Jann Marshall’s career spans secondary teaching, national assessment, and senior leadership across New Zealand’s education system. She began her career as a secondary school teacher, where she was actively involved in national assessment and moderation, gaining practical insight into how qualification standards are applied in practice.
Jann then joined NZQA for the first time, taking on roles that strengthened assessment quality, consistency, and the national qualifications system. During this period, she was also involved in the design and implementation of NCEA, giving her deep insight into qualification framework design, system‑level assessment practice, and the implications of major national reform for schools and educators.
She later moved to the Ministry of Education, where she held senior leadership roles focused on supporting schools, improving teaching and learning outcomes, and delivering national education priorities. Her work centred on connecting policy design with implementation and enabling the schooling system to respond effectively to change.
Jann subsequently returned to NZQA as Deputy Chief Executive, Assessment, where she is responsible for New Zealand’s national secondary qualifications, their ongoing implementation, and the implementation of future qualifications. She also oversees NZQA’s secondary regulatory functions, which support provider quality, maintain system integrity, and uphold the credibility of New Zealand’s qualifications at a national level.
Across her career, Jann has remained committed to enabling meaningful, high‑quality pathways that support every young person in Aotearoa New Zealand to thrive beyond school.