Announcement For the post of Principal Project Officer

This position is in the office of IIT Madras Global Research Foundation, which is a part of the office of Global Engagement at IIT Madras. The selected candidate would be reporting to the CEO, IIT Madras Global Research Foundation.

The office of IITM Global Research Foundation is responsible for enabling the resources of IIT Madras, namely, its education & research, Start-ups/Entrepreneurial ventures, IPs/Patents, etc., reach/scale to a global audience in friendly foreign countries through appropriate modes of engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Principal Project Officer Operations is expected to fulfil the following functions: -

Ensure Efficient Operations & Process Excellence

• Streamline and optimize daily business operations across international offices.
• Establish standardized processes for finance, HR, procurement, compliance, and IT.
• Implement digital tools and automation to drive efficiency and transparency.
• Monitor and report on operational KPIs to ensure business continuity.

Provide Business & Financial Support

• Partner with leadership to support P&L management and cost optimization.
• Assist in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning for global units.
• Track ROI for key initiatives and projects to ensure alignment with growth objectives.
• Drive vendor negotiations and strategic sourcing to achieve cost advantages.

Ensure Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with statutory, legal, and regulatory frameworks across geographies.
• Develop risk management systems to mitigate operational, financial, and reputational risks.
• Support internal and external audits, ensuring adherence to corporate governance standards.

Promote People & Global Culture

• Collaborate with HR to build high-performance teams across international locations.
• Enable coordination among global office locations and multicultural workforce engagement.
• Build a performance-driven, collaborative, and accountable work environment.

Drive Strategic Projects & Global Expansion

• Lead special projects such as setting up new global offices, managing global events, and supporting international partnerships.
• Support leadership in driving operational readiness for new business initiatives.
• Provide insights and dashboards to inform executive decision-making

Core Competencies Required for the Role

• Results orientated with focus on execution excellence.
• Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.
• Cross-cultural communication and global stakeholder management.
• Adaptability to dynamic, fast-changing business environments.
• Leadership style that combines discipline, accountability, and collaboration.

Important

If selected, must be able to join us within 30-45 days from the day of receiving the Offer letter.

Preferred Candidate Profile:

Educational Qualification

• Masters degree in Business Administration / Operations / Engineering.
• Professional certifications: PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Prince2, etc. a plus.

Experience:

• At least 10-15 years of overall work experience.
• 812 years of experience in operations management, with exposure to global organizations

Mandatory Skills:

• Strong track record in process optimization, compliance, and P&L support.
• Experience managing global operations, international compliance, and multicultural teams.
• Familiarity with scaling organizations (corporate, consulting, or Startup ecosystems).

Perks and Benifits:

Upto Approx.

Rs. 2,00,000/- p.m.

Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.