Head of Academics (EDTECH Startup)

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Head of Academics will be responsible for setting the academic vision and strategic direction across curriculum, pedagogy, assessment design, and instructional innovation at a leading EdTech organization in the school education space.

The role involves ensuring academic excellence across all learning offerings while driving consistency, scale, and measurable impact across diverse delivery models and school segments.

This position demands deep academic expertise, strong leadership, and an execution-focused mindset to institutionalize quality and rigor in curriculum and content across digital, print, live instruction, and hybrid formats. The Head of Academics will work closely with cross-functional teams including product, design, technology, training, and business units to embed academic vision into holistic learning experiences.


LOCATION: Mumbai or Bangalore

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Strategy & Pedagogical Leadership

• Set academic strategy and long-term roadmap rooted in evidence-based pedagogy and learning science.

• Define and evolve an instructional framework to support learner-centric, competency-driven education.

• Build a future-aligned academic philosophy incorporating GenAI, skill-based learning, and career readiness.

• Establish grade-wise learning outcomes, academic benchmarks, and progression models.

Curriculum & Content Excellence

• Oversee curriculum development and assessment frameworks across K12, aligned with national and international standards.

• Guide academic content development across print, digital, and blended models.

• Own academic product lifecycle from concept to rollout, with focus on contextual relevance and scalability.

• Integrate adaptive tools, differentiated instruction, and formative assessments into content strategy.

Academic Team Leadership

• Lead a 100+ member academic team across curriculum, content, design, and pedagogy.

• Build team capability for scale, quality, and innovation.

• Institutionalize review and feedback systems to ensure continuous improvement.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with product, implementation, technology, design, and business teams to bring academic vision to life.

• Ensure academic alignment across teacher training, classroom implementation, and learner engagement.

• Link academic planning with learning outcome measurement and customer success insights.

Quality Assurance & Learning Impact

• Define and monitor quality benchmarks, impact metrics, and academic review systems.

• Lead iterative content improvements based on learner and teacher feedback.

• Ensure curriculum is contextualized to diverse learner needs across school types and geographies.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• 18+ years of experience in academic leadership, curriculum development, teacher training, or online education.

• Proven track record in leading large-scale academic programs in school education and EdTech.

• Strong understanding of pedagogy, academic operations, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

• Masters or PhD in Education, Curriculum Design, or a related field preferred.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

Functional

• Deep expertise in academic strategy and curriculum development

• Familiarity with CBSE, NCERT, IB, and Cambridge education standards

• Strong grasp of blended learning, adaptive content, and technology integration

• Experience managing large curriculum and academic teams

Role-Based

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on execution style

• High ownership, bias for action, and ability to thrive in fast-paced settings

• Strong communicator and collaborator with decision-making ability

• Passion for large-scale education transformation and learner impact