Academic Performance Senior Manager

Academic Performance Senior Manager

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

 

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

 

Application Deadline: Review begins immediately & continues until position is filled

 

Anticipated Start Date: April 1, 2014

 

Summary

The University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks applicants for the position of Senior Manager for Academic Performance on a USAID-funded Afghanistan University Support and Workforce Development Project (USWDP). The Academic Performance Senior Manager is responsible for facilitating training and technical assistance that enhances the capacity of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and selected universities in Afghanistan to develop and enact policies, procedures, and practices that better support improved academic quality. The Manager is responsible for working with the MoHE in support of the goals of the NHESP, to establish quality assessment and control procedures, and to set up an accreditation mechanism for higher education in Afghanistan.

 

Afghanistan University Support and Workforce Development Program (USWDP) is designed to help Afghanistan’s higher education professionals effectively manage the growth of tertiary education while improving academic quality. Building on the successes of the Afghanistan Higher Education Project and other initiatives, the USWDP project will improve the management capacity of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and up to 10 public universities to ensure quality education and employment for a larger number of Afghan men and women. It will also assist in developing learning environments that foster well qualified and professional faculty members, highly capable and motivated students, diverse and market-oriented academic programs, sustainable public-private collaboration, international university partnerships, and other innovations that move Afghanistan toward the higher education system it deserves.

Afghanistan is a non-dependent post. Anticipated start date for this 2 to 3 year position is on or about April 1, 2014. A full set of benefits is provided including housing in Kabul and regular regional and international leave.

Main Responsibilities

1.     Provide technical assistance to MoHE in order to further strengthen its capacity to implement the National Higher Education Strategic Plan. This includes work on strategic planning, curriculum review, and quality assurance and accreditation.

2.     Facilitate capacity building efforts at the MoHE and at selected universities to train staff to run the quality assurance and accreditation programs, to carry out curriculum reviews and upgrading, and to follow up on strategic planning.

3.     Provide technical assistance and facilitate enhanced capacity development for the Commission on Quality Assurance and Accreditation and the Commission on Curriculum. 

4.     Work with Quality Assurance Commission to prepare the way for the start of voluntary accreditation.

5.     Facilitate the incorporation of gender sensitive policies and procedures into quality assurance policies and procedures.

6.     Work closely with the Academic Deputy Minister of Higher Education, the MoHE Steering Committee, the SHEP Project Coordinator, and UMASS to ensure that project activities are implemented in line with the overall program objectives of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan.

Minimum qualifications and attributes

1.     A Doctoral Degree (or a Master’s degree plus significant experience in lieu of) in education or international development, or related field.

2.     Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible experience in program/project management in area of institutional systems development and capacity building.

3.     International field development experience and knowledge of higher education systems.

4.     Knowledge of higher education quality assurance & accreditation systems in countries comparable to Afghanistan

5.     Knowledge of political situation, social features and language of Afghanistan or similar post-conflict countries is desirable as is knowledge of issues involved in changing higher educational systems. 

6.     Ability & willingness to live and work in a difficult and sometimes dangerous environment.

 

How to Apply
CVs and letters of interest must be submitted to the following email address for consideration. To facilitate review, please include names and contact information for relevant references. The title of the position being applied for must be indicated in the subject line of your e-mail.

hepcie@inbox.com

We thank all individuals for their interest, however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Center for International Education
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
http:/www.umass.edu/cie