Head: Accreditation and Quality Assurance

Resourgenix (Pty) Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent South African education institution seeks an experienced academic leader to drive accreditation and quality assurance initiatives. The role demands a seasoned professional with a strong background in institutional accreditation, excellent understanding of governance, and proven leadership in managing CHE audits. Ideal candidates will have a PhD or an exceptional Master's degree, with direct experience in public higher education. This senior appointment is critical for ensuring compliance and quality across the institution.

Qualifications

• Direct experience within a public higher education institution.
• Hands-on ownership of institutional and programme accreditation processes.
• Led CHE audits and external reviews.
• Designed, implemented or overseen institutional QA frameworks.
• Strong competency in academic planning and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead accreditation and quality assurance at an institutional level.
• Coordinate accreditation cycles and oversee internal quality reviews.
• Manage site visit logistics and strengthen QA systems.
• Support policy alignment and advance a culture of continuous improvement.

Skills

Academic planning

Quality assurance

CHE audit leadership

Governance

Regulatory compliance

Education

PhD

Master's degree (if exceptional)

Job description

We are looking for South Africa’s strongest academic planning and quality assurance leader

If you have spent years shaping the academic backbone of a public higher education institution, then this will speak your language.

I am looking for a seasoned academic professional who has lived and breathed institutional and programme accreditation, academic planning, and quality assurance at a deep, operational, and strategic level. Someone who does not just understand the CHE, DHET, SAQA, SERs, audit cycles, and site visits, but has led them, survived them, and possibly even enjoyed them. A rare breed indeed.

This role is not for generalists. It is for the person who knows how to steer an institution through accreditation and audit environments with precision, confidence, and zero panic. If you have led CHE institutional audits, coordinated SERs, managed evidence rooms without breaking into a sweat, and built QA frameworks that actually work in practice, then we need to talk.

Who should consider this role

You will fit if you have

• Direct experience within a public higher education institution
• Hands‑on ownership of institutional and programme accreditation processes
• Led CHE audits and external reviews
• Designed, implemented, or overseen institutional QA frameworks
• Strong competency in academic planning, governance, and regulatory compliance
• A proven ability to bring order, structure, and quality improvement in complex environments

A PhD is ideal. A Masters will be considered only if your track record is exceptional and demonstrably aligned with this niche requirement.

What you will be doing

You will lead accreditation and quality assurance at an institutional level, ensuring readiness for national and international reviews. Expect to coordinate accreditation cycles, oversee internal quality reviews, manage site visit logistics, strengthen QA systems, support policy alignment, and advance a culture of continuous improvement across the institution. It is strategic. It is technical. It is impactful. And it matters.

(Full role profile available on request.)

Who should not apply

If your experience is limited to lecturing, faculty admin, or light‑touch QA support, this is not your role. If you have never led a CHE process end to end, it will not be the right fit. This is a senior, specialised appointment and we are only engaging with professionals who meet the above criteria.

If this is your world, we would like to meet you.