Head of Quality and Standards

ACM is a specialist creative industries education provider with approximately 2,200 students on a range of FE and HE programmes in Music Performance, Creative Artistry, Production, Technical Services, Business Management and Game Development. Our creative and dynamic environment blends academic excellence and professionalism alongside leading-edge industry thinking and business innovation.

**ACM’s Vision**:
ACM will incubate potential and talent, supporting the personalised development needs of our students to facilitate a structured path from education to employment.

We provide a safe and supported space where creative talent and imagination can flourish in a caring environment. Barriers to learning are identified through a holistic and person-centred approach to unlock the potential of the individual, enabling personal growth through professional and academic development. Our core aim is for our students to enjoy lifelong sustainable careers underpinned by applied learning and a specialist, cutting-edge curriculum.

Therefore, our vision is to not only be the leader in applied, industry-connected, creative arts education but to also be the leader in care and support for mental health and other traditional barriers to learning, thereby driving up the standards expected within higher and further education.

**ACM’s Mission**:
To provide an immersive student experience, with a curriculum which is connected to the industry in real-time, based on a learning by doing ethos. Our core aim is to build confidence and self-awareness, providing students with the skills necessary to recognise and take opportunities.

Ultimately our mission is to enable students to fulfil their potential and enjoy a sustainable career within the creative arts industry.

**ROLE PURPOSE**:
The purpose of this role is to lead and manage designated staff and activities specifically relating to academic standards and quality and to provide guidance and direction to senior managers across ACM and to the academic community, to ensure that ACM’s reputation is protected and that ACM is compliant with quality assurance and regulatory frameworks.

**MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- The activities of the Head of Quality and Standards influence and play a leading role in the way in which the ACM is perceived locally, nationally and internationally in terms of reputation, academic standards and the quality of the student experience.
- Fulfilment of the role requires contact with senior staff across ACM including, influencing, negotiation and brokering, provision of advice and guidance and, when necessary, giving direction. It also involves direct line management of the Academic Standards and Quality team, including the prioritisation of work, objective setting, performance monitoring and staff development.
- To work with senior ACM managers and Pathway Leaders to ensure that there are appropriate academic structures and policies in place that enable ACM to implement its academic strategy, its obligations to its students and which ensure that ACM’s reputation is protected and is compliant with external academic quality assurance, regulatory and legal frameworks.
- To lead and manage the Academic Standards and Quality team, to ensure that core elements of quality assurance are delivered effectively and that the team is suitably equipped and experienced to give professional advice.
- To promote a culture of proactivity, innovation, transparency, collaboration, flexibility in the areas of quality and standards management and to encourage the effective deployment of resources which are distributed across different parts of the ACM.
- To play a leading role in shaping and reviewing the effectiveness of the quality management framework and the academic regulatory framework in order to promote academic standards of ACM awards (once DAPs are obtained) and the quality of the student experience across all of ACM’s provision.
- To ensure that policies and procedures are effective and promote quality assurance, excellence, enhancement.
- To ensure that there are effective and integrated quality management processes and procedures in place across ACM and that these are followed by all academic departments.
- To play a lead role in the initiation, development and implementation of major institutional projects and reviews ensuring that all quality assurance regulations are adhered to.
- To play a lead role for ACM in maintaining and developing relationships with the OfS, QAA and other bodies.
- To monitor changes to the national regulatory framework for QA, and more general developments in the HE sector, advise senior staff and propose action to be taken by ACM in response.
- To provide advice and guidance to senior managers in order to protect quality and standards and ACM’s reputation.
- The Head of Quality and Standards is an active member of a number of committees of the Senate with responsibility for oversight of academic standards and educational qua