Job Title: Academic Director

Role Overview

The Academic Director is the chief academic leader responsible for driving academic excellence, institutional quality standards, curriculum innovation, faculty performance, and student success. The role ensures alignment between academic delivery, industry relevance, accreditation requirements, and long-term institutional vision.

The position requires a holistic approach covering academics, faculty capability building, student retention, compliance, and measurable performance outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

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Strategic Academic Leadership

Develop and implement a long-term academic strategy aligned with institutional growth plans.

Drive academic innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Ensure alignment between curriculum, industry expectations, and student employability.

Lead institutional academic transformation initiatives.

Curriculum & Academic Excellence

Oversee curriculum development and regular revision.

Ensure outcome-based education framework is implemented.

Integrate experiential learning, live projects, internships, and industry certifications.

Standardize assessment and evaluation processes.

Faculty Leadership & FDP (Faculty Development Programs)

Lead faculty recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluation.

Establish clear KPIs for faculty linked to student performance and satisfaction.

Design and implement structured Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) focusing on:

Teaching methodologies

Industry exposure

Research & publication

Technology adoption

Outcome-based education

Ensure minimum annual FDP hours per faculty.

Encourage certifications, workshops, and research participation.

Conduct academic audits and classroom observations.

Student Retention & Dropout Management

Monitor student attendance, academic performance, and engagement indicators.

Track and analyze student dropout rates semester-wise.

Identify root causes of attrition (academic, financial, engagement-related).

Develop structured intervention mechanisms:

Academic mentoring

Remedial classes

Counseling support

Parent interaction (if required)

Implement retention strategies to reduce dropout percentage year-on-year.

Present quarterly retention analysis to leadership.

Academic Quality Assurance & Compliance

Ensure compliance with regulatory bodies (UGC, NAAC, etc., as applicable).

Lead accreditation documentation and audit readiness.

Conduct internal academic audits and quality reviews.

Ensure exam integrity and academic policy compliance.

Student Experience & Outcomes

Improve student feedback scores across schools.

Monitor progression and graduation rates.

Align academic delivery with placement readiness (with CRC).

Strengthen mentoring and academic advisory frameworks.

Data-Driven Academic Governance

Track and improve key metrics including:

Student Satisfaction Score

Faculty Performance Score

Student Dropout / Attrition Rate

Attendance Compliance

FDP Participation & Completion Rate

Academic Audit Compliance Score

Placement Alignment Indicators

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Deans, Program Heads, Academic Ops, Examinations, CRC.

Ensure coordination between scheduling, faculty allocation, and infrastructure.

Align academic calendar with operational feasibility.

ERP Implementation & Digital Transformation

Lead and oversee the implementation of an Academic ERP system across departments.

Collaborate with IT and Operations to define academic workflows within the ERP.

Train faculty and academic staff on ERP usage and ensure adoption compliance

Ensure data accuracy, process standardization, and automation of academic reports.

Use ERP-generated analytics to improve decision-making and academic governance.

Monitor ERP utilization metrics and drive digital discipline across department

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Qualifications & Experience

Master’s Degree (PhD preferred)

12–18 years of higher education experience

5+ years in academic leadership

Experience in accreditation, faculty management, and retention strategy

Core Competencies

Academic Governance

Retention Strategy & Student Engagement

Faculty Capability Building

Data-Driven Decision Making

Strategic Leadership

Policy & Compliance Expertise

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