Applications should be submitted to: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/APzuHz

Authentica Program Manager

Department

Program Delivery & Operations

Location

Pune, India (office-based with international travel)

Reports To

Head of Program Operations

Team

Individual Contributor

Effective Date

FY 2026-27 (Nov 2026)

About AuthenticaAuthentica is a Pune-headquartered experiential learning and global education company specializing in study abroad programmes, global internships, executive education, and professional development. We serve 70+ university partners across the US, Canada, and Australia, operating programmes in 30+ countries. Our clients include Stanford, Dartmouth, NYU, and other leading institutions.

We are on an ambitious growth trajectory targeting Rs. 60 CR revenue in FY 2026-27 and an IPO by 2030. This role is critical to achieving that vision.

Role Summary The Program Manager is accountable for end-to-end delivery of Authentica's programs — from proposal and planning through on-ground execution and post-program debrief. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role for someone who takes pride in the craft of program delivery: designing tight logistics, anticipating what can go wrong, and executing with precision in demanding international contexts. Your north-star metric is participant experience and program quality.

Candidates with a business school background will find opportunities to contribute beyond core operations — supporting business development, marketing, and scaling of Authentica's portfolio.

Key ResponsibilitiesProgram Design & Proposals• Understand client requirements deeply

- Identify and evaluate service providers and community partners; negotiate rates and secure contracts
- Build accurate, detailed costing sheets
- Design itineraries that balance academic rigor with genuine cultural immersion

Planning & Pre-Departure• Own the end-to-end planning process: resources, timelines, milestones, dependencies, and contingencies
- Coordinate across vendors, partners, and internal teams to ensure every detail is locked in before departure
- Manage program budgets and track expenditure against approved costing sheets
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, and liability standards specific to each destination
- Support onboarding of new DMCs and partners, including reference checks and quote comparison

On-Ground Delivery• Travel with groups and lead on-ground execution — reception, orientation, daily programme management
- Manage service providers and local partners in real time, responding to feedback and adapting as needed
- Handle contingencies calmly and decisively, keeping participants safe and stakeholders informed
- Maintain daily documentation and debrief
- Serve as primary point of contact for faculty and institutional coordinators delivery
- Document participant feedback throughout the program for post-program evaluation

Client Responsiveness & OwnershipOwn client interaction and issue until it is closed.

- Respond to client and faculty queries promptly within agreed turnaround times, before, during and after the program
- Own client issues and escalations end to end; resolve urgent items the same day
- Escalate early with a proposed solution, not waiting for problems to grow





Post-Program Reporting & Continuous Improvement• Compile post-program reports including NPS scores, budget reconciliation, incident summaries, and key learnings
- Conduct structured debriefs with clients and internal teams to capture improvements for future programs
- Close all post-program tasks (final invoices, debrief calls, feedback collection) by their due dates

Systems & Reporting• Program tracking on Monday.com with up-to-date status across all programs
- Set a due date for every task and update completion dates as work is done
- Follow the SOPs linked to each task on the Monday.com board
- Flag resource constraints, budget variances, and delivery risks proactively

How Success Is MeasuredPerformance is reviewed quarterly against OKRs. Key measures include:

- Proposal quality score and on-time proposal submission
- On-time task completion on the program tracker
- Program NPS and participant feedback
- Budget variance against approved costing sheets
- Turnaround time on client queries and escalations

Required QualificationsEducation• Must Have:

◦ Bachelor's degree in any discipline.

- Good to Have:

◦ Business school background (BBA, MBA, or equivalent)

◦ Postgraduate degree in International Relations, Education Management, Hospitality, or a related field

ExperienceProven operational experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs in international or institutional contexts.

- Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in client-facing roles in travel, education, edtech, logistics, event management or related fields (3-5 years preferred)
- Experience managing operations and partner relationships
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-vendor projects
- Experience working with institutional clients — universities, government agencies, or corporates
- International stakeholder exposure is a strong plus

Skills and CompetenciesOperational & Analytical Excellence• Exceptional organizational skills
- Analytical to build costings, synthesize data, and write clear reports for different audiences
- Strong project management capabilities across multi-vendor, multi-timeline programs
- Comfortable with ambiguity and fast-changing situations — solve problems, not just escalate
- Proficiency with project management and operational tools (Monday, Zoho, or equivalent)
- Budget management and financial reconciliation skills — comfortable tracking spend against costing sheets
- Meticulous attention to detail — you check your own work and catch errors before clients do

Communication & Stakeholder Management• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
- Ability to write clear, structured client-facing reports and post-program documentation
- Strong facilitation skills for leading orientations, briefings, and debrief sessions with participant groups
- Culturally intelligent — able to work across academic, government, corporate, and community contexts




- Emotional intelligence to manage diverse stakeholders — from students to senior government officials

Personal QualitiesHigh-ownership, entrepreneurial, and genuinely passionate about cross-cultural education.

- Genuine passion for cross-cultural education and international engagement — this isn't just a job to you
- High ownership mindset: you follow through, take accountability, and take pride in the details
- Intellectually curious and committed to continuous learning
- Entrepreneurial instinct: you spot opportunities and act on them without waiting to be asked
- Physical and mental resilience for high-travel, high-pressure delivery environments — this role requires sustained performance on the ground
- Cooperative team player who contributes to a culture of continuous improvement and knowledge sharing within the operations team
- Highly responsive — clients, partners and colleagues never have to chase you for an update

Work Expectations ScheduleFull-time position (40-45 hrs / week), standard office hours with flexibility for international stakeholder time zones and occasional evening networking activities.

Flexibility required during peak program periods

Occasional evening/weekend work during program delivery

TravelSignificant domestic and international travel along with the including reconnaissance visits, program delivery, client meetings , and partner meetings in GCC and APAC markets

CollaborationCross functional collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

- Internal: CEO, Operations team, Sales team, Marketing, Finance, Academic team
- External: Faculty directors, university partners, vendors, local partners, DMCs

Probation Period3 months

Compensation and Benefits• Competitive compensation: Rs. 7,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000 per annum (Fixed + Performance Bonus)
- All official travel expenses covered
- Professional development budget for courses, conferences, and certifications
- Access to Authentica's global network of partners and thought leaders
- Opportunity to lead prestigious programs with strategic national importance
- Potential for regional and international career advancement
- ESOP eligibility after 24 months of service

Application ProcessInterested candidates should submit the following :
- Comprehensive CV/resume with detailed operational management experience
- Cover letter highlighting :

◦ Your experience managing complex, multi-vendor programs in international or institutional contexts

◦ A specific program or project you owned end-to-end — what went wrong, and how you handled it

◦ Your client-facing experience in travel, education, logistics or event management

◦ What excites you about delivering transformative educational experiences on the ground

- References from previous supervisors
- Optional: A sample proposal, costing sheet, itinerary, or post-program report you have developed (strongly encouraged for shortlisting)

This role is ideal for a hands-on program professional who thrives in the field, excels at turning complex logistics into seamless participant experiences, and is genuinely excited about delivering world-class programs that change how people see the world.

Applications should be submitted to: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/APzuHz

📌 Authentica Program Manager (Pune)
🏢 Authentica
📍 Pune