About the Role
We are looking for a strategic, hands-on academic leader to partner with the Chief Academic Officer in building the next generation of online higher education. The General Manager – Academic Excellence & Innovation will be responsible for driving academic innovation, curriculum modernization, academic product development, learning experience design, academic quality frameworks, AI-enabled learning initiatives, and strategic academic transformation across our university partnerships. This is not a traditional Academic Operations role. Operational delivery, learner progression, and student success functions are managed through dedicated teams. This role is focused on building, innovating, and transforming the academic ecosystem. The ideal candidate combines strong academic foundations with product thinking, learner-centric design, technology orientation, and a deep understanding of the Indian Online Higher Education ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities
Academic Product & Portfolio Development
• Lead the design and development of innovative academic products, online degree programmes, certificate programmes, industry pathways, and stackable learning offerings.
• Identify emerging learner and industry needs to build future-ready academic portfolios.
• Support enterprise learning and university partnership opportunities through academic solution design.
• Conduct market and competitive analysis to identify new programme opportunities. Curriculum Innovation
• Drive curriculum modernization across degree and certificate programmes.
• Develop competency-based, industry-integrated and AI-enabled curriculum frameworks.
• Design learner-centric academic pathways aligned with employability and lifelong learning.
• Collaborate with universities, faculty and industry experts to continuously enhance programme relevance. Learning Experience & Innovation




• Design differentiated digital learning experiences that improve learner engagement and academic outcomes.
• Partner with Learning Technology teams to shape future learner journeys.
• Recommend innovative pedagogical models, assessment approaches and learner engagement strategies.
• Support the adoption of AI-enabled learning experiences and digital innovation. Academic Excellence & Governance
• Develop academic quality frameworks and continuous improvement models.
• Establish academic policies, governance frameworks and quality standards across programmes.
• Support academic reviews, programme audits and institutional quality initiatives.
• Ensure academic innovations remain aligned with applicable regulatory frameworks. Strategic Academic Transformation
• Lead institution-wide academic transformation initiatives.
• Drive cross-functional projects involving Academic Operations, Student Success, Learning Technology, Career Services and partner universities.
• Support new university onboarding and strategic academic initiatives.
• Act as a strategic advisor to the Chief Academic Officer on future academic models. AI & Future Learning
• Evaluate emerging trends in higher education, AI and digital learning.
• Drive experimentation around AI-enabled teaching, learning and learner support.
• Support the evolution of intelligent learning ecosystems and future-ready academic models. What Success Looks Like Within the first 12–18 months, you will:
• Launch innovative academic products and learner pathways.
• Modernize curriculum frameworks across key programmes.




• Improve learner experience through innovative academic design.
• Institutionalize academic quality and governance frameworks.
• Drive AI-enabled learning initiatives.
• Support strategic university partnerships and new programme launches.
• Become a trusted strategic partner to the Chief Academic Officer. Ideal Candidate Profile We are specifically looking for professionals who have built or transformed academic ecosystems within Online Higher Education or Higher Education-focused EdTech organizations. The ideal candidate is:
• A builder rather than a maintainer.
• Hands-on and execution-oriented.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and creating new solutions.
• Passionate about learner experience and academic innovation.
• Equally comfortable working with curriculum, technology, universities, and business stakeholders.
• Able to move seamlessly between strategy and execution. Mandatory Experience
• 12–18 years of experience in Online Higher Education, OPMs, Higher Education-focused EdTech or Digital Learning organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in academic product development, curriculum innovation, learning experience design, or academic transformation.
• Experience working with universities, academic leadership and cross-functional business teams.
• Solid understanding of the Indian Online Higher Education ecosystem. Essential Knowledge Candidates should have practical experience and understanding of:
• UGC Online & ODL Regulations
• UGC-DEB regulatory framework
• National Education Policy (NEP 2020)
• Academic Bank of Credits (ABC)
• National Credit Framework (NCrF)
• Online Degree programme design and delivery
• Academic governance within Indian Higher Education
• Industry-integrated curriculum design
• Higher Education quality frameworks

📌 Academic Operations (Noida)
🏢 UNIVO Education
📍 Noida