Academic Affairs Manager

Location Any ATU Campus

Essential Qualifications and Skills

Minimum

• Honours Primary Degree or equivalent professional qualification.

• Five years relevant experience in higher education, public sector governance, quality assurance, regulatory affairs or academic administration in the public and/or private sector.

Desirable Qualifications and Skills

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification.

• Experience in higher education administration.

• Experience with large-scale information systems and data reporting.

• Experience with the use and administration of Student Record Systems (SRS) and/or Customer Relationship Management systems.

• Demonstrable experience in systems thinking and process improvement.

• Demonstrable stakeholder engagement and collaborative working practices.

• Experience working within regulatory and quality assurance frameworks.

• Budget and resource management experience.

• Experience of academic quality assurance and regulatory compliance in a higher education environment.

• High level of ICT and information management skills.

• Commitment to fairness, inclusivity, transparency and good governance.

Overview of the Role

The Office of the Registrar and Chief Academic Officer (R&CAO) has institutional responsibility for academic governance, policy, quality assurance and enhancement, academic planning and regulatory compliance across Atlantic Technological University.

The Office of the Director of Academic Affairs and Quality (DAAQ) supports the coordination and implementation of these functions across the University.

Reporting to the Director of Academic Affairs and Quality, the Academic Affairs Manager holds responsibility for the management, coordination and continuous improvement of core academic administration functions.

In respect of the Flexible Programme Provision management portfolio, the postholder will work closely with, and have a dual reporting relationship to, the Vice President EDI, Online and Flexible Learning, who has leadership responsibility with respect to development of online and part-time learning.

The role operates with a university-wide remit within a multi-campus structure and supports the implementation of academic regulations, policies and procedures as approved by Academic Council.

The postholder plays a key leadership role in ensuring effective, scalable and student-centred service delivery across the full student lifecycle.

Atlantic Technological University has a strong and distinctive profile in flexible, online and part-time provision, with one of the largest online learner cohorts in the Irish higher education sector.

This provision spans undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and plays a key role in widening participation, supporting lifelong learning and enabling access for diverse learner groups.

As the University continues to scale and integrate this provision, there is an increasing focus on the alignment, standardisation and enhancement of processes, systems and learner supports across all modes of delivery.

The Academic Affairs Manager (Online and Part-time Provision) has responsibility for the advancement of flexible, online and part-time provision across the University, including the alignment and standardisation of processes.

Accordingly, the postholder will manage the operationalisation of flexible programme provision and will work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to align processes, systems and learner journeys across all modes of delivery.

This includes leading the alignment and standardisation of admissions and learner administration processes for flexible and online provision, ensuring consistency, transparency and accessibility for diverse learner cohorts.

Duties and Areas of Responsibility (as assigned)

The duties set out below describe the scope of responsibilities within the Academic Affairs function.

The postholder may be assigned responsibility for specific areas within this scope, and responsibilities may be varied over time in accordance with institutional need.

• Lead the alignment and standardisation of end-to-end processes for flexible, online and part-time provision, including admissions and learner administration.

• Drive the integration and optimisation of admissions, administration systems and data to support flexible and online provision at scale.

• Work collaboratively with IT, Faculties and central functions to enhance system functionality, data integrity and user experience.

• Support academic planning for flexible and online provision, including demand analysis, capacity planning and resource alignment.

• Promote continuous improvement and innovation in the delivery and administration of flexible learning provision.

• Support the implementation of academic regulations, policies and procedures as approved by Academic Council.

• Provide data analysis, reporting and insights to support institutional decision-making and statutory reporting requirements.

• Lead and contribute to process improvement, standardisation and operational efficiency across academic administration functions.

• Work collaboratively with Faculties, Schools and central services to support effective academic operations.

• Represent the Academic Affairs function on internal and external committees and engage with relevant stakeholders and agencies.

• Contribute to institutional planning and strategic initiatives aligned to the University’s Strategic Plan.

• Liaise with external agencies and stakeholders as required.

• Represent the Academic Affairs function on internal and external committees and working groups.

• Undertake such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Salary

Senior Management Grade Salary Scale: €90,005 - €115,759

Candidates external to the sector may be appointed up to the 3rd Point (€96,318) of the Salary Scale in accordance with University Policy.