Program Head (Student Development)

Position: Head, Student Development

Key Responsibilities

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1. Programme Design & Strate

• gyOwn the annual calendar for well-being initiatives, field trips, outbounds, leadership programmes and exchange programmes across all campuses, planned in partnership with ELC and campus team
• s.Design each experience with clear learning objectives, grade-appropriate progression, and structured reflection — so trips and events become documented learning, not just outing
• s.Conceptualise and pilot special initiatives, including national and international student exchange programmes, from partner scouting through MoUs, safeguarding frameworks and first cohort
• s.Architect the Service Learning Programme —support campuses to identify community partners, define grade-wise service progressions, and design reflection and documentation frameworks so every project produces evidence of civic learnin
• g.Develop and maintain manuals and SOPs for school events and programmes, and research global best practices in student development to keep Ekya's programme design at the leading edg
• e.Align every programme to the Beyond Academics framework and ensure student experiences build coherently from junior to senior schoo

l.2. Execution & Operatio

• nsRun end-to-end trip operations: vendor identification and negotiation, itinerary and learning plan development, rollout communication, payments, staff briefings, on-ground coordination and post-trip closur
• e.Own safety without compromise — pre-departure briefings, student-to-staff ratios, emergency protocols, crisis management plans, medical readiness and post-trip safety review
• s.Manage vendor relationships and hold partners to standards of cost, safety, reliability and quality, including structured vendor evaluation, change and cancellation processe
• s.Drive well-being operations — campus check-in cadences, wellness programming, and coordination with counsellors and Heads of School on follow-up action
• s.Support student councils, leadership bootcamps and clubs so that students hold real responsibility, with teachers as mentors rather than manager
• s.Operationalise the Service Learning Programme on the ground — community partner coordination, safety and safeguarding for off-campus service, tracking of student participation and work hours for accreditation, and service fairs and community event
• s.Build and manage the Work Exposure Programme and internship pipeline — employer partnerships, internship policies and tracking, student counselling and job-search preparation, and workshops and site visit
• s.Drive alumni engagement in service of current students — mentorship and career opportunities, events and reunions, an accurate alumni database, and communication that keeps the community connecte
• d.Organize and execute Summer and Winter Camps and other ancillary programmes with smooth operations and healthy revenue generation, and support marquee events such as the Find Festiva
• l.Contribute to shared SD initiatives — after-school activities, intra- and inter-school competitions, zero period activities, deep dives and clubs — in partnership with the wider SD team and campuse

s.3. Stakeholder & Communication Manageme

• ntBe the trusted bridge between the central SD team, campus leadership, CCA coordinators, teachers, vendors and parent
• s.Own parent-facing communication for trips and exchanges — clear, timely, and calm, especially when plans change or issues aris
• e.Partner with Marketing & Communications team to document and showcase student experiences, and with ELC to keep learning plans at the heart of every tri

p.4. Outcome Measurement & Continuous Improveme

• ntDefine KPIs and success metrics for each programme — participation, student feedback, learning outcomes and well-being indicator
• s.Collect and analyse feedback from students, teachers, parents and vendors after every major experience; close every programme with a report and clear recommendation
• s.Maintain live dashboards on activities, events, competitions and programme revenue for school leadership, showcasing performance, risks and opportunitie
• s.Use data to refine, scale or sunset initiatives, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and student need

s.Who We Are Looking F

orExperience & Qualificatio

• ns7–10 years of experience in student development, experiential education, school programme management, outdoor/adventure education, or a comparable field; at least 3 years managing multi-site or multi-stakeholder programme
• s.A graduate degree in education, psychology, business, communication, social sciences or a related field; a master's degree is preferred and international experience is a plus. Certifications in first aid, outdoor leadership, child safeguarding or counselling are a strong advantag
• e.Demonstrated experience running residential trips, camps or expeditions for children — including vendor management, risk assessment and parent communicatio
• n.Ability to research employer recruiting strategies, job market trends and career growth opportunities in service of the internship and WEP mandat
• e.Exposure to student exchange, international partnerships or inter-school collaborations is highly desirabl

e.Capabilities & Dispositio

• nsAn operator's discipline with an educator's heart — able to run a 400-student outbound to the minute, and equally able to explain why the reflection session matters as much as the tre
• k.Exceptional planning and project management skills; comfortable managing multiple concurrent programmes, calendars, budgets and vendor
• s.Calm, decisive judgement under pressure — especially in safety-critical or crisis situations away from campu
• s.Strong written and verbal communication; able to write for parents, brief teachers and present to leadership with equal fluenc
• y.Data-comfortable: designs feedback instruments, reads the numbers honestly, and acts on the
• m.Commercially aware — plans ancillary programmes (camps, trips) to be both educationally rich and financially sustainabl
• e.High integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality when handling student and family informatio
• n.Deep belief in student agency — sees students as leaders and co-designers of their own experiences, not just participant
• s.Willingness to travel frequently, including overnight trips and occasional international travel for exchange programme

s.What Success Looks Like in Year O

• neA full annual calendar of exclusive, meaningful and well planned field trips and outbounds delivered on time, on budget and with zero safety compromise
• s.A well-being check-in rhythm running across all campuses, with visible follow-through on finding
• s.Student leadership structures (councils, bootcamps) running with genuine student ownership and documented growt
• h.The Service Learning Programme running with active community partners, sustained student projects and documented reflection — not one-off drives or fundraiser
• s.At least one student exchange partnership signed and piloted, with a repeatable playbook for the nex
• t.The Work Exposure Programme and internship pipeline live, with signed employer partnerships and the first student cohorts place
• d.Summer and Winter Camps delivered with strong participation and revenue targets me
• t.Every major programme closing with feedback, a report and a sharper plan for the following yea

r.This position is pivotal in shaping a holistic student experience — combining academic aspirations with personal and leadership developmen