Business Head - Skilling & Executive Programs

iHub-Data, IIIT Hyderabad; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

IHub-Data at IIIT Hyderabad invites applications for the BUSINESS HEAD - SKILLING & EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for driving business growth, partnerships, and program delivery across skill development, executive education, and capacity-building initiatives.

You will own partnerships with government, industry, and ed-tech platforms, oversee program operations and budgets, coordinate with Academic Head, and report to CEO.

Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA or equivalent) in Business Administration, Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Professional certifications in program/project management are advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the program strategy and growth for IHub-Data's skill development and executive education initiatives.
• Oversee program operations, staffing, budgeting, and logistics for multiple programs.
• Drive participant outreach, enrollment, engagement, and completion funnels across target segments.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships with industry, corporates, ed-tech platforms, and government bodies.
• Lead government and institutional engagement, including proposals, EOIs, MoUs, and program plans.
• Monitor financial performance, pricing models, and revenue targets; report to senior leadership.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Execution & ownership

Education

MBA or equivalent

Job description

Position: BUSINESS Head - Skilling & Executive Programs

Function: Program Operations / Business Development / Partnerships

Work Mode: Work from Office

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reporting To: CEO / Senior Management.

About IHub-Data

IIIT-H Data I Hub Foundation (IHub-Data) is a Technology Innovation Hub established at IIIT Hyderabad under the Government of India's National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

IHub-Data focuses on technology innovation, research translation, skill development, startup incubation, industry collaboration, and capacity building across Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Healthcare, Cyber-Physical Systems, Robotics, Mobility, Digital Technologies, and other emerging technology domains.

Position Overview

This position will provide strategic and operational leadership for driving business growth, market outreach, strategic partnerships, and operational excellence across IHub-Data’s portfolio of skill development, executive education, and capacity-building programs. The BUSINESS HEAD - SKILLING & EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS will be responsible for strengthening institutional and industry partnerships, expanding program reach and impact, and ensuring effective execution of the overall program portfolio.

The BUSINESS HEAD - SKILLING & EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS will have end-to-end ownership of the commercial and operational dimensions of the program lifecycle, encompassing strategic partner and platform relationships, participant outreach and engagement, government and industry engagement, program operations and logistics, financial performance, and management reporting.

The BUSINESS HEAD - SKILLING & EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS will work in close and continuous collaboration with the Academic Head to ensure seamless integration between business and academic functions. While the HEAD - SKILLING & EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS will be accountable for the commercial growth, operational delivery, stakeholder engagement, and financial performance of the programs, the Academic Head will retain ownership of curriculum design, faculty engagement, academic standards, and overall academic quality.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Strategy & Business Leadership

• Develop and execute the overall business and growth strategy for IHub-Data's programs, skill development initiatives, and executive education portfolio.
• Lead the operational planning, launch, and execution of multiple programs simultaneously - timelines, milestones, budgets, and delivery models.
• Develop scalable program models and delivery formats for students, working professionals, educators, government officials, and enterprises.
• Lead cross-functional (non-academic) teams to ensure successful and timely program execution.

2. Program Operations & Team Management

• Work closely with the Administration and Operations teams to establish required program infrastructure and support systems.
• Identify staffing requirements and lead recruitment/onboarding of coordinators, mentors, and other non-academic program personnel (faculty/instructor selection remains with the Academic Head).
• Build and lead the non-academic program operations team; allocate responsibilities and monitor performance.
• Coordinate logistics, venues, technology platforms, learning management systems, and other program infrastructure requirements.
• Develop program calendars in coordination with the Academic Head and ensure timely execution of all operational activities.

3. Participant Outreach & Program Growth

• Lead initiatives to reach potential participants including students, teachers, working professionals, executives, government officials, and industry professionals.
• Work with internal marketing and outreach teams to develop effective program campaigns.
• Own participant acquisition, enrolment, engagement, retention, and completion funnels.
• Develop strategies to improve program visibility, participation, and market reach.
• Identify new target segments and opportunities for expanding the program portfolio.

4. Industry, Ed-Tech Platform & Strategic Partnerships

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with technology companies, corporates, startups, academic institutions, research organizations, and industry associations.
• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate partnerships with ed-tech platforms for co-delivery of select programs - owning commercial terms, contracts, and the ongoing partner relationship.
• Build relationships with CXOs, HR/L&D leaders, technology leaders, and other senior stakeholders.
• Support the development of customized executive education, corporate training, and workforce transformation programs.
• Explore and structure joint programs, certifications, sponsored programs, and industry-supported initiatives, in coordination with the Academic Head on academic fit.

5. Government & Institutional Engagement

• Develop and maintain relationships with Central and State Government departments, Ministries, PSUs, Sector Skill Councils, NSDC, and other public-sector organizations.
• Lead the development of proposals, concept notes, EOIs, RFP responses, MoUs, project plans, and presentations for government and institutional programs.
• Identify opportunities for government-funded skilling, capacity-building, and digital transformation programs.
• Ensure compliance with program objectives, milestones, deliverables, and reporting requirements for government-funded and institutional programs.

6. Financial & Business Performance

• Own program budgets, pricing models, financial projections, and resource plans.
• Work with finance teams to ensure the financial sustainability of programs.
• Identify opportunities for revenue-generating executive education, certification, corporate learning, and customized programs, including through ed-tech platform partnerships.
• Monitor program economics, cost efficiency, and revenue performance; own achievement of annual program and revenue targets.

7. Monitoring, Reporting & Governance

• Develop program dashboards and business performance metrics (participation, revenue, costs, partner performance).
• Track program progress, enrolment, completion, revenue, costs, and partner/platform performance.
• Prepare periodic reports, presentations, MIS, and management updates for senior leadership.
• Present program business performance, partnership status, risks, and growth plans to management and institutional stakeholders.

8. Market Intelligence & Business Innovation

• Track emerging market demand trends relevant to program growth and positioning.
• Conduct market analysis to identify new business, partnership, and growth opportunities.
• Benchmark national and international executive education and ed-tech partnership/business models.
• Recommend new operating, pricing, and distribution models - including via ed-tech platforms - to strengthen the Hub's market position, in coordination with the Academic Head where academic content is affected.

Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA or equivalent preferred) in Business Administration, Management, Engineering, or a related discipline from a recognized institution/University.
• Professional certifications in program/project management, business development, or partnership management will be an advantage.

Experience

• 8–15 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in program/business operations, executive education, partnerships and business development, EdTech, consulting, or workforce development.
• Experience negotiating and managing partnerships with ed-tech platforms, corporates, or government bodies is highly desirable.
• Experience owning revenue-generating programs, executive education business lines, or corporate training P&Ls will be an advantage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation, deal-structuring, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Strategic and commercial thinking with strong execution and ownership orientation.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with an academically-led counterpart in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.

Expected to act as the owner and strategic leader of the program portfolio's business dimension, ensuring that every initiative moves effectively from:

The incumbent should demonstrate a strong combination of commercial orientation, partnership development, execution capability, stakeholder management, and the ability to work as an equal, independent partner to the Academic Head — not as a reporting layer above or below academic leadership.

Overall Objective

To build and scale a financially sustainable, well-partnered, and widely-reaching portfolio of technology skilling, executive education, and workforce transformation programs - in independent partnership with the Academic Head - enabling IHub-Data to create measurable business and ecosystem impact across academia, industry, and government.