About the IIHS Academic Programmes and Schools
India’s urban transition is unprecedented in scale and complexity. Within it lie both the opportunities of increased economic growth and employment as well as the challenges of persistent inequality, extreme deprivation and environmental degradation. IIHS’ academic programmes aim to foster a new generation of urban practitioners and change makers, to become part of shaping this transition.
The academic programmes are supported by the five interdisciplinary IIHS Schools: School of Environment and Sustainability (SES), School of Systems and Infrastructure (SSI), School of Economic Development (SED), School of Human Development (SHD) and School of Governance (SoG). Each School has a particular transformational theme and a set of teaching, research and practice projects and programmes within it. Collectively, the five schools systematically address a wide range of urban issues, from questions of livelihood and economic development, access to basic infrastructure, affordable housing and healthcare for all, to tackling climate change and land governance.
Job Description
IIHS is seeking experienced and motivated professionals to join the team responsible for the design and delivery of innovative, interdisciplinary undergraduate degree programme(s). These mid- to senior-level roles are suited to individuals who can contribute across the full spectrum of curriculum development—from research and pedagogy to detailed design, and readiness for delivery. Depending on the level and demonstrated experience, the role may include leading workstreams, mentoring team members, coordinating and supporting institutional processes. The IIHS curriculum emphasises interdisciplinary learning, theory and practice, and rootedness in India.
These will be contractual engagements of varying durations depending on individual profiles and roles, with the potential to selectively turn into regular positions over time, depending on role and long-term fit.
Activities and Tasks
Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Curriculum research, benchmarking and strategy;
- Leading comparative landscape analysis of interdisciplinary undergraduate programmes (India and globally) to inform curriculum framework and positioning;
- Tracking and interpreting relevant regulatory frameworks, accreditation requirements, and institutional norms; translating these into design implications for programme structure and course design;
- Developing design briefs, and recommendations to support decision-making by programme leadership and faculty teams;
- Curriculum development and academic design:
- Supporting the development of the interdisciplinary curriculum framework (goals, strategy, learning journeys, structure, components), curriculum planning (e.g. preparation, course and module breakdown, integration across domains, or disciplines, precursors, equivalence) and programme design (e.g. mix of foundation, core and elective courses, sequencing, loading, assessment systems);
- Supporting the design of interdisciplinary practice-linked, problem-based and experiential learning components (e.g. practica, studios, cases, field-based learning, site visits, practitioner engagement and internships);
- Helping translate academic intent into student learning journeys and course/ module design, supporting the drafting and refining of courses, preparing reading lists, assessment approaches, and other programme documentation;
- Participating in curriculum design processes and discussions; synthesising decisions; preparing briefs/ presentations as needed; and supporting follow-through with faculty and internal teams;
- Helping define key elements of the teaching-learning environment (e.g. classrooms, labs, library, practica and foundation course learning environments);
- Academic coordination and facilitation:
- Coordinating across faculty, Schools, and subject matter experts to align curriculum components and ensure coherence across the programme;
- Planning and facilitating curriculum workshops, consultative meetings, and review processes; documenting decisions and ensuring follow-through;
- Supporting academic delivery readiness in collaboration with institutional teams (e.g., scheduling inputs, student-facing academic documentation, academic processes and templates);
- Knowledge management, documentation and quality assurance:
- Producing high-quality curriculum documentation, synthesis notes, presentations, and internal reports for reviews and approvals;
- Contributing to academic quality assurance processes—documentation, review cycles, improvement logs, and readiness checklists;
- Strengthening documentation standards and templates to support consistency across courses and programme elements;
- Institutional support and team contribution
- Contributing to institution-building activities at IIHS/ IIHS (Deemed to be) University, as required; collaborating across academics, research, practice, training, and operations;
- (For Senior Specialist) Mentoring junior team members, setting work plans for designated workstreams, and upholding quality and timelines for outputs.
Structure and Reporting
The position(s) will report to the Associate Academic Programme Director (AAPD) – Undergraduate programmes or to any other person designated by the AAPD – Undergraduate programmes at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with the Academic Committee, along with a diverse group of internal teams and external Individuals/ organisations, and students.
Person Specification
The ideal candidate should have:
- Essential
- A Post Graduate degree in Planning, Education, Social Sciences, Ecology/ Life Sciences, Public Health, Policy and Governance, Design, Humanities, Urban Studies or a relevant discipline, with demonstrated comfort in interdisciplinary environments. We are especially looking for people with background in Gender, Economics, Social Sciences, Ecology and Technology, but all disciplines are encouraged to apply;
- Relevant experience of a minimum 8 years in curriculum design, academic research, higher education programme development, or related academic programme roles, particularly in Indian education system;
- Strong research, analytical and writing skills, with ability to synthesise complex information into clear design recommendations and usable academic documentation;
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate across diverse stakeholders (faculty, researchers, institutional teams), manage multiple priorities, and deliver high-quality outputs;
- High proficiency with digital tools for research, collaboration, documentation and presentations (MS Office/Google Workspace). Additional tools would be considered advantageous;
- Desirable (for Senior Specialist)
- Experience in leading curriculum workstreams or programme design processes, including facilitation of reviews/ workshops and managing timelines;
- Familiarity with regulatory/ accreditation contexts relevant to higher education and the ability to translate requirements into academic design decisions;
- Experience designing assessment frameworks, rubrics, and practice-based learning components;
- Experience mentoring teams and maintaining quality assurance across multiple curriculum components.
These will be contractual engagements of varying durations depending on individual profiles and roles, with the potential to selectively turn into regular positions over time, depending on role and long-term fit.
Location
This position is based in Bengaluru and may entail travel to other locations in India.
Review and Assessment
The role and performance of the incumbent shall be subject to normal review and assessment systems at IIHS.
Diversity Policy
IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.
