge
• Knowledge of UAE higher education regulatory requirements, including:
o CAA Standards
o MoHESR regulations
o KHDA requirements
o OBEF framework
o HEDB reporting requirements
•Understanding of institutional effectiveness frameworks, performance monitoring, KPI analysis,and continuous improvement methodologies.
•Experience in data collection, validation, reporting, and analysis.
•Familiarity with accreditation processes, self-study reports, audits, institutional reviews, andquality assurance frameworks.
Communication and Administrative Skills
•Strong written and verbal communication skills.
•Excellent organisational, administrative, and coordination abilities.
•Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
•High attention to detail and accuracy.
The Person Appointed Should Also Possess
•Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
•Ability to work effectively with regulators, academic staff, professional services staff, andstudents.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR and data protection requirements.
•Strong organisational and time management skills.
•A proactive and positive "can-do" attitude.
•Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
•Strong systems-thinking and process-improvement mindset.
•Commitment to continuous professional development.
•Excellent analytical, reporting, and administrative skills.
Educational Qualifications
•Bachelor’s degree in quality assurance, Education, Business Administration, Management,Institutional Effectiveness, Data Analytics, or a related field.
Desired Qualifications and Certifications
•Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA), or equivalent.
•Qualifications or training in institutional effectiveness, higher education quality assurance, oraccreditation.
•Training or certification related to data analytics, performance management, or institutionalresearch.
•Familiarity with international accreditation frameworks such as AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, andrelevant higher education quality standards.
The Quality Assurance & Compliance (QA&C) Officer supports the implementation of quality assurance, regulatory compliance, institutional effectiveness, and continuous improvement activities across the University of Manchester – Dubai. The role plays a key part in ensuring that academic and operational practices comply with local regulatory requirements while maintaining alignment with the University of Manchester's academic standards and quality frameworks.
Working closely with the Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager, the postholder supports institutional licensure and programme accreditation activities, regulatory reporting requirements, institutional effectiveness processes, and the implementation of the UAE's Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework (OBEF) and Higher Education Database (HEDB) requirements.
The role contributes to the collection, analysis, monitoring, and reporting of institutional performance indicators, student outcomes, stakeholder feedback, and quality metrics to support evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement. The QA&C Officer also supports compliance activities with regulatory authorities including the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and Dubai Development Authority (DDA).
The postholder will contribute to fostering a culture of quality, accountability, institutional effectiveness, and continuous enhancement across the institution.
Key Responsibilities
1. Quality Assurance and Operational Support
• Support the QA&C Manager in ensuring compliance with institutional policies, local regulations, and quality assurance requirements.
• Assist in the implementation, monitoring, and review of quality assurance policies, procedures, frameworks, and operational processes.
• Support the development and promotion of a culture of quality enhancement and continuous improvement across the institution.
• Maintain quality assurance documentation, records, manuals, and procedural guidelines.
• Support institutional committees and quality-related meetings through administrative coordination and reporting.
2. Institutional Effectiveness, OBEF and Performance Monitoring
• Support the implementation and monitoring of the Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework (OBEF) requirements and institutional performance indicators.
• Assist with the collection, validation, analysis, and reporting of institutional effectiveness data and evidence.
• Support the monitoring of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across all OBEF pillars and institutional strategic objectives.
• Assist in maintaining institutional dashboards and performance monitoring tools.
• Support the collection and analysis of graduate outcomes, employment outcomes, research performance, student experience, and operational effectiveness indicators.
• Assist in identifying trends, gaps, risks, and opportunities for institutional improvement.
• Support the preparation of institutional effectiveness reports and performance reviews for senior management and regulatory bodies.
• Assist in monitoring and documenting continuous improvement initiatives arising from OBEF assessments and institutional reviews.
3. Higher Education Database (HEDB) and Data Governance
• Support the preparation, validation, and submission of institutional data required for HEDB reporting.
• Assist with institutional data collection, data verification, cleansing, and reconciliation activities.
• Support the maintenance of data quality standards, data governance procedures, and reporting protocols.
• Liaise with internal departments to ensure timely and accurate submission of regulatory data.
• Assist in monitoring institutional compliance with HEDB reporting requirements and timelines.
• Support the preparation of data reports, statistical summaries, and institutional performance analytics.
• Contribute to the development of institutional reporting frameworks and data management processes.
4. Accreditation, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
• Support the preparation of documentation for institutional licensure, programme accreditation, re-accreditation, and audit activities.
• Assist in the preparation of substantive change submissions and regulatory reports.
