Director of Compliance and Quality Assurance

Your Responsibilities

The Role

We invite applications for the position of Director of Quality Assurance and Compliance, a senior
leadership role within Gisma University of Applied Sciences. Reporting directly to the Presidium
and serving as a member of the University's senior management team, the postholder will be
responsible and accountable for leading a risk-based, enhancement and compliance-led
assurance framework across all academic activities.

The Director will provide strategic leadership for the design, implementation, monitoring, and
continuous enhancement of academic quality assurance systems, ensuring full compliance with
national and international regulatory requirements and alignment with the University's strategic
objectives.

This role requires a professional with strong regulatory expertise, strategic acumen, and the ability
to work effectively with both academic and professional services colleagues in a dynamic,
international higher education environment.

Key Activities and Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the
• University's academic quality assurance and enhancement framework in line with national standards and regulatory requirements, ensuring that academic standards and quality are maintained at an appropriate and defensible level.
• Act as the primary institutional lead for external quality assurance and accreditation bodies, managing all preparations, submissions, site visits, reporting, and follow-up actions related to external reviews and audits.
• Provide expert advice to the Presidium, Senate, and other academic governance bodies on academic regulations, quality-related policies, and compliance matters, contributing as appropriate to their development and revision.
• Develop and strengthen collaborative partnerships with academic and institutional partners, ensuring the consistent application of agreed quality assurance processes across joint and validated programmes.
• Assume overall responsibility for the University's academic quality assurance strategy, including policies, procedures, regulations, and the effective management and use of quality-related data and management information.
• Ensure the effective and timely delivery of academic quality assurance activities across the University and establish appropriate structures and processes for the provision of professional support to Faculty and academic leadership.
• Monitor and interpret changes in the national and international regulatory and quality assurance landscape, as well as broader developments in the higher education sector, and advise senior management on implications and required institutional responses.
• Oversee and safeguard the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment practices, promoting a culture of continuous enhancement and academic integrity.
• Ensure University-wide compliance with requirements set by German regulatory and governing bodies, and with applicable legal and statutory obligations.
• Support the Presidium through high-quality analysis, reporting, and briefing materials to inform strategic decision-making.
• Act as a key advisor to academic governance bodies, ensuring robust decision-making processes, regulatory compliance, and effective documentation standards.
• Oversee and ensure effective secretariat support to the Senate, Presidium, and Examination Board, including the coordination of agendas, documentation, and governance processes in line with institutional and regulatory requirements.

Your profile

Required Qualifications

• A Master's degree or higher, preferably in Educational Management, Higher Education
• Policy, Quality Assurance, or a related field, or equivalent senior professional experience.
• Substantial and demonstrable experience in academic quality assurance and enhancement in higher education, within Germany and preferably in an international context.
• Proven experience of managing external regulatory reviews, audits, and accreditation processes, including the preparation of institutional submissions and reports.
• Excellent command of English (C1 level or higher) and strong German proficiency (C1–C2
• preferred).
• A strategic and analytical thinker with strong conceptual skills, high levels of transparency and integrity, and the ability to influence, persuade, and communicate effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.

• Doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in a relevant academic or professional discipline.
• Recognised professional qualification in quality management or compliance (e.g., CQI,
• ISO-related certifications, or equivalent).
• Experience within the German higher education regulatory environment, including
• familiarity with FIBAA, AQAS, or equivalent accreditation bodies.
• Track record of institutional leadership in quality assurance across multiple campuses or in
• a networked higher education context.
• Prior experience within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and knowledge of
• European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) for Quality Assurance.

• Strategic and analytical thinking with strong
• conceptual skills
• Expert knowledge of academic quality
• assurance frameworks and regulatory
• requirements
• Strong data analysis and quality information
• management skills
• Ability to manage complexity, competing
• priorities, and ambiguity
• Excellent written and spoken English (C1+)
• and German (C1–C2 preferred)

• High levels of transparency, integrity, and
• professional judgement
• Commitment to continuous enhancement,
• inclusivity, and institutional excellence
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and
• communication across diverse groups
• Proven ability to lead and manage quality
• audits, reviews, and accreditation processes
• Collaborative leader with experience working
• across academic and professional services

Why us?

• A strategic, senior leadership role with direct impact on the University's quality culture and
• regulatory standing.
• A stimulating, international working environment within a growing and innovative university.
• Opportunities to shape and enhance quality assurance frameworks at both programme and
• institutional level.
• Access to professional development resources, networks, and sector-leading practice.
• Modern, well-equipped campus facilities in central Berlin.
• A collaborative and supportive institutional culture that values integrity, transparency, and
• continuous improvement.

About us

Gisma University of Applied Sciences, first established in 1999 as Gisma Business School, is a leading university of applied sciences for innovative and creative international business, technology, and engineering innovation. Our Global MBA program has been recognized for its excellence through the highly acclaimed AMBA accreditation, reinforcing our reputation in the industry. Recently, we have expanded our programme portfolio into the fields of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence. Our unique teaching approach combines practical experience in these fields with the development of analytical skills and an understanding of contemporary theories through personalized, hands-on, and interactive learning. Gisma is part of Global University Systems (GUS), an international education business, which is represented by over 87,000 students in nearly 60 locations across the globe, providing students with opportunities for global exposure and a unique learning experience.