Associate Director – University Partnerships

Associate Director – University Partnerships

Location: Pan-India (Mumbai/Pune)

Function: University Alliances & Partnerships

Reports to: AVP – University Alliances

Travel: 60–40% Pan-India

About upGrad -

upGrad partners with leading Indian and global universities to deliver high-quality online and blended degree programs and industry-aligned credentials. We co-create programs, integrate technology and student services, and drive scale with measurable outcomes.

Role Summary -

Own and grow strategic alliances with key Indian universities and marquee institutes (IITs, IIMs, ISB, NITs, central/state & tier-1 private universities). You’ll originate, structure, and close partnerships; co-create academically robust, industry-relevant programs; and orchestrate cross-functional execution on the upGrad platform. This is a hands-on, travel-intensive role for a relationship builder who can open doors, craft value propositions, negotiate complex commercials, and deliver revenue.

Candidates with Indian Armed Forces experience (officer cadre; institutional liaison, training, or education roles) are strongly encouraged to apply.

Key Outcomes (12–18 months)

• Signed Alliances: 6–12 new university MoUs/LoIs with clear commercial terms and governance cadence.
• Program Launches: 8–15 co-created programs/credentials (UG/PG/Executive & credit pathways) live on upGrad.
• Partner NPS: ≥ 60 with zero critical escalations; renewals/expansions with 80%+ retention.
• Pipeline Health: 3× coverage with documented stakeholder maps (VC/Registrar/Dean/Controller/Finance/Legal).

What You’ll Do -

1) Origination & Relationship Leadership

• Map target accounts; build C-suite and academic connects across IIT/IIM/ISB/NIT/NAAC-A+ and state/central universities.
• Lead high-stakes meetings, advisory roundtables, and campus activations with VCs, Pro-VCs, Registrars, Deans, and CDOE heads.
• Represent upGrad at conclaves, UGC/AICTE interactions (as applicable), and marquee events.

2) Solutioning & Program Co-Creation

• Diagnose university goals (enrolments, placements, rankings, internationalization) and design co-created programs (degrees, exec-ed, micro-credentials, pathways, RPL/credit transfer).
• Align curriculum and learning design with industry partners; ensure LMS, assessment, SSO, and data/reporting readiness with Tech/Product.
• Build operating models: admissions flows, SLAs, governance calendars, and academic councils.

3) Commercials & Negotiation

• Own proposals and commercials (revenue share, MGs/seat commits, marketing splits, service scopes, IP).
• Navigate legal/finance for MoUs, definitive agreements, invoicing/GST, and compliance clauses.

4) Program Launch & Scale

• Drive go-live with Marketing/Admissions/Student Ops; set demand-gen plans & attribution.
• Track performance dashboards; lead QBRs/MBRs; course-correct using data.

5) Team & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Mentor Partnership Managers/BD resources; instil prospecting discipline and stakeholder mapping.
• Champion continuous improvement across bid defence decks, case libraries, and win-room rituals.

Must-Have Qualifications -

• 8–14 years of experience in university alliances / institutional partnerships / B2B EdTech with demonstrable closures.
• Direct exposure to marquee institutes (IITs, IIMs, ISB, NITs, top private/state/central universities) with named decision-maker relationships.
• Proven track record of structuring and closing MoUs/agreements and taking programs from proposal to launch.
• Strong command of higher-ed regulations & governance (UGC/UGC-DEB/AICTE/NAAC) in the context of online/blended programs.
• Executive-level communication, boardroom presence, and complex negotiation skills.
• High travel readiness across India; owns personal pipeline generation.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA/PG preferred.