Director — Student Affairs & Administration (DSA&A)

CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY; Mohali; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY seeks a Director of Student Affairs & Administration to serve as second-in-command, steering governance and cross-functional operations across student welfare, residential life, sports, and engagement platforms.

The role requires senior leadership, robust governance experience, and the ability to manage large, multi-domain operational ecosystems with disciplined execution and accountability.

Qualifications

• MBA from a Tier-1 institution or Ph.D. in a related field; MBA+PhD preferred.
• Experience in university administration and governance is preferred.
• Minimum 23 years of cumulative leadership experience in administration or higher education management.
• Experience in residential campus governance and large-scale operations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Second-in-Command to the Executive Director, supporting strategic leadership and operational coordination.
• Oversee dashboards, performance analytics, and monitoring systems for transparency and governance.
• Support formulation, implementation, and review of policies governing student affairs systems and compliance.
• Coordinate across student affairs verticals and university departments for timely decisions.
• Oversee systems governing student welfare, residential life, sports, discipline, and engagement platforms.
• Ensure documentation of directives and effective follow-through across units.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Institutional governance

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional coordination

Discipline governance

Education

MBA from Tier-1 institute (IIMs, XLRI, FMS, MDI, ISB or equivalent)

Ph.D. in Management, Public Administration, Education Leadership, Organizational Behavior, or related

MBA + PhD preferred

Job description

The Director — Student Affairs & Administration (DSA&A) serves as the Second-in-Command within the Department of Student Affairs & Administration, directly supporting the Executive Director in the operational leadership, coordination, and governance of the university’s student life ecosystem. The role ensures disciplined execution of institutional policies, operational systems, and strategic priorities across all student affairs domains including student welfare, residential life, sports administration, discipline systems, student engagement platforms, and administrative coordination. Acting as the principal operational coordinator of DSA&A, the Director ensures alignment across functional verticals and maintains execution discipline across the department’s institutional responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Strategic Coordination & Departmental Leadership: Act as the Second-in-Command to the Executive Director, supporting the strategic leadership and operational coordination of the Department of Student Affairs & Administration.
• 2. Institutional Governance & Performance Monitoring: Oversee the development and review of institutional dashboards, performance analytics, and monitoring systems, ensuring operational transparency and data-driven governance.
• 3. Policy Implementation & Regulatory Compliance: Support the Executive Director in the formulation, implementation, and periodic review of policies governing student affairs systems, ensuring adherence to university regulations and governance frameworks.
• 4. Cross-Functional Operational Coordination: Facilitate coordination across student affairs verticals and university departments to ensure timely execution of institutional decisions and resolution of operational issues.
• 5. Oversight of Student Affairs Systems: Ensure effective functioning of institutional systems governing student welfare, sports administration, residential life, discipline processes, and engagement platforms, maintaining operational consistency and service standards.
• 6. Institutional Communication & Strategic Follow-Through: Ensure structured communication and documentation of leadership directives, action items, and institutional decisions, enabling efficient follow-through across operational units.

The Director must demonstrate:

• Command-level administrative leadership
• Strong capability in institutional governance and coordination
• Ability to manage large multi-domain operational ecosystems
• Data-driven performance monitoring and strategic decision-making
• Professional integrity, discipline, and accountability

Educational Qualification

• MBA from a Tier-1 institution in India (IIMs, XLRI, FMS, MDI, ISB, or equivalent) OR Ph.D. from a nationally accredited institution in Management, Public Administration, Education Leadership, Organizational Behavior, or related disciplines. Candidates with MBA + Ph.D. will be given preference.
• Candidates with Indian Armed Forces background will be strongly preferred due to their demonstrated expertise in crisis command, discipline governance, and large-scale personnel leadership.
• Veterans with post-retirement academic or institutional administrative experience are particularly encouraged to apply.
• Minimum 23 years of cumulative leadership experience in administration, defence services, institutional governance, or higher education management.
• Experience in university administration, residential campus governance, or large-scale institutional operations will be preferred.