Job Title: Director – Office of Student Life

Reports to: Vice Chancellor

Work Location: Nayanta University, Paud Road, Bavdhan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021

Nature and Days of Work: Full-time, on-site. Flexibility may be required for availability beyond working hours in case of University events and emergencies.

About Nayanta University

Nayanta University in Pune is a new multidisciplinary university founded by leading Indian industrialists and academics associated with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The University prioritises excellence, integrity, and the holistic development of its entire community. Its flagship four-year residential undergraduate programme brings together the arts, sciences and technology, with learning personalised through faculty mentorship and The Nayanta Compass, the University’s personal development programme.

Nayanta consciously seeks promising students from all socio-economic backgrounds, and fosters a culture that is open, tolerant and celebrates differences.

About the Office of Student Life The Office of Student Life (OSL) is committed to shaping the students’ experience outside the classroom, and offering a supportive environment for them to live and learn in. It nurtures and helps to develop student community and culture, and the work includes having oversight of student clubs and committees, wellbeing and inclusion, residence life, sports and student conduct. It aims to build a residential community where every student feels valued, enthused, and supported.

The OSL recognises the importance of understanding and integrating the different aspects of student experience – the personal, academic and social – and works closely with the Offices of Academics, Admissions, Career Development and Operations in this endeavour. Care is one of the cornerstones of Nayanta University’s culture, and the Office of Student Life practises this value in its work and initiatives.

Position Overview The Director of Student Life will be the senior professional responsible for the quality of student experience at Nayanta. They will work closely with the team to build new avenues for student experience and support. Not only will the Director shape the student culture, but they will also make themselves available as a point of contact for students and parents.

They will also be accountable for overseeing student conduct and responding to any non-academic needs as they come up. The Director will also create and maintain the budget for the OSL. The role suits a leader who places students at the centre of the University, combining sensitivity and responsiveness with sound judgement and practicality.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy and Leadership

- In consultation with the University leadership, set the vision, goals and priorities for student life.
- Build and lead the Student Life team, including residence life, wellbeing,



sports and student engagement.
- Establish the structures, SOPs and measures of success for the Office.

2. Student Community and Culture

- Foster an inclusive community where students from every background feel like they belong and can engage with University activities fully.
- Plan and be responsible for the Student Orientation, Graduation, and other flagship events, together with other relevant offices.
- Support clubs, societies and student-led initiatives. Design pathways for student leadership, volunteering and civic engagement.
- Work with the OSL team to create mechanisms for student feedback and representation, ensuring that the student voice is heard and acted on.

3. Wellbeing, Inclusion and Student Support

- Work with counselling, health and learning-support partners to build a wellbeing framework that is both preventative and responsive.
- Ensure timely support for students facing personal, social or academic difficulty. Coordinate with the relevant offices and mentors to ensure no student is left without support.
- Champion inclusion for students of different socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, genders and identities, in line with the University’s equal opportunity policies.

4. Residence Life

- Oversee residential life, including hostel allocation, and work with the wardens and resident mentors to ensure that community norms are upheld and the residential community is a welcoming one.
- Liaise with the Operations team to ensure good service delivery of areas like dining, safety and hostel facilities.

5. Sports, Wellness and Co-curricular Life

- Lead the sports, fitness and recreation programme, and build an active, healthy campus culture.
- Guide co-curricular programming in the arts, culture and community engagement.

6. Student Conduct, Safety and Crisis Management

- Administer the student code of conduct fairly and consistently, with due process, working with the relevant committees and University leadership.
- Ensure compliance with University policies and applicable laws on student safety, anti-ragging, prevention of sexual harassment (including the POSH Act, 2013 and the UGC Regulations, 2015), grievance redressal, and equal opportunity.
- Own emergency response protocols and lead the response to student crises, including after-hours escalation. Maintain explicit communication with students, parents, leadership and other relevant stakeholders.

7. Stakeholder Engagement





- Be a trusted bridge between students and University leadership, faculty and staff.
- Engage parents and guardians, alumni and external partners, and represent the Office in committees and institutional forums.

8. Budget, Data and Governance

- Plan and manage the Office’s budget with sound financial discipline.
- Use data and student feedback to review programmes, report outcomes to the Vice Chancellor, and improve continuously.
- Maintain accurate records and meet the requirements of UGC and other regulators.

Qualifications & Experience

Experience Required: 12–15 years in student affairs, residential life or student development, including experience leading teams and owning significant areas of student life in a residential or higher education setting. Previous engagement with learning support, wellbeing or culture-building, while not mandatory, will be an advantage. Candidates with a shorter but exceptional track record will also be considered.

- Proven experience designing and running student life, residential or student development programmes.
- Experience in a residential campus, with students of different ages and backgrounds, is strongly preferred.
- Track record of leading and developing a multi-functional team and managing budgets.
- Hands-on experience with student conduct, crisis response and safeguarding.
- Familiarity with the Indian higher education regulatory context is an advantage.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with students from diverse contexts, as well as with parents, guardians and other members of the University.

Educational Qualifications: A Master’s degree (or above) in a relevant field would be required. Additional certification in student development, counselling or mediation will be an advantage.

Desirable Qualities

This role is best suited to a candidate for whom care for students lies at the heart of their work. They would need to be warm and approachable for students, while also maintaining standards of conduct and culture. The nature of student matters would require sensitivity and discretion, along with confidentiality and good judgement.

The Director of Student Life would need to be comfortable collaborating with various offices and stakeholders, and able to build bridges between the various aspects of student experience. From time to time, they would also need to advise and sensitise other members of the University.

Remuneration

Competitive and benchmarked to sector norms, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Process

Interested candidates may email their CV in PDF format to [email protected] with the subject line: Application for Director – Office of Student Life.

Kindly note

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. This is indicative and may be adapted to the University’s evolving needs.

📌 Director - Office of Student Life (Maharashtra)
🏢 Nayanta University
📍 Maharashtra