Academic Quality Assurance & Accreditation Manager
Listing reference: manco_000956
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 8 November 2026
Position summary
Industry: Education & Training
Job category: Others: Education and Training
Location: Durban
Contract: Permanent
EE position: Yes
Introduction
Shape the future of higher education through quality, accreditation and academic excellence.
MANCOSA, a DHET-registered and CHE-accredited private higher education distance education provider offering undergraduate and postgraduate business qualifications, is looking for an experienced Academic Quality Assurance & Accreditation Manager to join its Curriculum Development and Management Department.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced higher education quality assurance, accreditation, academic compliance or curriculum development professional to play a key role in ensuring that academic programmes meet South African regulatory, accreditation and quality standards.
If you have strong experience working with CHE, DHET, SAQA, QAF, HEQSF, programme accreditation, curriculum development and regulatory compliance, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful institutional impact.
Why join MANCOSA?
You will be joining an organisation where your expertise directly contributes to the quality, credibility and continued development of higher education programmes.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to:
Lead and influence academic quality assurance and accreditation processes.
Contribute to the development of new formal and short learning programmes.
Work closely with academic leaders, internal stakeholders, professional bodies and regulatory authorities.
Support institutional readiness for CHE audits, accreditation reviews, site visits and regulatory processes.
Drive continuous improvement of the institution's Quality Assurance Framework and Digital Quality Management System.
Work at the intersection of academic quality, curriculum development, regulatory compliance and institutional strategy.
Job description
The Role
The Academic Quality Assurance & Accreditation Manager will provide management and strategic support to the Curriculum Development and Management Department across:
- New formal and short learning programme development and submission.
- Programme accreditation and re-accreditation.
- Professional body accreditation and recognition.
- Regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
- Responses to regulatory conditions and representations.
- Accreditation audits, reviews and site visits.
- Institutional and programme-level Self-Evaluation Reports (SERs).
- Continuous improvement of quality management systems.
The role will monitor adherence to regulatory, accreditation and institutional requirements, maintain accurate accreditation and compliance records, track conditions, commitments and submission deadlines, and support corrective actions where required.
Key Responsibilities
Academic Programme Development & Accreditation
- Manage the development of new programme curricula in line with institutional strategy and regulatory requirements.
- Design and quality assure curricula for new formal and short learning programmes.
- Manage programme submissions and responses to regulatory conditions and representations.
- Identify, develop and submit professional body accreditation and recognition applications.
- Chair Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) and Programme Design, Development and Review Committee (PDDR) meetings relating to programme development and professional accreditation.
Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance
- Maintain regulatory compliance across academic and programme activities.
- Oversee preparation for and participation in accreditation, re-accreditation, regulatory audits and site visits.
- Participate in CHE audits, site visits and regulatory activities.
- Ensure effective implementation of the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) and Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF).
- Oversee the development, maintenance and continuous improvement of the MANCOSA Digital Quality Management System.
- Monitor accreditation conditions, commitments, corrective actions and regulatory deadlines.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to support data integrity and evidence-based decision-making.
Self-Evaluation & Institutional Quality
- Coordinate, develop and quality assure institutional and programme-level Self-Evaluation Reports (SERs).
- Ensure SERs are comprehensive, evidence-based and aligned with applicable regulatory, professional body and quality assurance criteria.
- Contribute to institutional initiatives aimed at achieving and maintaining regulatory, academic and quality assurance requirements.
People & Stakeholder Management
- Manage staff within the department and oversee performance against KPIs.
- Build effective relationships with internal and external academics, professional bodies, regulatory stakeholders and service providers.
- Prepare and manage departmental budgets.
- Lead and facilitate meetings, consultations and stakeholder engagements.
Minimum requirements
Minimum Requirements
- Master’s Degree.
- Minimum 3 years' higher education work experience.
- Strong understanding of higher education curriculum and regulatory compliance.
Preferred Experience
- 5 or more years' experience within higher education.
- Demonstrated experience in academic quality assurance, accreditation, curriculum development and regulatory compliance.
- Experience engaging with CHE, DHET, SAQA and/or professional bodies.
- Experience preparing for or participating in accreditation reviews, audits and regulatory site visits.
- Experience responding to regulatory conditions and representations.
- Experience developing and quality assuring Self-Evaluation Reports (SERs).
Knowledge & Technical Expertise
The successful candidate should have knowledge and/or experience in:
- Higher education programme and curriculum design.
- Programme accreditation and re-accreditation.
- Quality Assurance Framework (QAF).
- Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF).
- CHE accreditation criteria and requirements.
- DHET and SAQA regulatory requirements.
- Higher Education Practice Standards (HEPS).
- Regulatory compliance and quality assurance processes.
- Professional body accreditation and recognition.
- Self-Evaluation Reports (SERs).
- Quality Management Systems / Digital Quality Management Systems.
- Regulatory audits, reviews and site visits.
Key Competencies
We are looking for a professional who demonstrates:
- Strong academic and regulatory research capability.
- Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
- Strong consultation and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Planning, organising and negotiation skills.
- Strong meeting facilitation and chairing skills.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
- Ability to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Process orientation and strong follow-through.
- Integrity and professional judgement.
- Creativity and innovation.
- Adaptability to technological systems and digital quality management platforms.
Make an impact on the future of higher education.
If you are passionate about academic quality, higher education accreditation, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement, and you want to use your expertise to influence the quality and development of academic programmes, we would like to hear from you.
Apply now and become part of a team committed to maintaining and advancing excellence in higher education.