Director - Strategy & Institution Building

The initiative focuses on evaluating the quality and effectiveness of education technology solutions, developing research-backed frameworks and standards, and enabling evidence-based decision-making around EdTech adoption.

The Project Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the initiative's strategic direction, strengthening its institutional foundations, expanding its ecosystem influence, and driving its long-term sustainability. This is an institution-building leadership position that requires the ability to work across academia, government, philanthropy, research, and the technology ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic & Institutional Leadership

• Lead the overall strategy, positioning, and execution of the initiative in alignment with its long-term vision.
• Build and strengthen the institution, establishing clear strategic priorities, annual plans, and execution roadmaps.
• Identify opportunities to expand its role and influence in India's EdTech quality ecosystem, including emerging areas such as AI-enabled education.
• Work closely with senior leadership and governance stakeholders to translate the vision into measurable outcomes.

2. Ecosystem Engagement & Adoption

• Drive the adoption of evidence-based EdTech evaluation frameworks across government and public education systems.
• Build relationships with central and state government departments, education agencies, and public institutions.
• Develop strategic partnerships with academic institutions, research organisations, philanthropies, investors, accelerators, and EdTech companies.
• Identify opportunities for pilots, collaborations, and capacity-building initiatives to increase the reach and relevance of the platform.

3. Governance, Research & Quality

• Strengthen governance, review, advisory, and quality-assurance mechanisms.
• Support the development of robust evaluation frameworks and standards informed by academic research and practical application.
• Ensure credibility, independence, transparency, and rigour across research, evaluation, and ecosystem engagement.
• Build institutional capabilities to support future standards-development initiatives.

4. External Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Represent the initiative across government, academia, philanthropy, industry, and development-sector platforms.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with senior stakeholders and institutional partners.
• Lead the initiative's external positioning, communication, and knowledge-sharing efforts.
• Balance the expectations of multiple stakeholders while safeguarding the initiative's public-interest mandate.

5. Organisational & Financial Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing interdisciplinary team.
• Oversee the portfolio across research, evaluations, partnerships, pilots, and ecosystem engagement.
• Establish effective operating systems, workflows, and performance-management processes.
• Drive financial stewardship, fundraising, resource mobilisation, and long-term institutional sustainability.
  
  Ideal candidate profile

• 15+ years of relevant leadership experience across education, EdTech, public policy, research, institution-building, social impact, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives and translating strategy into execution.
• Strong understanding of the education ecosystem, with experience in school education, EdTech, education research, digital learning, or education policy strongly preferred.
• Experience engaging with senior government officials, academic leaders, funders, boards, and other ecosystem stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build or scale institutions, platforms, centres, or mission-driven initiatives.
• Exposure to research, evaluation frameworks, quality assurance, standards, or evidence-based decision-making will be an advantage.
• Understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with AI in education would be desirable.
• Strong organisational, financial, people-management, and communication capabilities.
  
  Key Attributes

• Strategic thinker with a strong institution-builder mindset.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and working across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong relationship-builder with the credibility to engage senior leaders.
• Able to balance academic rigour, strategic thinking, and practical execution.
• Mission-driven, collaborative, and committed to creating long-term impact.

Reporting: The role will report to the initiative's senior academic leadership and work closely with its strategic partners.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with Chennai and Delhi as preferred locations. The role will involve regular travel within India.