Chief Quality Audit Officer

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) is a statutory corporation responsible for the regulation of higher education in the Country. NCHE was established by the NCHE Act, No. 15 of 2011, with, among others, the following mandates:

1. To promote and coordinate higher education institutions;
2. To register and de-register higher education institutions;
3. To harmonize selection of students to all public universities;
4. To regulate, determine and maintain standards of teaching, examinations, academic qualifications and academic facilities;
5. To develop a national qualification framework which is compatible with regional and international standards;
6. To determine minimum criteria and procedures for registration and de-registration of higher education institutions;
7. To accredit both public and private higher education institutions;
8. To design and recommend to the Minister institutional quality assurance standards for the establishment, standardization and accreditation of higher education institutions including standards of teaching and learning; infrastructure, physical plant and equipment; the development of curricula; libraries and learning resource centres; safety of teaching and learning facilities, and student transfer between programmes and higher education institutions.

The Council is therefore inviting applications from suitably qualified and experienced Malawian professionals to be considered for the following vacant position:

Chief Quality Audit Officer
Grade: NC 4
Department/Division: Standards and Quality Audit
Reports to: Deputy Director (Quality Audit)
Responsible for: Principal Quality Audit Officer

PURPOSE, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Job summary: To audit higher education institutions and assure compliance and continuous improvement towards quality and relevance.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

1. Coordinating the preparation of quality audit tools and schedules for monitoring compliance to higher education institutions education policies and standards
2. Identifying data needs and overseeing data collection, analysis, and dissemination with respect to the status of Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) mechanisms in higher education institutions;
3. Initiating the assessment for authorisation of collaboration between foreign universities and local institutions;
4. Conducting compliance visits and spot checks to non-registered, registered and accredited higher education institutions;
5. Leading in the production of, and reviewing quality audit reports;
6. Conducting regular inspection, monitoring and evaluation of all higher education institutions;
7. Attending and participating in regional and international forums on Quality Audit;
8. Attending and participating in regional and international forums on Quality Audit;
9. Initiating the process of ranking of Higher education institutions;
10. Facilitating training and engagement of highly qualified and experienced Peer Reviewers, Experts, Resource Persons and Strategic Partners/Stakeholders in quality audit of higher education institutions;
11. Carrying regular inspection, monitoring and evaluation of all HEls for compliance with set standards;
12. Facilitating collaborations between foreign and local higher education institutions

Minimum Academic and Professional Qualifications/Work Experience

• Master’s Degree, and a relevant Bachelor’s Degree; Plus
• Five (5) years’ experience in higher education or serving Principal Standards Officer with over four (4) years’ experience at that level.

Competencies and other Attributes

• Communication and factual report writing skills
• Understanding of national goals, policies and development objectives
• Ability to work individually
• Strategic planning
• Ability to positively influence staff
• Information Technology skills
• Ability to work under minimal supervision
• Clear understanding of higher education legislation.

The application dossier (application letters, Curriculum Vitae with copies of certificates) must be forwarded to the address below before midnight on 12th September, 2025:

The Chief Executive Officer
National Council for Higher Education
Private Bag B317
Capital City
Lilongwe 3

NCHE House, Area 47 Sector 2 next to Chitukuko Petroda Filling Station.

Email: hr@nche.ac.mw

Only shortlisted applicants shall be acknowledged.

‘NCHE is an equal opportunity employer’