Associate Director— Strategic Partnerships&Growth (India), Solapur

Applications should be submitted to: JOB DESCRIPTION Associate Director— Strategic Partnerships&Growth (India)— Authentica Department: Strategic Partnerships&Growth Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Location: Pune, India (office-based with significant domestic and occasional international travel) Team: Individual Contributor with support from Operations and Marketing teams Effective Date: FY 2026-27 (May 2026) About AuthenticaAuthentica is a Pune-headquartered experiential learning and global education company specialising in study abroad programmes, global internships, executive education, and professional development. We serve 70+ university partners across the US, Canada, and Australia, operating programmes in 30+ countries. Our clients include Stanford, Dartmouth, NYU, and other leading institutions.We manage flagship government-sponsored executive education programmes including the UAE-India Leaders Program, delivered in partnership with the National Projects Office (NPO) under the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs and the Zayed Education Foundation. We are on an ambitious growth trajectory targeting Rs. 60 CR revenue in FY 2026-27 and an IPO by 2030. This role is critical to achieving that vision.Role Summary This is a business development role at its core, with a mandate to build and scale Authentica's institutional footprint across India— converting university partnerships, corporate L&D relationships, and high school networks into a reliable pipeline of programme participants and revenue. Your north-star metric is signed partnerships and partnership-sourced pipeline. You will own the full BD cycle— from prospect identification and campus visits through agreement negotiation, credit approval navigation, and onboarding — while working closely with Programme Design and Marketing to ensure Authentica's offerings are positioned compellingly for the Indian market.This is a high-travel, relationship-intensive role that demands commercial sharpness, institutional credibility, and the ability to build trust with Vice Chancellors, L&D heads, and school principals alike. As the business scales, the successful candidate can expect to grow into a leadership position overseeing a team of partnership managers— with a path to Vice President, India Partnerships. Key Responsibilities 1. Partnership Development&Pipeline - Identify, engage, and sign partnership agreements with Indian universities, high schools, and corporate L&D teams - Build and maintain a pipeline of 50+ institutional prospects across all three segments, tracked in Zoho CRM - Identify and onboard channel partners (education consultants, aggregators, corporate training intermediaries) to extend Authentica's reach - Develop partnership playbooks, pitch templates, and onboarding materials for each segment2. Agreements&Credit Approval - Negotiate and close partnership agreements, MOUs, and affiliate arrangements with institutions and channel partners - Navigate university academic approval processes to secure credit recognition for Authentica programmes (US school of record already in place) - Manage the legal and commercial aspects of partnership agreements in collaboration with the CEO and Operations team3. Programme Design&Product-Market Fit - Adapt existing Authentica programmes (or co-create new ones) to meet the specific needs of Indian market segments— pricing, duration, academic integration, and outcomes framing - Work with the Programme Design team to develop proposals that resonate with Indian institutional decision-makers- Conduct ongoing competitive analysis (EF Education, AIESEC, WorldStrides, CIS Abroad, ISA, and Indian operators) to keep Authentica's positioning differentiated 4. Relationship Development&Market Presence - Attend education conferences and industry events (FICCI HE, DIDAC, CII Education Summit, QS events, Symbiosis conferences) - Visit campuses and corporate offices to meet Vice Chancellors, Deans, International Office heads, L&D leaders, and school principals - Conduct webinars, information sessions, and presentations to prospective partners and their students/employees - Build relationships with key industry associations (EPSI, SEPC, AIU, AICTE, EdCIL) to enhance deal flow and institutional credibility 5. Marketing Collaboration- Partner with Marketing to design and execute B2B campaigns targeting institutional decision-makers - Provide market intelligence and content inputs for case studies, thought leadership, and social media - Co-develop pitch decks and programme brochures tailored to the Indian market - Contribute to CRM data hygiene, lead scoring, and pipeline reportingSegment Scope Universities&Colleges— Study abroad offices, international relations departments, faculty coordinators; semester and short-term study abroad, faculty-led programmes, internship placements; focus on credit-bearing programmes and NEP 2020 internationalisation mandates. High Schools (Grades 9–12) — Principals, counsellors, and parent communities at CBSE, ICSE, IB, and Cambridge schools; short-term cultural immersions, leadership programmes, global citizenship camps, and career exploration trips.Corporates&Professional Development— L&D heads, HR directors, and CSR teams at mid-to-large Indian companies; executive education immersions, cross-cultural leadership programmes, and sustainability-focused professional development. Required Qualifications Education - MBA or Master's degree in Business, Marketing, International Education, or a related fieldExperience - 6–10 years in B2B partnership development, institutional sales, or business development — ideally in education, ed-tech, study abroad, corporate training, or experiential learning - Demonstrated track record of signing institutional agreements and building a revenue-generating partnership pipeline- Strong understanding of the Indian higher education ecosystem: university decision-making structures, credit transfer processes, and regulatory bodies (UGC, AICTE, NEP 2020) - Existing network within Indian universities, schools, or corporate L&D functions - Experience with CRM systems (Zoho, Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent) - Excellent verbal and written communication in English and Hindi; additional Indian languages a significant plus Skills&Competencies - Consultative selling approach— understanding institutional needs and positioning Authentica's programmes as solutions - Strong commercial acumen: structuring agreements, navigating credit approval processes, and negotiating MOUs - Strategic thinking about market positioning against competitors like EF, AIESEC, and WorldStrides- Exceptional networking abilities across hierarchical levels— from community leaders to C-suite executives - Deep familiarity with Indian institutional culture, regional business etiquette, and relationship-first partnership dynamics - Ability to adapt experiential programme concepts to different market segments and institutional requirements- Self-directed: able to manage your own pipeline and prioritise across multiple segments autonomously Work Expectations - Hours: Full-time (40–45 hrs/week) with flexibility for international stakeholder time zones - Travel: Extensive travel across India (50%+) for campus visits, corporate meetings, school outreach, and conferences; occasional international travel for programme familiarisation and key partner engagement- Collaboration: Works closely with Sales, Programme Design, and Operations to ensure signed partnerships translate into well-scoped, operationally viable programmes - Probation: 3 months Compensation&Benefits - Rs. 12,00,000– Rs. 18,00,000 per annum (Fixed + Performance Bonus) - All official travel expenses covered - Professional development and networking budget - Access to Authentica's global partner network - Opportunity to lead prestigious programmes of strategic national importance- ESOP eligibility after 24 months How to Apply Send your application to with: - CV/resume with detailed partnership or business development experience - Cover letter addressing: (1) your experience building institutional partnerships in education or a related sector; (2) your existing network within Indian universities, schools, or corporates; (3) what excites you about experiential learning- References from previous supervisors Applications should be submitted to: Authentica is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. 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