Program Manager - Careers

Company Overview

Mesa School of Business is India’s pioneering startup-focused business school based in Bengaluru. Founded by Harvard and Kellogg alumni, Mesa reimagines management education through real-world startup immersion instead of traditional classroom learning. Students build, launch, and pitch real ventures, supported by 100+ industry mentors and the in-house Mesa Startup Lab backed by ₹5 crore in funding.

At Mesa, the program is the product and outcomes are the scoreboard. We move fast, operate with ownership, and build systems that directly impact student growth.

About the Role:

The Program Manager owns the end-to-end design, delivery, and continuous improvement of one or more academic programs at Mesa. This role sits at the intersection of academics, operations, faculty, industry partnerships, and students.

You will be responsible not just for running programs smoothly, but for thinking like a product manager-improving learner experience, driving outcomes, and scaling systems as Mesa grows.

This is a high-ownership, high-impact role suited for someone who enjoys ambiguity, fast execution, and building from scratch.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Program Ownership & Delivery

• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of assigned programs (orientation → academic weeks → industry immersions → assessments → outcomes)

• Ensure flawless execution of calendars, sessions, workshops, projects, and evaluations

• Anticipate risks and bottlenecks; proactively solve before they escalate

• Act as the single-point owner for program success

2. Curriculum & Learning Experience Design

• Work closely with faculty, founders, and industry experts to design and refresh curriculum

• Translate high-level learning goals into detailed session plans, cases, assignments, and projects

• Ensure curriculum remains practical, startup-relevant, and outcome-oriented

• Continuously improve learning experience using student feedback, NPS, and performance data

3. Faculty & Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with visiting faculty, founders, operators, and speakers

• Brief faculty on student context, learning objectives, and delivery expectations

• Coordinate schedules, content alignment, and session readiness

• Be the bridge between academic vision and on-ground execution

4. Student Experience & Program Quality

• Own student experience across academic and non-academic touchpoints

• Handle escalations with empathy and clarity while protecting program quality

• Track engagement, attendance, learning outcomes, and satisfaction

• Build trust and credibility with students as a program leader

5. Operations, Systems & Scale

• Design and improve SOPs for program planning and execution

• Build templates, trackers, and dashboards for program health

• Work closely with ops, admissions, placements, and marketing teams

• Prepare programs to scale across cohorts without quality dilution

6. Data, Feedback & Continuous Improvement

• Track program-level metrics (NPS, attendance, outcomes, feedback trends)

• Run retrospectives after major milestones and cohorts

• Use insights to drive curriculum, faculty, and experience improvements

• Present clear program reviews to leadership
  

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience & Background

• 4–6 years of experience in program management, academic operations, consulting, startups, or education

• Prior experience in B-schools, edtech, startups, or high-growth environments is a strong plus