Quality and Academic Development Manager

Tēnā koe. Nau mai ki te Kuratini Tuwhera.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director, Academic Services, the Quality and Academic Development (QAD) Manager is responsible for managing academic policies, systems and procedures that demonstrate and guarantee the Polytechnic’s commitment to academic quality and customer satisfaction. The QAD Manager lead the Quality and Academic Development Team which provides academic portfolio support and quality assurance services for the Polytechnic and ensures that academic systems and procedures comply with NZQA rules and regulations.

Key responsibilities will be to:

• Coordinate the quality assurance processes of the Polytechnic’s systems and progressively improve them
• Contribute to the academic management of the Polytechnic as a member of appropriate boards and committees 
• Lead and manage the QAD team to ensure effective and efficient delivery of its core functions. 

This role is based at our Lower Hutt campus.

Ngā hua o tō tomo mai ki a mātou | Why you should join our team

Here's just a few reasons why people enjoy working for Open Polytechnic:

• An organisation that makes a positive difference to people's lives
• A culture that values positive work life balance
• Free on-site car parking
• A modernised working environment 
• Subsidised school holiday programmes for your children 
• Free fitness classes 
• Great coffee at our on-site café

Ngā pūkenga mo te tūnga | What you will bring to the role

You will have a passion for impacting the lives of everyday people and seeing them achieve their educational goals and dreams. You will also constantly be striving to be the best you can be, just as our ākonga (students) do, and you pride yourself on the quality of your work.

If you have the following qualifications, skills and experience we would like to hear from you.

• Postgraduate qualification
• Minimum of 10 years work experience within academic quality, preferably in a tertiary education  
• Knowledge of Mātauranga Māori, understanding and knowledge of the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and some proficiency in Te Reo me ona tikanga Māori
• Well-developed communication skills with the experience to effectively clarify goals and communicate information in a business situation
• Proven successful team management and coaching experience including remote management
• Experience leading and driving strategic change, operational planning and implementation
• Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to quickly establish rapport and credibility to work with peers in a collegial, constructive manner
• Financial management and budgeting skills.
• Ability to interpret complex data for organisational improvement.

Mō mātou | About us

The Kuratini Tuwhera is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading distance and online learning provider. 

We specialise in taking the learning to our students, focusing on enabling the success of approximately 30,000 students each year. We are a place where you can make a difference.

We offer a wide range of learning disciplines from Real Estate to Social Work, Construction and Education. From our Academic Staff Members to our Student Journey Centre, we ensure our students are at the heart of everything we do, every step of the way.

We are proud of our kaimahi and value every contribution from our people.

Tono mai | Apply now

If this role sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. Applications must be submitted online via our career's website.

Contact Dominic.Ellery@openpolytechnic.ac.nz with any questions about the role.

Applications close 11pm Thursday 18 February 2026.

Noho ora mai. Tēnā koe.