Director – Automation

Role Name: Director – Automation

Years of Exp: 20+ Years

Reporting To: Executive Vice President

Location: Pune(Hybrid)

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Director – Automation to lead our Automation and Innovation initiatives, drive the vision and roadmap for the AI Center of Excellence (CoE), and deliver scalable, technology-driven business solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in enterprise automation, AI/ML, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), scripting, and continuous integration tools, along with proven leadership experience in building high-performing teams and driving large-scale automation programs.

The role requires a forward-thinking leader who can identify automation opportunities, translate business requirements into innovative technical solutions, and establish best practices to improve operational efficiency, productivity, quality, and business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & AI CoE Development

• •Define and execute the vision, strategy, business plans, and objectives for the AI Center of Excellence (CoE), ensuring alignment with organizational goals and business priorities.
• •Develop and implement a comprehensive automation and innovation roadmap to drive enterprise-wide process optimization and operational excellence.
• •Identify emerging technologies, industry trends, and innovative approaches to enhance automation capabilities and deliver measurable business value.
• •Establish automation governance, standards, frameworks, and best practices to ensure scalability, quality, security, and consistency across initiatives.

2. Automation & Innovation

• •Build, lead, and scale a high-performing Automation and Innovation team to design, develop, and implement automation solutions across business processes and project workflows.
• •Identify, assess, and prioritize automation opportunities based on business impact, feasibility, complexity, and expected return on investment.
• •Drive the successful implementation of automation across multiple processes and project tasks, with a focus on accelerating delivery, reducing manual effort, and improving operational efficiency.
• •Evaluate and recommend the most suitable technologies and frameworks to address business challenges and deliver sustainable automation solutions.
• •Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure automation effectiveness, productivity improvements, cost optimization, and business impact.

3. Business Process Optimization & Stakeholder Management

• •Analyze existing business processes, workflows, and stakeholder requirements to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and opportunities for automation and improvement.
• •Collaborate with business leaders, project stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to understand business needs and translate them into actionable technical solutions.
• •Recommend process improvements and technology-enabled solutions that align with business objectives and operational requirements.
• •Lead stakeholder discussions, solution reviews, and implementation planning to ensure alignment, timely execution, and successful adoption of automation initiatives.

4. Technical Leadership & Emerging Technologies

• •Provide technical direction and oversight across automation technologies, including AI/ML, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), autonomous scripting, Python, .NET, and Jenkins .
• •Guide teams in selecting appropriate tools, technologies, and architectural approaches based on business requirements and technical feasibility.
• •Promote the adoption of AI-driven automation, intelligent workflows, and innovative scripting solutions to address complex business challenges.
• •Drive integration of automation solutions with existing enterprise systems, development workflows, and CI/CD pipelines wherever applicable.
• •Ensure automation solutions are scalable, maintainable, reliable, and aligned with enterprise technology standards.

5. Team Leadership, Mentoring & Capability Building

• •Recruit, develop, and mentor professionals across AI/ML, RPA, scripting, software engineering, and automation disciplines.
• •Build a culture of innovation, continuous learning, collaboration, accountability, and technical excellence.
• •Provide technical guidance and leadership to team members, enabling them to develop new capabilities and deliver high-quality automation solutions.
• •Establish competency development plans, knowledge-sharing practices, and technical training initiatives to strengthen organisational automation capabilities.
• •Foster collaboration across teams to encourage experimentation, reusable solutions, and continuous improvement.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• •Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• •Extensive experience in enterprise automation, digital transformation, process optimization, and technology-driven innovation.
• •Proven experience in establishing and scaling an Automation or AI Center of Excellence (CoE).
• •Strong understanding of AI/ML, RPA, Python, .NET, autonomous scripting, and Jenkins .
• •Demonstrated ability to build and lead multidisciplinary technical teams across automation and emerging technology domains.
• •Experience translating complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions using appropriate tools and technologies.
• •Strong understanding of automation architecture, integration approaches, CI/CD practices, and enterprise technology environments.
• •Proven track record of delivering automation initiatives that improve productivity, quality, efficiency, and business outcomes.
• •Excellent leadership, strategic planning, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• •Strong stakeholder management, communication, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Key Success Measures

• •Successful definition and execution of the AI CoE and enterprise automation strategy.
• •Number and business impact of processes automated across the organization.
• •Improvements in productivity, turnaround time, quality, and operational efficiency.
• •Adoption, scalability, reliability, and reusability of automation solutions.
• •Growth of automation capabilities, team performance, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Our Offerings for Employee Benefits and Well-Being:

• •Health Insurance for Employee+Spouse+Two Children+Parents
• •Term Life Insurance
• •GPA – For Employee
• •Hybrid working
• •Compliance – PF and Gratuity

About Academian

Website: www.academian.com

Academia n is a carve-out of an existing 22-year IT company – Intraedge Inc ( www.intraedge.com )

Academian is a service, product, and learning development company in the education domain with a current

headcount of 500+ team members. We are rapidly becoming a leading force in the education technology space.

We specialize in delivering innovative services, products, and learning development solutions tailored for the education sector. Our expertise spans across K-12, higher education, professional institutions, publishers, online program managers (OPMs), and corporate learning environments.

At Academian, we combine deep industry knowledge with a product-oriented design approach , enabling us to craft high-impact learning experiences and technology solutions. From content development and media production to strategic staffing and custom software development, we support every phase of the educational lifecycle.

Our Specialties Include:

• •EdTech Solutions : LMS, CMS, Custom Software, Cloud Architecture
• •Digital Learning : Content Design, Learning Experience Design, Accessibility, Media Development
• •Education Services : K-12, Higher Education, Workforce Development, Publishing & Prepress
• •Strategic Services : Product Management, Strategic Consulting, Technology & Digital Transformation, Staffing.

We’re passionate about shaping the future of learning—and we’re looking for talented, mission-driv