Head - Institutional Strategy, Performance & Rankings

Position Title:   Head - Institutional Strategy, Performance & Rankings

Reports To:   Pro Vice Chancellor - Governance, Strategy & Transformation

Location:   IBSUniversity, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Employment Type: Full-time

1. Position Purpose:

To establish and lead IBS University's institutional strategy, performance and ranking's function, ensuring that the University's World-Class Transformation Road Map, Strategic Plan, QS Stars pathway, future QS World University Rankings readiness and longer-term external benchmarking are translated into measurable institutional actions, reliable data, auditable evidence and sustained performance improvement.

2. Key Responsibilities:

- Lead the establishment and operationalisation of the Office of Institutional Strategy, Performance & Rankings and define its annual work programme, governance arrangements and reporting calendar.

- Translate the Institutional Transformation Road Maps and the Strategic Plan into measurable institutional KPIs, annual targets, accountable owners, timelines, budgets and evidence requirements.

- Act as the central coordinating lead for QS Stars readiness, future QS World University Rankings and Subject Rankings readiness, and other agreed international benchmarking/ranking exercises.

- Serve as technical lead/secretariat for the QS & Institutional Performance Steering Committee and coordinate actions across Academic Affairs, Research & Postgraduate Studies, Operations, Finance, HR, Registrar, Library, ICT, Student Services, Career Development, Marketing and other units.

- Develop and maintain the institutional performance architecture: KPI definitions, data dictionary, data ownership, validation rules, reporting templates, institutional Fact Book and executive dashboards.

- Establish and maintain a central rankings/evidence repository or DMS structure so that submissions and institutional claims are supported by controlled, current and auditable evidence.

- Coordinate quarterly institutional performance reviews and prepare concise management reports identifying progress, gaps, risks, overdue actions and corrective measures.

- Conduct annual institutional benchmarking against appropriate peer and comparator universities and recommend practical improvement priorities.

- Coordinate annual QS readiness reviews/mock audits, formal QS Stars preparation, data validation, evidence checks and follow-up actions arising from QS analyst guidance and audit findings.

- Monitor performance across the QS-related indicators and categories, including teaching, employability, research, global engagement, governance, facilities/online learning, impact, reputation, faculty-student ratio, internationalisation and sustainability, while ensuring operational ownership remains with the responsible units.

- Coordinate accurate and timely institutional data submissions to ranking/rating bodies and ensure consistency between submitted data, published institutional information and source systems.

- Maintain an annual rankings and benchmarking calendar, track methodology changes, assess their implications for IBSUniversity and brief senior management on required responses.

- Support preparation of the Annual University Report, institutional performance reports, management/council briefs and external evidence packs related to rankings and institutional effectiveness.

- Promote a culture of evidence-based management, accountability, data quality and continuous improvement across the University.

- Undertake any other institutional strategy, performance or benchmarking duties assigned by the Vice Chancellor or Pro Vice Chancellor - Governance, Strategy & Transformation.

3. Selection Criteria:

- Postgraduate qualification (Master's degree or higher) in higher education management, strategic management, business/management, quality assurance, institutional research, data/analytics, public administration or a related field.

- Substantial professional experience in university strategy, institutional planning, quality assurance, performance management, accreditation, rankings/benchmarking, institutional research or a closely related function.

- Demonstrated ability to manage complex institutional data, KPIs, dashboards, evidence systems and executive reporting.

- Working knowledge of major university ranking/rating frameworks, particularly QS Stars and QS World University Rankings; knowledge of THE and other systems is desirable.

- Strong project/programme management skills with evidence of delivering cross-functional institutional initiatives.

- High-level analytical, written communication, presentation and stakeholder-management capability.

- Strong integrity, attention to detail, evidence discipline and ability to challenge unsupported institutional claims constructively.

- Experience in higher education in Papua New Guinea, the Pacific or a comparable developing higher-education context is desirable.

- Doctoral qualification and/or direct experience with international ranking submissions or institutional research is desirable but not essential.

4. Core Competencies:

- Strategic leadership and execution discipline

- Institutional research and analytical thinking

- Data governance and evidence management

- Programme/project management

- Cross-functional coordination and influence

- Quality assurance and continuous improvement

- Clear executive communication

- Integrity, confidentiality and accountability