Program Manager - Innovation

MAKER BHAVAN FOUNDATION -  A unit of STEM Shiksha Foundation PROGRAM MANAGER, INNOVATION Location: Mumbai (Hybrid) Team: Programmes Experience: 7–10 years Engagement: Full-time ABOUT MAKER BHAVAN FOUNDATION Maker Bhavan Foundation* (MBF) is a non-profit organisation on a mission to transform India’s 2 million annual engineering graduates from passive learners into confident makers, inventors, and problem-solvers. We believe India’s path to a $30 trillion economy runs through a generation that builds, not one that simply executes. Our programmes span 22+ Tinkerers’ Labs (academic makerspaces across India), InventX (a residential invention bootcamp at IITs with 129+ patents filed), and the Vishwakarma Awards (a national hardware innovation challenge). Through Project PRACTICE, in partnership with AICTE, we are scaling this ecosystem to 1,000 colleges and 5 lakh students by 2028. This is an organisation for people who want their work to matter. THE ROLE We are looking for a driven programme leader to own the design, scale, and execution of two of MBF’s flagship student challenges: Vishwakarma Awards and InventX. This is not a purely execution-focused role. You will shape how each programme cycle is conceptualized, build the institutional partnerships and repeatable processes that let it grow across host institutions, and drive it day to day, from student applications through to finale. This role is ideal for someone who has run large-scale student or education programmes before, is energized by working directly with faculty, lab in-charges, and senior academic stakeholders, and is ready to take end-to-end ownership in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment. You will also build what happens after the programme ends: a pathway into incubation and industry for the teams worth taking further. You will work closely with MBF’s programme and communications teams, and directly with host institute partners across the country. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Programme Design & Scaling Contribute to the conceptualization and design of each programme cycle: themes, formats, timelines, and evaluation criteria, drawing on past-edition learnings and stakeholder feedback Identify gaps in current programme design and execution, and drive the changes needed to strengthen both cycle over cycle Scale Vishwakarma Awards and InventX across multiple host institutions, replicating what works and adapting for local context Templatize core programme processes, including outreach, onboarding, mentorship, and evaluation, so growth doesn’t mean rebuilding from scratch 2. Institutional Partnerships Act as the primary point of contact for institutional stakeholders, including faculty, lab in-charges, placement and TPO cells, and host institute coordinators Own and grow the institutional partnerships that support programme delivery and expansion, including new host institutes and ecosystem partners Coordinate with mentors, jury…