Associate Director - Learning Experience, Schools Program

Associate Director Learning Experience (Schools Program)

Base Location - Bangalore, Karnataka

Reporting to - Director, Schools Program

About Quest Alliance:

Quest Alliance is a not-for-profit organization working across India, dedicated to equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world of work. Since 2008, weve been reimagining how young learners, especially those from underserved communities experience education, career readiness, and lifelong learning. We have been enabling equitable school-to-work transitions by building future-ready learning ecosystems that prioritize access, inclusion, and innovation.

Through strong collaboration with government systems, educators, communities, and civil society, we co-create tech-enabled learning experiences that empower young learnersespecially those from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to build dignified, thriving and future-ready careers.

We envision a world where education goes beyond access, becoming a powerful tool for self-empowerment, social mobility, and lasting impact.

Role Overview:

The Associate Director Learning Experience (Schools Program) anchors the design, strategy, and operationalization of Quest Alliances Learning Experience (LE) for the schools program. This role ensures that all programmatic interventionsincluding teacher capacity building, content development, ed-tech integration, AI curriculum development and career pathwaysare aligned with organizational strategy, future skills priorities, and sustainability goals. The AD leads and mentors a cross-functional LE team to deliver high-quality learning experiences at scale, positioning Quest as a thought leader in AI, computational thinking, and career readiness in government school ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership

• Anchor the overall LE strategy across programmatic and state-specific goals, integrating the new Learning Experience Framework (LEF) and learning and product philosophy.
• Define, communicate, and operationalize strategies for teacher-led adoption, Master Trainer and District Officials engagement, and career exploration initiatives.
• Lead the development and mainstreaming of AI curriculum and career exploration programmes and thematic learning journeys for students, teachers, and school leaders.
• Support program leadership in defining and executing integrated program-product strategies aligned with future skills priorities.
• Ensure alignment of all LE initiatives with broader organizational objectives, donor requirements, and state education systems.

2. Team Management & Capacity Building

• Lead a team of EdTech Architects, Capacity Building Specialists, and Education Specialists.
• Mentor and support team members in their functional areas: content design, teacher capacity building, digital learning, and operational implementation.
• Build internal team capacities in facilitation, product oriented program perspectives, digital tools adoption, program strategy and comfort with data.
• Define growth pathways, realign roles, and ensure accountability for LE team deliverables.
• Foster a culture of reflective practice, collaboration, and shared leadership within the team.

3. Program Implementation & Operational Oversight

• Ensure successful mainstreaming of teacher-led adoption initiatives including ideathons, hackathons, AI curriculum, and career-oriented pilots.
• Oversee the product lifecycle — design, integration into classroom practice, and adoption at scale — ensuring learning resources are aligned with pedagogy and state ecosystem needs.
• Support state teams in operationalizing cascade-based strategies (Master Trainers, DRGs, Change Leaders) to drive capacity-building and sustainability.
• Partner with hub teams on: Data systems development and analysis, Building a data-oriented culture within teams, Operational strategies for seamless product integration
• Conduct regular field visits to assess implementation quality, provide feedback, and refine approaches based on ground realities.
• Ensure data-driven decision-making through effective use of dashboards, feedback mechanisms, and M&E insights.
• Anchor process documentation, action research, and evidence collection to inform future design and planning.

4. Product & Innovation Strategy

• Collaborate with QEL and central product teams on product development and innovation for flagship programs.
• Contribute implementation insights and government priorities to product strategy and decision-making.
• Validate product prototypes through field feedback and user experience testing.
• Support design and rollout of digital learning solutions aligned with program goals and pedagogy.
• Build state team capacities on effective product usage, digital pedagogy, and learner-centered delivery.
• Ensure strong feedback loops between state implementation and product innovation for continuous improvement.

5. Thought Leadership & External Engagement

• Position Quest Alliance as a thought leader in computational thinking, future skills, and career readiness.
• Represent QA in national and state forums, cross-organizational collaborations, and sector networks.
• Drive campaigns, recognition strategies, and dissemination of best practices to enhance stakeholder engagement.

6. Organizational Responsibilities

• Adhere to organizational systems, policies, and collaborative practices.
• Actively participate in internal governance forums like team reviews, org meetings
• Model regenerative leadership by fostering inclusive, reflective, and adaptive team practices.
• Contribute to proposal writing, organizational learning, and cross-functional initiatives.

Qualifications & Skills:

• 10+ years of experience in education, capacity building, or EdTech program management (preferably in school systems).
• Strong program strategy, operational, and team leadership skills.
• Expertise in curriculum design, learning frameworks, and teacher development.
• Experience in digital learning platforms, content strategy, and ed-tech implementation.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Salary:

Benefits:

In addition to your compensation, you are also eligible for a suite of benefits designed to support your well-being and growth:

- Comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance covering up to 10,00,000 annually

- Mediclaim Insurance covering up to 3,00,000 annually, supported through our insurance partner, Loop, which also offers additional wellness benefits

- Reach for the Stars (RFS) amount of up to 5,000 to support your self-learning and knowledge-building efforts

- Internet allowance of up to 750/month, reimbursable based on actual usage to support flexible and hybrid working arrangements

- For employees with children under the age of 6 years, Quest offers childcare or day care fee support through a monthly matching contribution of up to 3,000, helping you create a supportive work-life balance

- Access to emotional health and wellbeing programs such as:

* Group sessions worth 7,500 per session fully covered by the organisation

* 1:1 counselling sessions (worth 1,800 per session), fully covered by the organisation