Associate Director – Academic Operations

upGrad Private Limited
- About Us –
upGrad is an online education platform building the careers of tomorrow by offering the most industry-relevant programs in an immersive learning experience. Our mission is to create a new digital-first learning experience to deliver tangible career impact to individuals rad currently offers programs in Data Science, Machine Learning, Product Management, Digital Marketing, and Entrepreneurship, etc. upGrad is looking for people passionate about management and education to help design learning programs for working professionals to stay sharp and stay relevant and help build the careers of tomorrow.

Designation –  Associate Director – Academic Operations (Higher Education India)
Work Location –  Pune
Work Mode –  In-Office

About the Role
- We are seeking an experienced and execution-oriented  Associate Director of Academic Operations  to lead the academic delivery engine for upGrad’s University Partnerships. You will manage cross-functional teams, liaise with university officials, and build scalable operational processes to support our Online Degree Programs strictly adhering to university guidelines.

Key Result Areas (KRAs) & Responsibilities
- 1. End-to-End Online Delivery
Live Session Management:
Take absolute ownership of the overall online academic delivery, ensuring high-quality Live Online Sessions conducted by University Faculty and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
Calendar Adherence:
Ensure 100% compliance with the Academic Calendars of respective universities, mapping out and executing live sessions within stipulated timelines without disruptions.
2. Examination & Assessment Operations
Proctored Assessments:
Lead the end-to-end administration of the Online Remote Proctored Assessment process, maintaining the highest standards of exam integrity.
Comprehensive Evaluation Cycle:
Oversee the flawless execution of Internal Assessments, Projects, Labs, Vivas, and Final Online Exams.
Zero-Escalation Environment:
Proactively identify bottlenecks and implement processes to ensure all assessment deadlines are met smoothly, maintaining a zero-escalation record from the student community.
3. Strategic Stakeholder & University Management
Cross-Functional Orchestration:
Serve as the central bridge between internal upGrad teams (Tech, Product, Academic Content, Student Support, Admissions Processing, and Alliance Management) to ensure student services and deliverables remain unhampered.
University Liaison for Academic Operations:
Cultivate and maintain strong operational relationships with respective senior university officials, specifically the University Controller of Examinations (COE) and the Director of CDOE (Centre for Distance and Online Education).
Process Alignment:
Actively seek guidance and align upGrad's operational processes with university inputs for smoother academic operations, result declarations, and official student communications.
4. Team Leadership & Financial Operations
Team Management:
Mentor, lead, and scale a high-performing operations team dedicated to managing day-to-day live session logistics and online examination processing.
SME Payouts:
Ensure the timely, accurate processing of honorariums and payouts for all Faculty/SMEs conducting online live sessions, strictly adhering to the specific financial understandings and contracts with each university.
5. Data Management & Analytics
Data-Driven Operations:
Act as the ultimate custodian of academic operations data.
Reporting & Insights:
Drive rigorous data processing and management to generate accurate MIS reports, performance analytics, and operational dashboards for senior management and university partners.

Education & Qualifications
- Master’s Degree

Required:

An MBA, Master’s in Education Management, or a related postgraduate degree from a reputed institution.
Additional Certifications (Preferred):
Certifications in Operations Management, EdTech Leadership, or Project Management (PMP, Lean Six Sigma) are a strong plus.

Experience Required
- Overall

Experience:

Minimum of 12 to 14 years of overall professional experience in operations, service delivery, or academic administration.
Relevant EdTech

Experience:

At least 5…