Director Sector Enablement & Assurance

New Zealand Qualifications Authority; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Qualifications Authority seeks a senior leader to head sector enablement and assurance within the Assessment Division. The role drives strategic quality assurance, school support, and qualifications stewardship, aligning sector activity with learner pathways and system priorities.

You will lead through senior managers, shape risk settings, and foster sector partnerships with government, schools, tertiary bodies, and industry groups to strengthen confidence in NZQA's assessment system.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in complex education, public sector, regulatory or service delivery environments.
• Proven ability to lead through others and build high-performing teams.
• Experience shaping strategy and delivering outcomes across multi-disciplinary groups.
• Knowledge of quality assurance, regulatory practice, risk management, and oversight functions.
• Experience guiding sector-facing guidance, engagement, and implementation activities.
• Understanding of qualifications, learner pathways, and education policy within NZ context.
• Strong relationships with senior stakeholders and credible communication in sensitive settings.
• Sound judgement using sector insights and performance information to inform decisions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for sector enablement and assurance across the Assessment Division.
• Lead and develop leaders across sector enablement, school quality assurance, and qualifications.
• Oversee assurance frameworks, risk settings, and regulatory compliance aligned with NZQA rules.
• Guide sector enablement approaches to engage schools, kura, providers and stakeholders.
• Oversee qualifications governance, learner pathways, and equity considerations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Quality assurance

Risk management

People leadership

Regulatory / policy knowledge

Te Tiriti o Waitangi understanding

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Job description

Director Sector Enablement & AssurancePermanent roleLead complex, system-wide sector enablement, qualification and standards stewardship, school quality assurance and support functions across NZQA's Assessment DivisionStrengthen confidence in New Zealand's assessment system through integrated assurance, risk management, sector support and stakeholder engagementSenior Wellington-based leadership opportunity reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive AssessmentWhakatairangatia nga kete o te matauranga ki te ao marama! E te tai whakarunga, e te tai whakararo, nau piki mai, nau kake mai ki te Mana Tohu Matauranga o Aotearoa.May the baskets of knowledge be brought into the world of light. We welcome one and all to join us at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.NZQA plays a critical role in ensuring New Zealand qualifications are trusted, credible and recognised nationally and internationally. Within NZQA, the Assessment Division is responsible for maintaining the integrity of assessment across NCEA, New Zealand Scholarship and other national qualifications.We are seeking an experienced and influential senior leader to join our Assessment Division as Director Sector Enablement and Assurance.This is an opportunity to provide strategic leadership across quality assurance, school support, qualifications stewardship and sector enablement. You will ensure assurance frameworks, sector support and qualifications functions operate as an integrated whole to maintain the credibility, consistency and integrity of assessment, while building sector capability through clear guidance, learning, engagement and support.Mo te turanga | About the roleAs Director Sector Enablement and Assurance, you will provide strategic leadership for complex, system-wide functions across quality assurance, sector engagement, school support, qualifications stewardship and learner pathways within the Assessment Division.Reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive Assessment, you will lead through senior managers and specialist leaders across Sector Enablement, School Quality Assurance and Support, and Secondary/Tertiary Qualifications. You will bring together quality assurance, risk management, qualifications stewardship, learner pathway thinking, sector readiness and stakeholder engagement to strengthen outcomes for learners and the wider education sector.A key part of the role is using sector insights, performance information and organisational intelligence to identify emerging risks and opportunities, inform executive decision-making and drive continuous improvement across the assessment system. In this role you will:Provide strategic leadership for sector enablement and assurance functions across the Assessment Division and contribute to division-wide and NZQA-wide priorities.Lead, coach and develop leaders, building a high-performing and inclusive leadership culture across multi-disciplinary teams.Oversee assurance frameworks, risk settings and operational controls that support the integrity and credibility of national assessment.Provide oversight of school quality assurance, audit, review, application and non-compliance functions in line with legislation, NZQA rules and good regulatory practice.Lead sector enablement approaches that support schools, kura, providers and stakeholders to engage effectively with assessment systems and processes.Provide strategic oversight of alternative and pathways qualifications, ensuring they remain relevant, credible and aligned with learner progression, system priorities and equity objectives.Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across government, schools, kura, tertiary organisations, wananga, advisory bodies, subject associations, industry bodies and other sector partners.He ahei au | What you'll bring to the roleWe are looking for a senior leader with extensive experience in complex education, public sector, regulatory or service delivery environments, and a strong track record of leading system-wide functions, shaping strategy and delivering outcomes through large, multi-disciplinary teams.You will bring strong judgement, whole-of-system thinking, credibility with senior stakeholders and the ability to connect assurance, qualifications, learner pathways, risk and sector support into an integrated approach. To be successful in this role, you'll bring:Extensive senior leadership experience in education, public sector, regulatory or service delivery environments.Proven experience leading through others, including managing leaders, developing capability and building high-performing teams.Demonstrated ability to lead system-wide functions and work across organisational boundaries on complex issues.Strong experience in quality assurance, regulatory practice, risk management, review or oversight functions.Experience leading sector-facing guidance, engagement, support, learning or implementation activity in complex environments.A strong understanding of qualifications, assessment systems, learner pathways or related education policy and operational settings.Exceptional relationship management, influencing and communication skills, including credibility in senior or sensitive settings.Strong analytical and conceptual capability, with the ability to use sector insight, performance evidence and sound judgement to support strategic decision-making.Demonstrated understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and culturally responsive leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand.Nga Painga o NZQA | Why choose NZQAJoin NZQA and play a senior leadership role in strengthening confidence in New Zealand's assessment and qualifications systems.You'll work alongside committed colleagues across the Assessment Division and wider organisation to support credible, consistent and equitable assessment outcomes for learners, schools, kura, providers and the wider education sector.NZQA is committed to developing a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.Pehea te tono mai | How to applyFor more information about this role and NZQA, please refer to the job description, NZQA's Customer Charter and Organisational Values.If you would like to discuss the role further, please contact Nigel Huddleston in our People Team at [e-mail] apply, please submit your CV and cover letter by 11 October 2026.You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand to apply for this role.NZQA is committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities and welcome applications from everyone who can meet the requirements of the role.