Chief Academic Officer

Who is QA Higher Education?

QA Higher Education (QA HE) is one of the UK’s most distinctive and fast-growing private higher education providers. Through longstanding partnerships with leading UK universities, we deliver a wide range of academic programmes to over 17,000 students, from foundation and undergraduate degrees through to postgraduate qualifications. Our campuses in London, Birmingham and Manchester, along with embedded and online learning environments, attract a richly diverse student population united by ambition and a desire to thrive in a modern, globally connected economy.

Our mission is simple: to widen access to higher education, deliver outstanding student outcomes, and provide a career-focused learning experience that meets the expectations of students, employers and regulators alike. QA HE occupies a unique space in the UK sector, combining academic quality with commercial agility, innovation with rigour, and student-centred education with scale. We are proud to support learners from all backgrounds and are deeply committed to the value of higher education as a transformative force in people’s lives.

Overview of the Role:

This is a rare opportunity to shape the academic direction of a forward-thinking and ambitious institution at a pivotal moment in its development. As Chief Academic Officer, you will lead QA HE’s academic strategy, ensuring that our programmes, partnerships, quality frameworks and academic community are aligned with the highest standards of excellence, compliance and integrity.

Reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a key member of the Executive team, you will provide strategic oversight of teaching and learning, quality assurance, academic governance and student outcomes. You will lead the academic community across multiple locations and delivery models, embedding a shared vision for innovation and accountability, supporting curriculum development, and ensuring we continue to meet the evolving needs of students and partners.

This role will appeal to an academic leader who combines strategic vision with operational insight. You may currently be a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Provost, Pro-Vice-Chancellor or Executive Dean. Therefore, whilst seniority is key, what will set you apart is your ability to navigate complexity, to lead with credibility and clarity, and to thrive in a setting where scale, quality and innovation must go hand in hand. You will bring a deep understanding of the UK regulatory landscape, a commitment to inclusion and widening participation, and a passion for delivering high-quality education that changes lives.

Practical Considerations:

• Location: Our headquarters are in London, which would be a strong base for a candidate. However, we can offer flexibility to be based at our Birmingham or Manchester campuses. If you choose the latter options, you should expect weekly or fortnightly travel to London, particularly in the early stages.
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid working, with a mix of remote and on-site working. You should expect to be on-site two to three days per week, depending on business needs and your base location. We expect, if we looked back over your 1st year in post, your on-site presence would average out to 2 days per week.
• Salary: Competitive, ranging from £150,000 to £200,000 depending on experience, with flexibility for discussion. Annual bonuses (up to 20%) and long-term incentives are also available to negotiate for the right candidate.
• Benefits: 27 days of holiday (rising to 30 with continuous service), private healthcare (with family membership available at additional cost), life assurance, and a pension scheme (5% employee and 4% employer contributions, with salary sacrifice available).

Essential Criteria:

To succeed as our Chief Academic Officer at QA Higher Education, you will bring:

• Extensive experience in senior academic leadership roles within UK higher education. This may include current or recent experience as an Executive Dean, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor or in a comparable position with institution-wide strategic responsibility, ideally within large, complex or multi-campus settings.
• A strong understanding of how to align academic vision with institutional sustainability. You will demonstrate financial literacy, commercial awareness, and the ability to contribute effectively to organisational planning, investor engagement and long-term growth.
• A doctoral qualification (PhD or EdD) is likely expected. In exceptional cases, a relevant postgraduate qualification may be considered where supported by substantial academic leadership experience. A recognised teaching qualification (such as a PGCert) and professional affiliations (such as Advance HE Fellowship) are highly desirable.
• In-depth knowledge of the UK’s academic governance, quality assurance and regulatory landscape. You will be comfortable operating within frameworks set by bodies such as the OfS and QAA, and capable of representing the academic voice at senior institutional and investor levels.
• A clear and values-led commitment to inclusive education, student success, and widening participation. You will understand the particular needs of diverse, non-traditional and career-focused learners, and be driven to improve outcomes in teaching, learning, graduate employability and social mobility.
• A proven ability to lead and inspire academic and professional services teams across disciplines, delivery models and geographies. You will be collaborative, visible and trusted, with a track record of leading curriculum innovation, pedagogic improvement and academic operations at scale.

Desirable Criteria:

The following experience would further strengthen your candidacy:

• Experience of working collaboratively across different parts of the higher education sector. For example, if your career has been largely within public institutions, it would be advantageous to have engaged with private or alternative providers through validation, franchising or partnership arrangements.
• An understanding of investor-backed organisational models, and experience engaging with governance or executive structures shaped by private equity or investment stakeholders.
• Exposure to international higher education systems or regulatory frameworks outside the UK, especially where relevant to QA HE’s global partnerships, potential international campuses or transnational education activities.
• Experience working in institutions undergoing transformation, restructuring or rapid growth. A background that includes navigating change, driving innovation and delivering improvement under pressure would be particularly valuable.

How to apply:

Please click on the following link to be taken to the microsite and application portal: https://andersonquigley.com/qa-higher-education-chief-academic-officer/

Should you wish to discuss the role further or for details on how to progress your application, please direct all enquiries to our advising consultants:

• Alicja Janowska: alicja.janowska@andersonquigley.com
• Akhil Yerneni: akhil.yerneni@andersonquigley.com

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to QA Higher Education. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisements. The closing date for applications at present is 12pm on Friday 25th July, although shortlisting and initial conversations may take place on an ongoing basis. Whilst all applications before the closing date will be given a fair opportunity, we do encourage early expressions of interest.