Chief Operating Officer

Emeritus; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 6,000,000 - 8,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Emeritus seeks a Chief Operating Officer (India) to lead the inaugural campus operations in Gurugram, Delhi NCR. You will oversee academic operations, finance, student experience, compliance, and stakeholder engagement to align with global standards and drive transformative education.

You will manage budgets, partnerships, and people strategy, ensuring sustainable growth and an exceptional campus experience for students and staff.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in academic administration or higher education management, with exposure to Indian and international education systems.
• Proven expertise navigating regulatory frameworks, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement at senior levels.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams, manage complex operations, and drive measurable outcomes.
• Strong financial acumen, excellent communication, and collaborative leadership; experience establishing new campuses or multi-faceted operations.
• Experience establishing, leading, or scaling a higher education institution, branch campus, or significant organizational operation.
• Experience developing or managing Transnational Education activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day campus operations, including administration, student services, infrastructure, and HR.
• Formulate and manage operational budgets, optimize resource allocation, and drive financial sustainability with accountability.
• Ensure compliance with Indian higher education regulations and internal quality benchmarks.
• Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with industry, academia, and government.
• Champion student success through academic support, employability and campus life.
• Lead the people strategy, including workforce planning, talent management, succession planning, and inclusive culture.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Financial acumen

Regulatory compliance

HR management

Strategic planning

Campus operations

Partnership development

Education

Master's in Business Administration

Master's in Education Management

Job description

Job Title: Chief Operating Officer (India)

Location: Gurugram, Delhi NCR, India

Employment Type: Full-time

Role Overview

The Chief Operating Officer (India) will lead the University's operations in India as it establishes its first campus in the country, located in Gurugram, Delhi NCR. This strategic leadership role entails overseeing the full spectrum of institutional functions, including academic operations, financial management, student experience, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement. The COO (India) will ensure alignment with global vision and standards, while driving operational excellence, sustainable growth, and a transformative educational experience for students.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Operational Oversight Lead day-to-day campus operations, including administration, student services, infrastructure, and human resource management, ensuring efficiency and high-quality service delivery.
• Financial Stewardship Formulate and manage operational budgets , optimize resource allocation, and drive financial sustainability while maintaining accountability and transparency.
• Academic & Regulatory Compliance Ensure full compliance with Indian higher education regulations, relevant regulatory requirements and professional bodies, as well as internal academic policies and quality benchmarks set by the University.
• Partnership Development
• Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with industry leaders, academic institutions, and government bodies to enhance academic relevance and employability outcomes.
• Student Experience Champion student success through academic support, employability and research opportunities, and campus life. Ensure efficient and effective professional and technical support for students.
• Human Resource Management Foster a culture of excellence and engagement among academic, professional and technical staff. Work closely with the Provost (India), the campus academic leadership team, and colleagues to support the delivery of academic objectives. Lead the people strategy for the campus, including workforce planning, talent management, succession planning, leadership development and the creation of a high-performing and inclusive culture.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree in business administration , Education Management, or a related field.
• Several years of leadership experience in academic administration, higher education management in a similar role or corporate strategy, preferably with exposure to both Indian and international education systems.
• Proven expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks, strategic planning , and stakeholder engagement at senior levels.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams, manage complex operations, and drive measurable institutional outcomes.
• Strong financial acumen, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative leadership style. Experience in establishing new multi-faceted business operations or campuses.
• Experience of establishing, leading or scaling a higher education institution, branch campus or significant organizational operation.
• Experience in developing or managing Transnational Education activities.