Institutional Quality Assurance Specialist Job In Nanaimo

The primary function of the Institutional Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS) is to enhance and continually improve upon the quality of Vancouver Island University (VIU) programming through the planning, management, and delivery of program quality services within the Office of Strategic Planning and Initiatives. The QAS is responsible for upholding VIU's obligation to the provincial government's Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training to periodically conduct rigorous, ongoing program and institutional quality assessment. The QAS interprets and adheres to Ministry requirements through the development, maintenance, and enhancement of an internal program review framework, and contributes towards the development and revision of institutional educational quality assurance policy and procedures.

Duties:

• Interprets Ministry requirements through the development, maintenance, and enhancement of an internal program review framework. The Ministry requires institutions to show evidence that a program review and assessment procedure is in place. While the Ministry has established clear criteria and guidelines within a provincial framework for new degree program development, no such provincial framework exists for the periodic evaluation of degree program offerings; each institution must develop their own. Responsible for ensuring the ongoing currency of degree programming at VIU, including the quality of learning outcomes, through the interpretation and application of Ministry criteria to the development of an internal program review framework. This position also contributes to the ongoing monitoring and enhancement of educational quality assurance policy and procedures and are responsible for recommending an evaluation framework for instructional and service departments that support academic programming.

• Manages and facilitates the program review process at VIU. Generates, analyzes, and synthesizes data to support the development of evaluative self-study reports using both institutional and survey data. Counsels Chairs on the development of their self study reports. Makes recommendations to the Associate Vice-President, Academic regarding opportunities for improvement to, and enhancement of the program review process.

• Ensures ongoing compliance with Ministry and institutional requirements pertaining to educational quality assurance. Every seven years, public postsecondary institutions in BC are required to undergo a Quality Assurance Process Audit (QAPA); an external review that ensures institutions are periodically conducting rigorous, ongoing program and institutional quality assessment. Prepares VIU for a successful audit by ensuring program review policies, procedures, and processes, including day-to-day operations, meet or exceed QAPA assessment criteria.

• Evaluates VIUFA's existing faculty self-directed evaluation framework for frequency of use and effectiveness. Researches and develops new evaluation model options for faculty and instructional staff. Through the program review process, the QAS is sometimes privy to information regarding the performance and workload of unionized employees and may participate in discussions relating to workload and/or performance. This position regularly reviews VIU's and other institutions collective agreements to make benchmark comparisons, which informs evaluation work and bargaining.

• Through various working groups, leads or contributes to the development of new institutional policies and procedures regarding academic integrity, course outlines, degree requirements, and micro-credentials. May serves as a voting member, non-voting member or resource on several internal and external committees and/or working groups.

• Annually, develops and submits to the Planning and Priorities Committee (P&P) the rolling five-year schedule of programs up for review, as well as a report that summarizes the past year's program review activities, with recommendations for enhancement.

• Manages all aspects of program review surveys. Provides advice on question design, defining cohort parameters, and selecting fielding windows. Programs surveys into Qualtrics and deploys surveys. Collects and extracts data, analyzes using statistical software such as SPSS and compiles a report for program/department Chairs. When the Senior Research Analyst, Surveys is absent, manages all aspects of institutional surveys including instrument development, programming and testing, deployment/data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree in a relevant area, such as Education, Statistics, or Social Sciences. Three-to-six years' experience in institutional analysis and planning, preferably in an educational setting. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Demonstrated ability to lead program and institutional quality assessments.
• Current knowledge of academic program quality services.
• Flexible, diplomatic, tactful, and able to maintain confidentiality.
• Superior organizational skills and the ability to manage competing demands on your time.
• Naturally inclined to take initiative, and problem-solve to help arrive at the solution.
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrated experience in report writing.
• Demonstrated critical-thinking skills, strong attention to detail, and ability to collect, extract, and analyze data.
• Excellent survey design and administration skills.
• Experience working in a multi-stakeholder environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Considerable knowledge of the post-secondary system in BC and familiarity with the systems in other Canadian jurisdictions.
• Change Management Certification.
• Extensive knowledge of Vancouver Island University, its structures, systems, policies, and values.
• Experience in a post-secondary institution or publicly funded organization of similar size.
• Experience with Qualtrics or similar platform.

VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.

Note:

• Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.
• All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
• Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.