Director - Program Management | HigherEducation

upGrad Private Limited - www.upgrad.comAbout 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 at scale. upGrad 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 – Director - Program Management (Content)Business Unit – HigherEducationWork Location – BangaloreWork Mode – In-OfficeAbout the Role - We are looking for a Director of Program Management to lead how upGrad's Content team builds and launches programs with its university partners. You will own program planning, launch readiness, SME and faculty management, budgets and partner coordination across the Content portfolio of India's largest EdTech platform. You will lead the team of Program Managers and Associate Program Managers and report to the Vice President, Learning Experience.Program Portfolio -You will lead program management for a range of programs, including:Online degrees and doctorates (MBA, MSc, DBA, Doctor of Technology) with Indian and international universitiesExecutive certificate programs with IITs, IIITs, IIMs and other leading institutesLarge-scale AI programs built with industry partners such as Microsoft and OpenAIKey Responsibilities -1. Program Planning and Launch -Own the annual launch calendar and plan team capacity against itTake each new program from signed agreement to first cohort, with a program master, project plan, academic calendar and risk registerTurn university agreements into clear decisions on calendar, faculty, assessment and gradingHold the pre-launch checklist: no program goes live until every gate is cleared2. Portfolio Management -Run one view of every program in build, with owners, dates, budgets and risksSet the weekly and monthly review rhythm with Program Managers, curriculum and production teamsOwn how the program management function works: templates, trackers, standards and the playbook for new partnersBe the escalation point for delays and risks, and take decisions that need senior leadership to them early3. SME and Faculty Management -Own SME sourcing, onboarding and quality for content builds across the portfolioShare SME personas early, so sourcing for live sessions can start without waiting for final agendasSet SME rates and quality standards, and act on SME ratings from learners and the Content team Bring university faculty into the content process, especially partners new to online programs4. University Partnership and Compliance -Hold the Senior Content relationship with each university partner, while your Program Managers run day-to-day contactRun regular review meetings and keep partner stakeholders updatedMake sure every program meets regulatory requirements (UGC, DEB, AICTE) and data protection rules (DPDP Act)Turn partner feedback into clear decisions on what changes and what does not5. Budget and New Program Proposals -Own the content budget across the portfolio, including SME fees and production vendors, and explain any variance before you are askedBring cost and build time down by reusing existing content and the team's in-house AI toolsBuild the content scope, timeline and cost for new program proposals with the curriculum and business teams6. Working with Delivery -Agree a clear split of ownership with the Delivery and Learner Success teams,so every task has one ownerGive Delivery what it needs on time: SME personas, agendas, calendars and learning materialsTrack module ratings and content tickets, and get content issues fixed within the agreed time7. Team Leadership -Lead, hire and develop the team of Program Managers and Associate Program ManagersPlan headcount against the launch calendarBuild bench strength so no program or partner depends on one personRequired Qualifications -Education -Bachelor's degree (Required); a Master's degree or MBA is preferredA project management certification (PMP or PRINCE2) is a plusExperience -12 or more years of experience, with at least 5 years leading program or project management teams, including managers of managersHas launched online degree or executive programs with university partners, from signed agreement to first cohortHas run many programs in parallel, each with its own partner, budget and launch dateHas built or fixed the processes a program team runs on, not only followed them