Director - Product Strategy (Academics)

LOCATION: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore ABOUT THE ROLE As the Director Product Strategy (Academics), you will lead the design, innovation, and strategic direction of a leading tech-enabled education organizations middle school and high school products. This role demands a blend of strategic foresight, subject-matter expertise, and executional excellence to deliver world-class, scalable, and impactful academic solutions. You will define the long-term product roadmap for Middle School and High School, ensure alignment with the organizations mission of transforming education, and drive measurable learning outcomes at scale. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including Curriculum, Product, Tech, Business, and Excellence to co-create academic products that integrate global pedagogical best practices, digital learning innovations, and contextual relevance for Indian classrooms. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES Product Strategy & Innovation Define and lead the academic product vision and roadmap. Integrate cutting-edge pedagogy, subject-matter expertise, and student experience insights into high-impact curriculum solutions. Translate long-term academic goals into scalable and tech-enabled product strategies. Build frameworks and standards that ensure rigor, relevance, and learner outcomes across academic products. Cross-functional Leadership & Execution Collaborate with Product, Tech, and Business teams to co-design learning solutions for classroom and at-home learning.Work closely with the Excellence Team to align academic content with student development and training initiatives.Champion innovation by identifying emerging trends, technology, and practices in high school education and applying them to product design. Stakeholder Management Collaborate with technology and product teams to create scalable, tech-enabled academic solutions that leverage data-driven insights.Engage with school leaders, teachers, and sales teams to understand assessment needs and improve adoption. Manage external vendors and partners, where needed.Provide academic mentorship and capacity building across curriculum and pedagogy functions. Insights, Analytics & Market Intelligence Lead high-impact projects, managing timelines, resource allocation, and quality benchmarks.Use data and market insights to refine academic strategy, identify gaps, and inform product decisions.Maintain visibility on competitor offerings, industry trends, and regulatory guidelines to ensure high school products remain ahead of the curve. EXPERIENCE 8 to 10+ years of experience in educational product strategy, curriculum design, or academic innovation.Proven track record of designing and delivering high-impact academic products, especially in the high school segment.Masters degree or Ph.D. in Education or relevant subject discipline; BE/MBA preferred for strategy orientation.Experience in EdTech, academic operations, or K12 education (especially in scalable B2B models) is highly desirable.Strong understanding of national and global curriculum standards (NCERT, CBSE, ICSE, international boards). COMPETENCIES REQUIRED Functional Deep understanding of academic planning, instructional design, and highschool subject matter.Strong strategic acumen with ability to develop product vision and drive implementation.Expertise in using analytics and learner data to improve content and product performance.Familiarity with education technology platforms, tools, and blended learning models. Role-Based Excellent stakeholder and project management skills.High ownership mindset with the ability to work in dynamic, ambiguous environments. Strong communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skillsPassion for education, innovation, and improving student outcomes at scale.