NZQA is led by our strategic leadership team, which includes our Chief Executive and 5 Deputy Chief Executives.
Each member of our leadership team heads an office or a division.
On this page
Dr Grant Klinkum
Chief Executive
Grant joined NZQA in early 2014, and has held the roles of Deputy Chief Executive Strategic and Corporate Services and Deputy Chief Executive Quality Assurance.
Before taking the Chief Executive role, Grant was seconded to the Ministry of Education as Acting Deputy Secretary for Graduate Achievement, Vocations and Careers.
While working at the Tertiary Education Commission between 2007 and 2014, Grant was responsible at different times for stakeholder engagement, the Chief Executive’s office and the Tertiary Investment function.
He has also worked as Deputy Chief Executive for an Institute of Technology, and Dean of Faculty at two tertiary education organisations.
Grant has a PhD in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Massey University and a Master of Arts from the University of Canterbury.
Grant leads the Office of the Chief Executive and oversees all offices and divisions.
Alex Bidois
Deputy Chief Executive
Alex joined NZQA in February 2007 as the Internal Audit Manager. He later became the Strategy, Planning, and Performance Manager before taking his role as Deputy Chief Executive Māori in April 2019.
Alex is of Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi and Te Arawa descent. His experience in the public sector is in education, having spent 16 years in business and financial roles with the Ministry of Education. Alex holds a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Waikato.
He is passionate about advancing Māori development through lifelong learning.
Alex leads the Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Māori.
Utufa’asisili Rosemary Mose
Deputy Chief Executive
Utufa’asisili is an experienced educator and leader. She led the development and implementation of Pasifika strategic plans at the Ministry of Education and Manukau Institute of Technology before joining NZQA as Chief Advisor Pasifika.
In 2023, Utufa'asisili became NZQA's first Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika. Of Samoan descent, she brings an important Pasifika voice to the Strategic Management Team.
She has extensive education and Pasifika community networks, including strong connections with regional and national Pasifika groups. In 2020, Utufa'asisili was recognised by the Government Women’s Network as one of nine Wāhine Whetū, rising women stars in the public sector.
Utufa'asisili holds a Master of Professional Studies in Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland.
Utufa'asisili leads the Office of the Deputy Chief Executive Pasifika.
Eve McMahon
Deputy Chief Executive
Eve joined NZQA in 2007 to implement a new quality assurance framework and lead improvements to the qualifications system and framework.
She became Manager Quality Assurance Strategy in 2016, and took her current role as Deputy Chief Executive Quality Assurance in 2020.
Eve has held a range of positions primarily across the health and education sectors.
She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Canterbury and a Master's degree in Education from the University of New South Wales.
Eve leads the Quality Assurance division.
Jann Marshall
Deputy Chief Executive
Jann joined NZQA in December 2022. Her previous role was as the Ministry of Education’s Associate Deputy Secretary - Network and School Delivery.
In this role she was responsible for the teams providing support to the Ministry’s regional staff, and leading a national team responsible for delivering large complex work programmes.
Before that, Jann was the inaugural Director of Education for Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū, leading the Ministry’s regional teams supporting early learning services, schools and kura across the rohe.
Starting her career as a secondary teacher, Jann has previously worked for NZQA in various roles, including as Manager of the Schools’ Liaison team responsible for the School Relationship Managers.
Jann holds a Master of Public Administration from Victoria University, a graduate Diploma of Teaching from Christchurch College of Education and a Diploma of Home Science from the University of Otago.
Jann leads the Assessment division.
Tim Bowron
Deputy Chief Executive
Tim joined NZQA in December 2019. He has worked across both the public and private sectors, including roles at the Civil Aviation Authority, Treasury and in the justice sector where he was part of the inaugural leadership team of the Legal Services Agency.
He is a qualified accountant, a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, and holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University.
Tim leads the Strategic and Corporate Services division.
Our structure
Learn more about NZQA's different offices and divisions, and the functions they perform
Divisions and offices