Description
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
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
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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