Director - Vachani School of Advance Computing

Job Description

Location: Ashoka University Campus, Sonipat, Haryana (Delhi-NCR)Department: Vachani School of Advanced ComputingReports To: Dean, VSACRole Type: Full-timeExperience: 15-25 years

ABOUT THE VACHANI SCHOOL OF ADVANCED COMPUTINGThe Vachani School of Advanced Computing (VSAC) is Ashoka University's newest school. It's built on one idea: computing has created a genuinely new way of thinking, one built on algorithmic reasoning, systems thinking, and data-driven modelling, as important to human progress as the scientific method itself.Positioned within Ashoka's liberal arts environment, VSAC applies computational thinking across the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. In turn, those disciplines reshape core computer science itself. Together, this work spans domains from health and climate to sustainability and public policy.VSAC's work rests on four commitments: bringing computational thinking into every discipline; using cutting-edge CS research to tackle societal challenges; pushing research at the frontier of CS+X and AI/ML; and training computationally skilled graduates with strong ethical and humanistic grounding.At its core, VSAC is a hub where different fields converge, driven by data and AI. It brings diverse disciplines together to co-develop solutions to complex academic and societal challenges, using AI, data science, and computational innovation as the common thread.VSAC is built on two departments, Department of Computer Science, and the newly established Department of Data Science and AI working alongside a set of interdisciplinary research centres, including the Centre for Digitalisation, AI and Society, the Safexpress Centre for Data, Learning and Decision Sciences, and the Koita Centre for Digital Health at Ashoka (run jointly with the Trivedi School of Biosciences).

ABOUT THE ROLEThe Director will lead the strategic and operational growth of Ashoka’s Vachani School of Advanced Computing, strengthening its academic profile, research ecosystem, external partnerships, and student opportunities. The role will work closely with the School’s faculty, University leadership, students, researchers, industry leaders, academic collaborators, key internal partners like the Outreach and Admissions team, the Career Development office and the Development team, and external partners and funders to build a visible and vibrant Computer Science community. The Director will help drive strengthening of the undergraduate and graduate programmes, support faculty recruitment and retention, enable research through targeted funding and resources, and represent the Department and Centres across University, academic, industry, and public forums. As a senior ambassador for the School, the Director will help build its reputation and expand its national and international network.Success at the three-year mark will be reflected in stronger programmes and research activity, a growing academic and student community, deeper partnerships, increased visibility, significantly strengthened infrastructure and capabilities, and effective operational and financial stewardship.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESOperational Leadership and Institutional ManagementLead the operational and institutional direction of the School of Advanced Computing, translating the Dean's and HODs' academic vision into clear, sequenced, resourced priorities across programmes, faculty development, infrastructure/capacity creation, research enablement, talent recruitment, partnerships, and outreach, monitoring progress and sustaining institutional momentum.Manage the School's budget and resource allocation, ensuring financial and institutional resources are aligned with academic priorities set by the Dean and HODs.

Faculty and Research EnablementSupport faculty recruitment and retention by administering mechanisms such as Young Faculty Grants/Chairs, seed research grants, and other initiatives such as conferences, workshops, and international roadshows that help attract and retain high-calibre, diverse talent.Help drive the continuous development of undergraduate, Masters, PhD, and postdoctoral programmes, working closely with the Dean and HODs across both Departments and CentresEnable a vibrant research culture by supporting research collaborations, student research opportunities, external funding pursuits, and capacity/infrastructure creation, in service of academic priorities set by faculty.

Industry and Innovation Ecosystem EngagementMaintain a strategic understanding of emerging trends in computing, AI, and data science, and their implications for industry, society, and the profession.Build genuine connectwith India's innovation ecosystem, including startups, research partnerships, and funding bodies, building Ashoka’s thought leadership, and converting this network into opportunities for the School.Secure and manage the industry placements and internships required by new programmes by making sustained industry connectivity a core, ongoing responsibility of the role.

External Representation, Institutional Profile, and Internal CoordinationAs VSAC's senior representative, the Director will be the credible, confident voice that carries the School's vision, programmes, and priorities to the world, always in service of showcasing the Dean, the Advisory Board, and VSAC's founders, never a personal platform. This means building high-value relationships with academic institutions, research organisations, industry and technology leaders, media, and alumni, and converting them into collaborations and opportunities for VSAC's students and faculty; and representing the School at University, academic, and industry forums that build its national and international standing.Much of what VSAC needs to succeed lives outside the Director's direct authority, which is exactly why coordination, and influence, not command, is the core skill this role demands. The Director will be VSAC's central point of contact with four key partner offices:Outreach and Admissions, to build a compelling student proposition, and support outstanding student enrolmentCareer Development, to help drive strong outcomes for CS and DS/AI graduatesGraduate Studies, to ensure consistent, aligned engagement on Masters, PhD, and postdoctoral mattersFundraising/Development, to align the School's priorities with external funding opportunities

Visibility, Outreach and Community BuildingLead the School's external outreach and positioning strategy and implementation, working with University teams to develop compelling narratives, campaigns, digital presence, and communications that showcase its research, programmes, faculty, and impact.Conceptualise, organise, and champion high-profile lectures, conferences, seminars, workshops, and panel discussions that elevate the School's visibility and convening power.Drive targeted outreach, especially to the country's top colleges, for recruitment of Masters and PhD scholars, postdoctoral and pre-doctoral researchers, and other academic talent, building a strong, engaged Computer Science community around the School.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORQualifications15-20 years of professional experience, with significant leadership experience in academic, research, technology-oriented, or comparable organisations.Demonstrated experience leading diverse teams and managing significant programmes or projects in academic, research, or corporate settings.Advanced degree in Computer Science or a closely related field preferred from a premier Institute.Experience developing and maintaining industry and academic partnerships that advance educational, research, or career opportunities.Hands-on experience in budget management, resource allocation, and securing or managing external funding for research or student initiatives.Strong programme management capabilities, including the use of data-driven approaches to improve outcomes and operational effectiveness.Experience overseeing undergraduate and graduate academic programmes, faculty recruitment and retention, and research-focused initiatives.

Who You AreYou think like an institution-builder balancing ambition with the patience, judgement, and long-term perspective needed to strengthen a school and its allied Centres, not just run what already exists.You lead with ownership and conviction, turning an ambitious vision into momentum while navigating complexity, ambiguity, and competing priorities without waiting to be told what to do next.You have strong interpersonal skills and manage through influence, not hierarchy most of the people whose cooperation you need won't report to you.You build institutional trust, creating real relationships across faculty, students, University leadership, and external stakeholders, earned through consistency and follow-through rather than title.You steward with a long-term perspective, making thoughtful decisions that balance institutional ambition, academic values, inclusivity, and sustainable impact.You're still building, not arrived. You'll likely be stronger on some of the above than others; what matters more is a genuine hunger to learn and grow into the parts you're not yet strong in. Anyone who believes they've already figured this out is the wrong fit. Decisions that balance institutional ambition, academic values, inclusivity, and sustainable impact.

ABOUT ASHOKA UNIVERSITY: www.ashoka.edu.in