Academic Manager

Kidzonia International Preschool; Navi Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Kidzonia International Preschool is seeking an Academics Manager to design and implement the academic framework across company-owned and franchise centers, ensuring high-quality early childhood education.

The role leads curriculum development, training, assessments, and audits, aligning with NEP 2020 and developmentally appropriate practices, while traveling periodically to centres.

Qualifications

• Experience in curriculum design and implementation.
• 6–12 years of experience in multi-center or franchise preschool networks.
• Strong documentation and reporting skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience with developmentally appropriate pedagogy.

Responsibilities

• Design, review, and update age-appropriate curriculum for Playgroup to Senior KG.
• Ensure curriculum aligns with NEP 2020 guidelines and DAP.
• Develop academic calendars, weekly plans, lesson plans, and activity frameworks.
• Monitor uniform academic delivery across centers through visits and audits.
• Lead induction training and ongoing teacher upskilling programs.
• Design and implement age-appropriate assessment frameworks and learning outcomes.
• Conduct academic audits and prepare actionable audit reports.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, safety, and resource quality.
• Collaborate with Operations, Marketing, and Center Heads for academic alignment.

Skills

Curriculum design

Teacher training

Communication

Documentation

Observations

Education

Early Childhood Education

B.Ed / D.Ed / ECCE certification

Job description

(With periodic travel to centers)

Reporting To: Academic Head

Founder / CEO

Role Purpose:

The Academics Manager is responsible for designing, implementing, monitoring, and continuously improving the academic framework of Kidzonia Preschool. The role ensures high-quality early childhood education delivery across all company-owned and franchise centers, aligned with developmental best practices, regulatory norms, and the brand philosophy.

Key Objectives:

Maintain consistent academic quality across all centers

Ensure curriculum effectiveness, relevance, and child-centric outcomes

Support teachers and center heads in academic excellence

Drive continuous improvement through training, monitoring, and innovation

Ensure compliance with early childhood education standards

Key Responsibilities:

Design, review, and update age-appropriate curriculum for:

Playgroup

Nursery

Junior KG

Senior KG

Ensure curriculum aligns with:

NEP 2020 guidelines

Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP)

Play-based and experiential learning philosophies

Integrate:

Cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, language, and creative development

Life skills, values, and school-readiness competencies

Develop academic calendars, weekly plans, lesson plans, and activity frameworks

2. Academic Implementation & Standardization

Ensure uniform academic delivery across all Kidzonia centers

Develop and maintain:

Academic SOPs

Teaching methodologies

Classroom processes

Monitor implementation through:

School visits

Virtual reviews

Academic audits

Identify gaps and implement corrective measures

3. Teacher Training & Capability Building

Design and conduct:

Induction training for new teachers

Ongoing refresher and upskilling programs

Train teachers on:

Child psychology and early learning pedagogy

Classroom management

Observation and assessment techniques

Create and manage Teacher Training Modules, Manuals, and Toolkits

Mentor teachers and center academic coordinators

4. Child Assessment & Learning Outcomes

Design and implement age-appropriate assessment frameworks

Ensure assessments are:

Observational

Non-stressful and child-friendly

Monitor:

Individual child progress

Classroom-level learning outcomes

Guide teachers on:

Documentation and record-keeping

Individualized learning plans where required

Ensure smooth transition readiness to primary schooling

5. Academic Quality Monitoring & Audits

Conduct regular:

Academic audits

Classroom observations

Teacher performance evaluations

Prepare detailed academic audit reports with actionable insights

Ensure timely closure of audit observations

Maintain academic quality benchmarks across all centers

Develop and approve:

Teacher manuals

Activity books

Learning aids and TLMs

Digital content (if applicable)

Coordinate with vendors for:

Printing and material quality

Age-appropriateness and safety standards

Ensure cost-effective yet high-quality learning resources

Develop structured:

Parent orientation programs

Academic presentations and workshops

Support centers in handling:

Academic queries and concerns

Parent feedback related to curriculum and learning

Create parent communication material:

Learning updates

Progress reports

8. Compliance, Safety & Regulatory Alignment

Ensure academic practices comply with:

NEP 2020

Child safety and protection policies

Integrate:

POSH awareness (where applicable)

Health, hygiene, and safety education

Support centers during inspections and audits

9. Academic Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Research emerging trends in:

Early childhood education

Pedagogy and child development

Introduce:

Learning innovations

Use data and feedback to refine curriculum and delivery models

10. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

Operations team (center processes)

Marketing team (academic positioning, content)

Delivering academic orientation

Approving readiness for launch

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Academic audit scores across centers

Teacher training completion and effectiveness

Consistency of curriculum implementation

Parent satisfaction related to academics

Child development and school-readiness outcomes

Reduction in academic non-compliance issues

Stakeholder Management

Internal

Academic Head / Director

Teachers and Center Heads

Operations, Franchise, and Marketing Teams

External

Parents (academic interface)

Curriculum consultants (if any)

Training partners and content vendors

Qualifications & Experience

Educational Qualifications

Early Childhood Education

Child Development

B.Ed / D.Ed / ECCE certification preferred

Experience

6–12 years of experience in:

Curriculum design and implementation

Teacher training and mentoring

Experience with multi-center or franchise preschool networks preferred

Strong understanding of early childhood pedagogy

Curriculum design and academic planning skills

Teacher training and mentoring expertise

Analytical and observation skills

Excellent communication and presentation skills

High empathy, patience, and child-centric mindset

Strong documentation and reporting skills

Travel Requirements

Periodic travel to centers for audits, training, and reviews

Virtual support for remote locations

Performance-linked incentives (if applicable)