Program Manager – Higher Education Academy

About the job

Job Description Job title: Program Manager – Higher Education Academy Unit: Programs Reports to: Head of Programs And Training Location: Kolkata, West Bengal About VAANI VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation is a national nonprofit organization working across the life cycle of a Deaf child—from newborn hearing screening to education, skill development, and higher education pathways. Through its direct intervention and enabler models, VAANI ensures early identification, inclusive education, and long-term empowerment of Deaf children and youth. The Higher Education Academy is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to support Deaf students in pursuing graduation and post-secondary pathways through accessible, inclusive, and academically rigorous systems. Role Overview • The Program Manager – Higher Education Academy is responsible for the end-to-end planning, execution, quality assurance, and strategic development of higher education programs for Deaf students. • The role ensures academic excellence, accessibility compliance, faculty coordination, student success, and donor accountability while aligning with VAANI’s inclusive culture and mission. Key Responsibilities 1. Program Planning & Academic Delivery • Plan, coordinate, and implement higher education and graduation programs for Deaf students. • Develop academic calendars, course schedules, assessments, milestones, and content delivery plans. • Ensure 100% adherence to academic calendars, examination schedules, and content validation SOPs. • Oversee the timely release of digital and classroom content as per the content calendar. • Ensure completion of academic portions within agreed timelines. • Ensure accessibility through interpreters, captioning, assistive technologies, and inclusive pedagogy. • Support Senior Management in academic expansion and program strategy implementation. 2. Faculty & Institutional Coordination • Liaise with universities, colleges, accreditation bodies, and training partners. • Coordinate faculty, academic mentors, guest lecturers, and sign language interpreters. • Ensure contingency planning for faculty absenteeism. • Conduct faculty orientation on inclusive teaching practices for Deaf learners. • Review monthly class reports and implement corrective action plans. • Monitor classroom performance and provide academic coaching where required. 3. Student Support, Development & Inclusion • Oversee student onboarding, orientation, and academic tracking. • Ensure monthly preparation of Section Holistic Scorecards. • Monitor attendance, performance, engagement, and well-being. • Address accessibility, participation, or academic concerns proactively. • Ensure a safe, inclusive, and culturally sensitive learning environment. • Coordinate parent engagement and family counselling where necessary. • Implement appropriate accommodations and student-specific interventions. 4. Assessment & Examination Oversight • Ensure adherence to university and academy examination schedules. • Monitor high-quality execution of assessments. • Track graduation rates and academic outcomes. • Analyse performance trends to strengthen learning outcomes. 5. Monitoring, Reporting & Donor Engagement • Track academic KPIs, including attendance, pass rates, retention, graduation outcomes, and employability indicators. • Develop comprehensive MIS, impact reports, and annual donor report-backs. • Prepare high-quality narrative and data-driven reports demonstrating program progress and alignment with donor objectives. • Coordinate documentation, case studies, student stories, and impact metrics for CSR and foundation partners supporting the Academy. • Support donor visits, presentations, review meetings, and compliance documentation. • Ensure timely submission of utilisation certificates and program updates in coordination with Finance and Leadership. 6. Talent Management & Academic Team Engagement • Ensure timely recruitment and closure of key academic positions. • Oversee faculty scheduling, engagement, and performance reviews. • Implement recognition, coaching, and feedback mechanisms. • Promote teacher participation in training sessions and continuous professional development. • Foster a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive team culture. 7. Compliance, Governance & Risk Management • Ensure compliance with university regulations, accessibility standards, and organizational policies. • Maintain zero legal or academic violations. • Identify and mitigate operational, academic, and accessibility-related risks. • Ensure adherence to inclusive education frameworks and best practices. 8. Technology & Learning Systems • Evaluate and oversee Learning Management Systems (LMS) implementation. • Ensure digital accessibility (captioning, transcripts, interpreter integration). • Leverage data and technology to improve student engagement and monitoring. 9. Strategic Academic Development & Stakeholder Engagement • Contribute to long-term academic strategy aligned with employability pathways. • Strengthen partnerships with universities and industry stakeholders. • Engage with parents, donors, academic bodies, and institutional partners. • Represent the Academy in meetings, conferences, and knowledge-sharing forums. • Strengthen institutional credibility and brand positioning of VAANI’s higher education vertical. Essential Skills and Experience • Master’s degree in education / social work / management / inclusive education / relevant field. • Computer proficiency, including MS Office, data analysis in Excel, MIS reporting, and digital documentation systems. • 5–8+ years of experience in academic program management, higher education, or NGO education leadership. • Experience working with persons with disabilities (preferably the Deaf community) is highly desirable. • Strong reporting, documentation, and stakeholder engagement skills. • Experience in donor reporting and CSR compliance preferred. • Proficiency in English (knowledge of Indian Sign Language is an added advantage). Organizational Skills Time Management: • Effectively prioritizing tasks and managing time to meet deadlines and handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously. • Planning and Coordination: Developing strategic plans and coordinating resources to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Task Delegation: • Delegating tasks and responsibilities to program implementation team members based on their expertise and workload capacity. Problem-Solving: • Identifying execution challenges of the program, analyzing root causes, and developing solutions to address issues efficiently. Communication: • Effectively communicating program information and recommendations to stakeholders, including senior management, board members, and external partners. Adaptability: • Adapting to changes in the landscape, organizational priorities, and industry regulations to ensure agility and resilience. Record-Keeping: • Establishing and maintaining organized program & training records, files, and documentation for easy retrieval and reference. Collaboration: • Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including HR, finance management, and operations, to align strategies with organisational objectives. Continuous Improvement: • Continuously seeking opportunities to improve processes, systems, and workflows to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Environmental demands • Willingness to travel locally, nationally, and internationally for meetings, conferences, and training events as and when the need arises. • Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed for program activities and events. • Other essential competencies • Commitment to the mission and values of VAANI DCF • Sensitivity to cultural and linguistic diversity within the deaf community. • Experience working collaboratively with NGO partners, government agencies, and other stakeholders. • Good at networking and maintaining contacts and relations.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education / social work / management / inclusive education / relevant field

About the company

VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation is a national nonprofit organization working across the life cycle of a Deaf child—from newborn hearing screening to education, skill development, and higher education pathways. Through its direct intervention and enabler models, VAANI ensures early identification, inclusive education, and long-term empowerment of Deaf children and youth.