Programme Lead – Higher Education Transformation

Help Shape the Future of Public Higher Education in Maharashtra ICARE is seeking an accomplished higher education professional to join its team and help shape one of Maharashtra’s most significant public university transformation initiatives. Under MahaSTRIDE - a World Bank-supported initiative of the Government of Maharashtra - ICARE is working with seven State Universities to strengthen institutional performance, accelerate improvement and build more future-ready public universities. This is a distinctive opportunity to work at the intersection of U niversities, Government, Institutional Excellence, Analytics and Public Policy . The role provides direct professional exposure to the leadership of seven State Universities and engagement with key institutions shaping Maharashtra’s higher education ecosystem, including MITRA - Maharashtra Institution for Transformation, the State’s policy and transformation institution on the lines of NITI Aayog; the Department of Higher Education, Government of Maharashtra; and Lok Bhavan, Office of the Governor/Chancellor of Universities. The Role As Programme Lead - Higher Education Transformation , you will take responsibility for coordinating and driving ICARE’s programme engagement across the participating universities. You will work with Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, senior academic leadership, Government stakeholders and ICARE’s multidisciplinary teams to translate institutional assessments and performance insights into focused actions for improvement. What You Will Do Lead programme coordination across seven State Universities. Engage with Vice-Chancellors, Registrars and senior university leadership. Coordinate programme engagements with MITRA, the Department of Higher Education, Government of Maharashtra, Lok Bhavan and other relevant stakeholders. Translate institutional assessments, analytics and performance indicators into clear improvement priorities. Support universities in developing and progressing institutional improvement plans. Drive reviews, workshops, interventions and follow-through across participating institutions. Work closely with ICARE’s research, assessment, data and analytics teams. Track institutional commitments, milestones and outcomes. Identify implementation bottlenecks and facilitate timely resolution. Prepare high-quality briefs, presentations and progress reviews for senior Government and university leadership. Contribute to developing approaches that can strengthen institutional performance and potentially inform larger models of higher education transformation. What We Are Looking For We are looking for a professional with approximately 6-10 years of relevant experience , preferably across one or more of the following areas: Higher Education | University Administration | Institutional Excellence | Education Consulting | Government Programmes | Public Policy | Accreditation | Rankings | Programme Management The successful candidate should bring: a good understanding of the Indian higher education ecosystem; experience working with universities or higher education institutions; confidence in engaging senior academic and Government stakeholders; strong programme and stakeholder-management skills; excellent written communication and presentation capabilities; comfort working with institutional data, dashboards and performance indicators; the ability to manage multiple institutions and workstreams concurrently; and strong ownership, execution and follow-through. Exposure to NAAC, NIRF, NEP 2020, accreditation, rankings, institutional quality frameworks or Government higher education programmes would be an advantage. The role will require travel across Maharashtra to University locations based on programme requirements. Given the nature of the role, the need for regular in-person engagement with Government and university stakeholders, and the value of strong local and geographic familiarity with Maharashtra, this opportunity is currently intended for candidates based in Mumbai / MMR. Compensation Up to ₹12,00,000 per annum , commensurate with experience and suitability. Approved programme-related travel expenses will be reimbursed separately in accordance with organisational policy. Selection Process Shortlisted applicants will participate in an initial discussion followed by an interaction with ICARE’s senior leadership. The selection process will focus not only on experience and qualifications, but also on the candidate’s ability to understand institutions, manage complex stakeholders and translate ideas into execution. ICARE is an equal-opportunity organisation. Information provided by applicants will be treated confidentially and used solely for recruitment and selection purposes.