Head - Strategy

Kotak Education Foundation; Mumbai; On-site; INR 2,800,000 - 4,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Kotak Education Foundation seeks a Senior Strategy & Impact lead to steer medium- and long-term organizational strategy, oversee data-driven impact reporting, and manage internal consulting engagements. You will align cross-functional teams, advise senior leadership, and foster a culture of learning and performance.

The role demands extensive experience in strategy within Indian social development, strong stakeholder engagement, and people leadership.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field is required.
• 10–12 years of experience in consulting or social impact/NGO development.
• Experience in Monitoring & Evaluation, impact assessment, data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with CXOs / senior management stakeholders.
• Experience with stakeholder management in complex settings (negotiations, clientservicing, fundraising, etc.).
• Structured problem-solving at project manager level or higher in top consulting firms.
• Experience building and leading small high-functioning teams.

Responsibilities

• Anchor KEF's medium- and long-term strategic direction aligned with mission and CSR mandate.
• Lead enterprise-level strategic initiatives across education, scholarships, and vocational programs.
• Translate strategy into roadmaps, priorities, and success metrics for leadership.
• Provide strategic direction to impact and learning agendas with data-driven insights.
• Lead internal consulting engagements and foster systems-thinking in problem solving.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Problem solving

Executive communication

Project management

Team leadership

Systems thinking

Education

Master's degree in Business Management / Economics / Development Management / Public Policy / Liberal Arts

Job description

Role & Responsibilities:

This role will assist the Strategy Function in implementing organizational strategies and maintaining strong cross-functional alignment.

1. Medium- to Long-Term Organisational Strategy

1. Anchor KEF's medium- and long-term strategic direction in alignment with its mission, evolving system-reform ambition, and CSR mandate within the Kotak Mahindra Group ecosystem.
2. Lead enterprise-level strategic initiatives such as: a. State and district transformation strategies
3. Evolution of KEFs North Star and theory of change
4. Portfolio-level decisions across School Education, Scholarships, and Vocational Education
5. New programmatic or geographic expansion opportunities
6. Translate strategic intent into clear roadmaps, priorities, and success metrics for senior leadership and vertical heads.
7. Advise the CEO and SLT on trade-offs, sequencing, and resourcing decisions based on evidence, risk assessment, and system realities.

2. Driving KEFs Impact Strategy and Institutional Learning Agenda

1. Provide strategic direction to KEFs impact and learning agenda, working closely with the M&E team to ensure rigor, relevance, and practical usability of data across the organization. This is a collaborative effort between the Monitoring and Evaluation (MERA) team and the Strategy team whereas MERA generates and manages data systems whereas the strategy role synthesizes, interprets, and embeds insight into strategy.
2. Oversee organization-wide impact reporting, including Board and CSR reporting, ensuring clarity, credibility, and strategic insight (not just compliance).
3. Guide vertical-level annual and multi-year strategic planning using data-driven insights on outcomes, effectiveness, and cost-efficiency.
4. Strengthen data governance, dashboards, and analytical capability to support decision-making at leadership and program levels.
5. Institutionalize learning loops-ensuring insights from the field meaningfully shape strategy, design, and execution.

3. Internal Consulting & Strategic Problem-Solving

1. Scope, structure, and anchor high-priority internal consulting engagements to address complex, cross-cutting challenges (e.g., training transfer, cascade loss, scalability, digital integration, leadership capacity).
2. Partner with vertical heads and functional leaders to: a. Define sharp problem statements
3. Develop solution frameworks
4. Support pilots, implementation, and course correction
5. Bring a strong systems-thinking lens to problem-solving, particularly in government and large-scale education contexts.

4. External & Ecosystem Perspective

1. Continuously assess shifts in education policy, philanthropy, CSR priorities, technology, and evidence discourse to inform KEF's strategic choices and positioning.
2. Engage selectively with external stakeholders-research institutions, donors, government partners, peer organizations-to strengthen KEF's thought leadership and learning.
3. Support strategic partnerships and collaborations that align with KEF's long-term objectives.

5. Leadership, Capability Building & Culture

1. Build, mentor, and lead a small, high-performing Strategy & Impact team.
2. Coach team members on: a. Problem definition and structured thinking
3. Analytical rigor and interpretation
4. Executive communication and storytelling
5. Project management and stakeholder engagement
6. Foster a culture of intellectual honesty, reflection, learning, and high standards

Candidate Specifications:

Educational Qualification

Master's degree in Business Management, Economics, Development Management, Public Policy, Liberal Arts, or a related field required.

Years of Experience & other requirements

Seeking candidates with 10-12 years of experience in consulting or social impact/NGO development. Experience within the Indian social development sector is a plus.

• Exposure to short- and medium-term strategic planning exercises, either as a lead or as a key member of the driving team
• Experience in the areas of Monitoring & Evaluation, impact assessment, data analysis and reporting
• Experience with having worked with CXOs / senior management stakeholders
• Experience with stakeholder management in complex settings (e.g. negotiations, client servicing, consulting, fundraising, etc.)
• Structured problem-solving at a level of proficiency required (as a project manager or a level higher) in top consulting firms
• Experience of having built and managed a small but high-functioning team(s) to drive outcomes.

Hours of work: 8 hours, 6 days a week (2 weeks off in a month, and all Sundays will be holidays)

Working conditions: This role will also involve working in challenging community areas with infrastructural and other disadvantages.