Academic Manager

SUMMARY:
The Academic Manager holds strategic responsibility for the design, execution, and quality control of all academic programmes within Signa Academy. The role ensures delivery excellence, regulatory compliance, and continual development of educational products. It requires leadership in content development, learnership and skills programme execution, and quality assurance across multiple SETAs and the QCTO. The Academic Manager safeguards the academic integrity of the institution while ensuring relevance and responsiveness to industry needs.

POSITION INFO:
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in education, Human Resource Development, or equivalent at NQF Level 7.
• Postgraduate qualification in Education or Quality Assurance is advantageous.
• Proficiency in LMS platforms, QMS systems, and SETA portals. Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite and Knowledge of e-learning platforms.
• ETDP SETA-registered Assessor and/or Moderator is preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years in managing accredited learnerships or skills programmes.
• Curriculum Design and Compliance
• Quality Assurance Compliance
• Learnership Planning & Implementation
• Stakeholder engagement
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Assessment and Moderation Oversight
• Audit and Verification readiness
• Learner Support and Retention

• Strong working knowledge of QCTO, SETA, SAQA, DHET regulatory frameworks and compliance practices.
• Deep understanding of South African skills development legislation (SDA, Skills Levies Act, etc.).
• Strong ability in programme design, academic project management, and accreditation processes.
• Exceptional organisational and planning skills, with attention to detail and follow-through.
• High-level verbal and written communication, reporting, and interpersonal abilities.
• Demonstrated leadership and people development skills.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement with regulatory authorities, employers, and training partners.
• Good report writing skills
• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Driver’s license and own transport will be advantageous.

• Lead the conceptualization, development, and refinement of accredited and non-accredited learning products.
• Manage end-to-end course design including curriculum mapping, learning outcomes, and instructional design aligned to NQF standards.
• Ensure the development of learning content, assessments, and materials meets the QCTO and SETA requirements.
• Continuously enhance and fine-tune course content to maintain industry relevance and pedagogical integrity.
• Manage the buying of content and the content suppliers.
• Manage the high-level content management and writing for educational purposes.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts and industry consultants to ensure products reflect evolving sector demands.
• Develop short courses as standalone educational offerings, ensuring agile deployment and rapid alignment with workplace skills needs.
• Oversee version control, instructional quality, and updates of all academic content and resources.
• Ensure alignment of content to internal quality assurance frameworks and accreditation standards.

• Oversee the planning, enrolment, induction, and academic delivery of learnerships and skills programmes nationally.
• Manage project roll-out timelines, ensuring optimal learner throughput and completion within project periods.
• Provide academic leadership to regional and site-based coordinators to standardise programme implementation.

• Ensure full institutional compliance with QCTO, SETA, SAQA, and DHET frameworks.
• Implement and maintain a robust internal QMS and SOPs for academic operations and accreditation.
• Assist in the management of compliance audits, external site visits, and verification readiness with regulatory bodies.

• Work alongside training management in the recruitment, contract, and performance management of facilitators, assessors, and moderators.
• Ensure alignment of facilitation schedules with unit standards and programme outcome.

• Implement staggered programme scheduling and resource planning frameworks.
• Establish a compliance alert system for regulatory updates and deadline tracking.
• Introduce a quarterly content review cycle, involving SMEs and industry input.
• Develop an internal academic staff bench to reduce overreliance on contractors.