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Our divisions and offices

Learn more about NZQA's different divisions and offices, and the functions they perform

NZQA is made up of 6 different divisions and offices:

  • Assessment division
  • Quality Assurance division
  • Strategic and Corporate Services division
  • Office of the Chief Executive
  • Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori
  • Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika.

On this page

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori is responsible for leading and managing Te Kōkiritanga, our strategic action plan for Māori learner success. 

It’s also responsible for:  

  • strengthening NZQA’s relationship with Māori stakeholders 
  • providing strategic direction to help us meet our commitment to improve Māori learner success 
  • managing important projects that improve educational outcomes for Māori 
  • building our staff’s cultural competency and knowledge of te ao Māori.  

An example of this office's projects is NCEA me te Whānau, free workshops that teach families and community groups about NCEA. 

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori is led by Alex Bidois.  

The Assessment division

The Assessment division is responsible for making sure internal and external assessment (exams) and moderation is reliable and consistent across New Zealand's secondary schools. 

It’s also responsible for: 

  • running the NCEA exam cycle and updating learners’ Records of Achievement 
  • maintaining, managing and drawing insights from data  
  • working with schools and providing personalised support and assistance 
  • developing, maintaining and reviewing some unit standards and qualifications. 

Examples of this division’s work include helping pilot schools assess new NCEA standards and managing the release of NCEA results. 

The Assessment division is led by Jann Marshall. 

Meet our strategic leadership team

Get to know the people who lead NZQA's offices and divisions.

Our leadership team

The Strategic and Corporate Services division

The Strategic and Corporate Services division is responsible for supporting NZQA's strategy and corporate functions.

It’s also responsible for:  

  • overseeing strategy, planning and performance, including insights, regulatory practice, organisational performance and risk
  • improving the customer experience for people who interact with NZQA across all our services
  • providing support to customers through our contact centre, website and complaints process
  • leading NZQA's data science capabilities, information and records management and privacy functions
  • supporting our staff and leaders by providing people and capability services
  • managing and improving our technology and information systems through information services
  • running our programme management office
  • providing NZQA managers, senior leadership team and NZQA Board with internal assurance and legal services.

Examples of this division's work and projects include payroll, data science analytics, legal services and our chatbot, Awhina.

The Strategic and Corporate Services division is led by Tim Bowron. 

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika is responsible for leading and managing the Takiala Pasifika, our strategic action plan for Pacific learner success. 

It’s also responsible for:  

  • strengthening NZQA’s relationship with Pacific stakeholders 
  • providing strategic direction to help us meet our commitment to improve Pacific learner success
  • managing important projects that improve educational outcomes for Pacific students, both here in Aotearoa and in Pacific realm countries
  • building our staff’s understanding of Pacific worldviews, lived experiences and perspectives.

Examples of this office's projects are NCEA ma le Pasifika workshops that teach families and community groups about NCEA, and the PACER Plus treaty. 

The Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika is led by Utufa’asisili Rosemary Mose.

More about our work

Learn about our strategic goals, including our action plans for Māori and Pacific learner success.

Strategic documents

The Quality Assurance division

The Quality Assurance division is responsible for the independent quality assurance of tertiary education in New Zealand (excluding universities).

It’s also responsible for:

  • administering the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) and the Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards (DASS)
  • making rules relating to education delivery and quality assurance
  • working with Māori to integrate quality assurance and mātauranga Māori
  • administering the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of international and domestic students
  • helping people who need their overseas qualifications recognised in New Zealand.

Examples of this division’s work include approving qualifications, programmes and micro-credentials, and monitoring the quality of education delivery and assessment.

The Quality Assurance division is led by Eve McMahon.

The Office of the Chief Executive

The Office of the Chief Executive is responsible for:

  • supporting the Chief Executive and our Board
  • communications
  • liaising with ministers.

The Office of the Chief Executive is led by Dr Grant Klinkum.

See the Chief Executive's expenses