Head of Accreditation & Quality

Head of Accreditation and Quality
Membership Body / Education & Professional Development / 12-Month Maternity Cover
Location: Oxford / Hybrid
Salary: £67,830
Contract: 12-Month FTC (Maternity Cover)
Hours: Full-time

Our client, a prestigious membership organisation, is now seeking a Head of Accreditation and Quality to join their highly regarded Education and Learning division. This is a vital, senior role overseeing the quality and integrity of accredited education pathways and supporting the professional development of a growing global membership base.

You’ll lead a talented team in maintaining and enhancing accreditation standards across a large network of education partners and alternative qualification routes. Working cross-functionally, you’ll ensure operational excellence, data-informed decision making, and continuous alignment with regulatory and external benchmarks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the operational delivery and strategic development of accreditation and quality assurance activities across university partnerships, professional development schemes, and alternative qualification routes.
• Line manage a dedicated team responsible for data analysis, process assurance, and partner engagement.
• Oversee quality assurance processes across over 40 educational institutions, 50+ independent examiners, and thousands of students annually.
• Monitor and develop processes supporting professional development sign-off, qualification exemptions, and external regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with stakeholders across internal departments and external institutions to ensure seamless delivery of accreditation standards.
• Provide expert input into strategic planning and represent the organisation at high-level meetings, both internally and externally.
• Conduct horizon scanning to stay ahead of best practices in higher education and professional training accreditation.
• Ensure that data collection, analysis, and reporting continuously support organisational goals and quality standards.

Candidate Profile:

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Proven leadership experience in a quality assurance or accreditation role within a membership body or higher education setting.
• Strong people management experience, with a track record of developing and motivating high-performing teams.
• Deep understanding of quality frameworks in professional training or higher education.
• Skilled in interpreting complex data and producing insights to inform strategic decisions.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and reporting skills.
• Demonstrable ability to drive innovation and change in systems, processes, and team practices.
• Confident representing an organisation to external partners, examiners, and education providers.

Personal Attributes:

• Emotionally intelligent leader with an action-oriented mindset.
• Detail-driven and analytical, yet pragmatic and collaborative.
• Proactive, adaptable, and passionate about driving educational standards.
• Committed to continuous improvement and professional development.

Why Apply?

This is a rare opportunity to lead a strategically important function within a well-respected professional body. If you are passionate about education, quality assurance, and the professional growth of others, this role offers the perfect platform to make a meaningful impact.

To apply for the role of Head of Accreditation and Quality please send your CV.

Due to the volume of applications we are only able to contact successful applicants. Therefore if you have not heard from us within 10 working days please deem your application as unsuccessful on this occasion.

membershipbespoke is acting as recruitment business in relation to this role. membershipbespoke positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

membershipbespoke remains the only specialist recruitment organisation in the UK, which offers a dedicated service tailored to the needs of Trade Associations, Unions, Professional and Regulatory Bodies.