• Maintain records, correspondence, and communication logs with regulatory authorities.
• Support institutional readiness activities for accreditation visits, audits, and inspections.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with:
o CAA Standards
o MoHESR regulations
o KHDA requirements
o OBEF requirements
o HEDB requirements
o University of Manchester policies and procedures
• Support the coordination and follow-up of accreditation recommendations and action plans.
• Maintain institutional evidence repositories and regulatory documentation.
5. Quality Assurance Systems and Academic Monitoring
• Assist in maintaining institutional quality assurance systems, frameworks, and procedures.
• Support academic and administrative departments in collecting evidence related to quality assurance activities.
• Assist in monitoring programme reviews, course evaluations, and institutional review processes.
• Support the collection and analysis of student, academic staff, alumni, and stakeholder feedback.
• Maintain digital course files and supporting academic documentation in accordance with institutional and regulatory requirements.
• Support the monitoring of academic standards, assessment practices, and student outcomes.
• Assist with benchmarking exercises and comparative institutional analysis.
6. Continuous Improvement and Quality Enhancement
• Support institutional quality enhancement initiatives through evidence gathering, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement.
• Assist in tracking improvement actions arising from:
o OBEF assessments
o HEDB reporting
o Accreditation recommendations
o Internal audits
o Student feedback
o External benchmarking exercises
• Support the preparation and monitoring of quality improvement plans.
• Assist with institutional self-evaluation activities.
• Support quality awareness initiatives, workshops, training sessions, and staff development activities.
7. Reporting, Surveys and Institutional Analytics
• Assist in preparing:
o CHEDS reports
o KHDA Census submissions
o MoHESR reports
o HEDB submissions
o OBEF performance reports
o Institutional effectiveness reports
o Student outcome reports
• Support the design, administration, analysis, and reporting of surveys for:
o Students
o Alumni
o Academic staff
o Professional staff
o Employers
o Other stakeholders
• Assist in producing analytical reports and management dashboards.
• Support comparative analysis with University of Manchester home campus data where appropriate.
• Prepare reports and summaries for institutional committees and senior leadership.
8. Institutional Support and Collaboration
• Collaborate with academic and professional service teams to support quality assurance and compliance activities.
• Provide guidance and administrative support relating to quality assurance processes.
• Support institutional projects related to quality enhancement, accreditation, and institutional effectiveness.
• Report identified risks, non-compliance issues, or quality concerns to the QA&C Manager.
• Support external visits, audits, workshops, and regulatory meetings.
• Undertake other duties as reasonably assigned by the QA&C Manager or Director of UoM Dubai.
Reporting Structure
• Reports directly to the Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager.
• Works collaboratively with the Student and Academic Services Division at both Dubai and Home Campus.
• Supports cross-functional collaboration across academic and professional service departments.
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Professional Experience
• Minimum of 3–5 years' experience in quality assurance, compliance, institutional effectiveness, accreditation, educational administration, or related areas, preferably within the UAE higher education sector.
Higher Education Experience
• Experience or familiarity with UK and UAE higher education systems, regulations, and quality assurance practices.
Regulatory Knowledge
• Knowledge of UAE higher education regulatory requirements, including:
o CAA Standards
o MoHESR regulations
o KHDA requirements
o OBEF framework
o HEDB reporting requirements
•Understanding of institutional effectiveness frameworks, performance monitoring, KPI analysis,and continuous improvement methodologies.
•Experience in data collection, validation, reporting, and analysis.
•Familiarity with accreditation processes, self-study reports, audits, institutional reviews, andquality assurance frameworks.
Communication and Administrative Skills
•Strong written and verbal communication skills.
•Excellent organisational, administrative, and coordination abilities.
•Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
•High attention to detail and accuracy.
The Person Appointed Should Also Possess
•Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
•Ability to work effectively with regulators, academic staff, professional services staff, andstudents.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR and data protection requirements.
•Strong organisational and time management skills.
•A proactive and positive "can-do" attitude.
•Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
•Strong systems-thinking and process-improvement mindset.
•Commitment to continuous professional development.
•Excellent analytical, reporting, and administrative skills.
Educational Qualifications
•Bachelor’s degree in quality assurance, Education, Business Administration, Management,Institutional Effectiveness, Data Analytics, or a related field.
Desired Qualifications and Certifications
•Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA), or equivalent.
•Qualifications or training in institutional effectiveness, higher education quality assurance, oraccreditation.
•Training or certification related to data analytics, performance management, or institutionalresearch.
•Familiarity with international accreditation frameworks such as AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, andrelevant higher education quality standards.