Monica Acharya

Consultant - Operations Head , NGO/Trust

Mumbai, Maharashtra

A seasoned leader with 26 years of experience across education, skilling, and social development, I can drives impactful programs at scale. Known for strategic vision, operational excellence, and team leadership. Looking for job opportunities in corporate social responsibility to advance sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth.

Contact Monica Acharya
Area of Expertise:
  • Social, Gender, Education, Youth, Child
Professional Experience:

I am a seasoned professional with over two decades of leadership experience across education, skill development, training, administration, and corporate social responsibility. My career has been driven by a strong commitment to building inclusive systems, strengthening institutional capacity, and delivering large-scale, measurable social impact. I bring deep expertise in program leadership, stakeholder management, team development, and operational excellence across nonprofit and corporate environments.
Currently, I serve as Operations Head (Consultant) at Ananta Mitra Foundation, where I support skilling and sustainability initiatives, contributing to program execution, operational efficiency, and partnership development to ensure compliant and effective delivery.

The most defining phase of my professional journey has been my extensive association with ICICI Foundation, where I held multiple senior leadership roles with significant responsibility and scale. As Zonal Head – West Zone, I managed an annual budget of INR 400 million, overseeing large urban and rural development portfolios across skill development, sustainable livelihoods, renewable energy, healthcare, and environmental initiatives. I provided strategic direction to multiple skill development academies, addressed region-specific development challenges, strengthened market linkages, and enabled entrepreneurial opportunities for marginalized communities. Central to my role was building, mentoring, and leading high-performing teams across diverse geographies.

Following this role, I transitioned to Program Manager (Pan India) at ICICI Foundation, where I led national flagship initiatives including the ICICI Academy of Skills, the Financial Advisory Program, and the Financial Literacy Program. In this role, I focused on strengthening program quality, standardization, and impact across regions. I managed end-to-end program operations, including curriculum design, trainer coordination, quality assurance, and continuous process improvement. Through these initiatives, I enabled underprivileged youth to access industry-relevant vocational training, supported their certification as Mutual Fund Advisors, and empowered lakhs of individuals with improved financial knowledge and decision-making capabilities.

Earlier, as Centre Head at ICICI Academy for Skills, Mumbai, I managed an annual budget of INR 100 million and oversaw more than 6 skill development courses, successfully training over 8,000 candidates with 100% placement outcomes. I worked closely with the Skill Development Ministry, district collectors, and other government departments to align training delivery, financial literacy programs, and youth placement initiatives. I also led extensive outreach efforts through schools, colleges, and institutional partnerships, hosted visits by senior leadership and dignitaries, and prepared detailed performance reports highlighting achievements and improvement areas.
Before entering the development sector, I spent over 15 years as a Principal and Teacher at Army Public School, where I was recognized for academic leadership and student mentorship. I later transitioned into corporate training, delivering programs in women’s safety, empowerment, life skills, and communication, and trained nearly 3,000 women.
Overall, my professional journey reflects sustained leadership, operational excellence, and deep domain expertise, with my ICICI Foundation experience forming the cornerstone of my work in corporate social responsibility and social impact.

Education:

My educational journey reflects a strong blend of academic rigor, professional development, and a lifelong commitment to learning, leadership, and capacity building. My qualifications span management, education, computer science, and advanced training methodologies, equipping me with a multidisciplinary perspective essential for leading large-scale training, skilling, and social development initiatives.
I completed my Master’s Diploma in Business Management in 2002 from Symbiosis College of Management Studies, one of India’s most reputed management institutions. This program provided me with a solid foundation in strategic management, organizational behavior, finance, operations, and human resource management. The curriculum strengthened my ability to plan, execute, and monitor complex projects while aligning organizational objectives with measurable outcomes. The exposure to case-based learning and real-world business scenarios enhanced my analytical thinking, decision-making capabilities, and leadership approach—skills which I consistently applied while managing large budgets, teams, and multi-stakeholder programs in corporate and social sectors.
In 1996, I earned my Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from Lucknow University, a qualification that shaped my core strength in teaching, training, and learner-centric program design. This degree equipped me with a deep understanding of pedagogy, curriculum development, assessment techniques, and classroom management. The emphasis on child development, psychology, and instructional methodologies enabled me to create engaging learning environments and adapt training approaches for diverse learner groups. This educational foundation later proved invaluable in my roles as a school principal, corporate trainer, and Zonal/Program head for large-scale skilling initiatives, where effective knowledge transfer and learner engagement were critical.
Earlier, in 1993, I completed her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Pune University. This technical education provided me with strong analytical skills, logical reasoning, and an understanding of information systems and emerging technologies. My background in computer science has supported her ability to integrate technology into training programs, manage data-driven reporting systems, and adapt to digital tools used in modern learning and program management environments. It has also enhanced my comfort in working across cross-functional teams involving technology, operations, and training delivery. Further strengthening my professional profile, Monica holds a Train the Trainer Certification from the Dale Carnegie Institute, a globally recognized authority in leadership and communication training. This certification refined my skills in adult learning principles, effective communication, presentation excellence, team motivation, and leadership development. The program reinforced my ability to inspire confidence, build trust, and deliver high-impact training sessions—competencies I have successfully applied while training thousands of individuals, mentoring teams, and leading leadership development initiatives. Together, my educational qualifications form a robust foundation that seamlessly integrates management expertise, educational excellence, technical acumen, and world-class training methodologies. This strong academic base continues to support my effectiveness as a leader in education, skilling, training, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Affiliations and Achievements:

Delivered large-scale CSR and social development programs across education, skill development, livelihoods, healthcare, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability, creating measurable impact in both urban and rural communities.

Successfully managed and governed annual CSR and development budgets up to INR 400 million, ensuring compliance, transparency, optimal resource utilization, and outcome-driven program delivery.

Oversaw and strengthened multiple Skill Development Academies across regions, improving operational efficiency, standardizing processes, and scaling high-quality training delivery.

Led the design and execution of 6+ industry-aligned skill development courses, successfully training over 6,000 youth from marginalized backgrounds and achieving 100% placement outcomes with leading employers.

Headed national flagship initiatives at ICICI Foundation, including the ICICI Academy of Skills, Financial Advisory Program, and Financial Literacy Program, positively impacting lakhs of beneficiaries through enhanced employability and financial inclusion.

Enabled underprivileged youth to become certified Mutual Fund Advisors, strengthening their access to sustainable income opportunities in the financial services sector.

Built, mentored, and managed high-performing, multidisciplinary teams across geographies, fostering leadership development, accountability, and sustained performance.

Designed and implemented standardized training frameworks, curricula, and quality assurance systems, improving consistency, effectiveness, and scalability of programs nationwide.

Strengthened partnerships with government bodies, regulators, corporates, and training institutions, ensuring alignment with policy frameworks and enabling program scale-up.

Secured NSE empanelment for nationwide investment awareness and financial education programs, expanding institutional reach and credibility.

Conducted extensive outreach and stakeholder engagement, including collaborations with schools, colleges, district administrations, and community organizations.

Trained and empowered nearly 3,000 women through programs focused on women’s safety, self-defense, confidence building, communication, and life skills.

Recognized as an outstanding academic leader and facilitator during tenure as Principal and Teacher, leading students to success in academic and cultural competitions.

Consistently delivered process improvements, impact reporting, and performance reviews, strengthening governance, accountability, and continuous improvement across programs.

Available for:

  • Job opportunities

Years of Experience:

More than 20 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, Hindi Marathi

Nationality:

Indian