Urgent : Program Manager - upGrad Higher Education

Job Description : Program Manager – Strategic Alliances

Role Overview :

The Program Manager – Strategic Initiatives will play a pivotal role in driving critical high-growth projects and operational excellence within our University Alliances and Business Development teams. This individual will manage strategic initiatives, coordinate cross-functional efforts, streamline operations, and act as the primary liaison with senior stakeholders across universities and internal teams. The role demands strong analytical thinking, proactive problem-solving, and exceptional stakeholder management to deliver measurable outcomes and significantly enhance organizational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities :

• Drive Strategic Projects : Lead and execute high-impact initiatives aimed at scaling university partnerships, driving growth, and improving top-line performance.
• Operational Excellence : Develop, document, and implement robust standard operating procedures (SOPs) to address operational challenges.
• Cross-functional Leadership : Coordinate and align internal stakeholders from Sales, Marketing, Academics, Product, Finance, and Operations to deliver on shared goals.
• Stakeholder Management : Act as the primary interface with senior university stakeholders, ensuring alignment, building trust, and maintaining successful, long-term relationships.
• Performance Management : Regularly monitor, analyze, and report key business metrics to ensure initiatives meet defined targets, proactively identifying new opportunities for improvement.
• Issue and Crisis Management : Triage and independently manage escalations, resolving operational bottlenecks swiftly and efficiently, while escalating critical issues appropriately.
• Market and Industry Awareness : Stay informed on higher education trends, regulatory developments, and competitor movements to strategically guide initiatives.
• Administrative & Coordination Support : Manage logistics, meeting preparations, and scheduling related to strategic meetings and engagements, ensuring comprehensive follow-up and execution.
• Autonomous Execution : Own projects end-to-end with minimal supervision, navigating ambiguity with a results-driven approach.

Who We’re Looking For :

1. Experience : 3+ years of experience in program / project management, business consulting, strategy, or operations, ideally within education, B2B, or high-value consumer tech sectors.

2. Education : Graduate / MBA from a top-tier institution like IIT, IIM, BITS.

3. Skills & Attributes :

Why Join Us?