Assistant Registrar (Quality and Regulatory Compliance)

Context

ArtsEd originated from two schools, one founded in 1919 by Grace Cone and one founded in 1922 by Olive Ripman.  Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin drew almost exclusively on ArtsEd students to help them create their revolutionary company London Festival Ballet, which eventually became the English National Ballet. Ballerina Dame Beryl Grey became Director of the Schools in the 1960s.

In 2007, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber became President, following in the footsteps of Dame Alicia Markova and heralding an auspicious new era for ArtsEd. The School of Musical Theatre and School of Acting offer full-time BA and MA courses. ArtsEd’s Musical Theatre course is recognised as the best in the UK, while the Acting course is praised for its innovative 50:50 split between stage and screen acting.

ArtsEd is a specialist Institution that was awarded TEF Gold in June 2019. This excellent rating was echoed by ArtsEd students who, for the third year running, ranked ArtsEd in the top-five drama schools for overall student satisfaction.

Purpose of the role

The Assistant Registrar (Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance) will be core to the operation of quality assurance functions across ArtsEd’s Higher Education provision. They will support the Deputy Principal through the development of effective regulations, policies and processes as well as the management of academic governance arrangements and quality enhancement projects. The post holder will act as a source of advice for all staff on academic quality, enhancement and regulatory compliance matters and be a specialist authority on sector good practice in these areas.

Under the leadership of the Deputy Principal, the post-holder will be required to work in close collaboration with colleagues in the Schools of Acting and Musical Theatre and in other professional services departments. They will have line-management responsibility for the Quality and Course Officer post. They will serve as a member of the HE Administration Management Team and institutional committees, sub-groups and working groups as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Deputy Principal in ensuring that ArtsEd meets the conditions of registration with the Office for students and the requirements of other regulatory and professional bodies. This includes the preparation for and management of any audit and review visits from these bodies
• Review, develop, maintain and enhance ArtsEd’s framework of academic policies, procedures and regulations in accordance with sector guidance (e.g. QAA guidance) and sector good practice.
• Monitor output from the QAA, OfS, OIA, UUK and other relevant bodies (e.g. in relation to Subject Benchmark Statements, the Framework for HE qualifications, Quality Code and OfS conditions of registration), and recommend and implement changes to regulations and procedures, where necessary, to ensure compliance with the relevant requirements.
• Work proactively and in partnership with the course management teams, and with colleagues within the Higher Education Administration teams to ensure that interdependent quality assurance systems and processes are seamlessly coordinated within ArtsEd.
• Work with Directors of the School of Acting and Musical Theatre and the Deputy Principal to ensure that the quality assurance framework is implemented within the Schools including the requirements for annual programme evaluation, external examining and validation/revalidation. This will include the provision of high-level reports for the Schools and relevant committees on the outputs of quality assurance processes, identifying any actions required and making recommendations (where appropriate).
• Act as a source of expert advice and guidance to all staff on internal quality assurance procedures, external compliance requirements, sector guidance and good practice.
• Take a leading role in the preparation of institution submissions to the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework.
• Produce regular reports relating to the outcomes of quality assurance mechanisms for senior academic committees and the Board of Trustees.
• Ensure that academic committees operate to institutional standards and to act as secretary to senior academic or Board of Trustees committees as determined by the Deputy Principal.
• Ensure effective communication with the Institution’s validation partners for Higher Education and Professional Performing Arts Diploma provision.
• Develop strategies for the maintenance and enhancement of student information, e.g. student handbooks, regulations and procedures focussing on the impact of these items on the student experience.
• Take a leading role in the development of institutional practices relating to student feedback and engagement.
• Support the with the management of the student disciplinary, complaints and appeals processes.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that published information is regularly maintained across different media and is compliant with consumer protection legislation and OfS requirements.
• Be proactive in identifying and escalating areas of risk to the student experience or institutional reputation.
• Together with colleagues in the HE Administration team and the Deputy Principal to play a key role in the review and development of student induction activities and information across the ArtsEd, coordinating the core institutional induction programme.
• Line manage the Quality and Course Officer including setting objectives, overseeing work, undertaking staff appraisal and supporting staff development.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of Data Protection and Freedom of Information requirements and provide training and support to the team when policies change and/or issues arise.
• Undertake any other duties or tasks as the Deputy Principal may, from time to time, reasonably require. This may include support for graduation activities and the contribution to the broader work of the HE Administration Team

Additional Information

The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the Institution’s Equal Opportunities Policy.

The post holder must accept responsibility for ensuring that the policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety in the workplace are adhered to at all times.

The post holder must respect the confidentiality of data stored electronically and by other means in line with General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR) the Data Protection Act 2018.

The post holder must ensure that all work is carried out in professional and timely manner, with appropriate confidentiality and sensitivity.

The post holder must have a good understanding of and adhere to Safeguarding and welfare requirements as well as how to fully apply the Safeguarding and welfare rules when supporting students.

The post holder must promptly undertake required training necessary for the role as well as any institutional training required.