Regional Manager

Job Title:
Regional Manager – New Business Development (HE and Skills)

Region:
South India

Department: Higher Education and Skills (HE) English
Reports to:
Head – Higher Education and Skills (HE) English, South Asia

Location:
Chennai

Contract Type:
Permanent

Role Type:
Individual Contributor

Purpose of the Role
To lead new business development efforts for the Higher Education and Skills (HE) English portfolio in South Asia, with a focus on identifying, acquiring, and establishing Authorised Centres, Cambridge English Education Partners and Preparation Centres in partnership with new Higher Education and Skills (HE) and Higher Education and Skills (HE) groups. This role will play a key part in expanding market presence and accelerating growth in priority geographies.

Key Responsibilities
New Business Development

• Identify and prioritise high-potential Higher Education and Skills (HE) groups, and educational networks for business development opportunities.
• Develop and execute tailored outreach strategies to engage prospective partners and promote Higher Education and Skills (HE) English products and services.
• Deliver compelling presentations and proposals that align with customer needs and strategic objectives.
• Deliver on KPIs for new Authorised Centres, CEEPs and Preparation centres and manage the first delivery cycle before handing it to Key Accounts team.

Pipeline Generation & Conversion

• Build and maintain a strong and well-qualified sales pipeline through direct outreach, referrals, events, and marketing campaigns.
• Lead the end-to-end conversion process — from lead qualification to agreement finalisation — ensuring a smooth handover to account management teams post-completion of the first cycle.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure timely and high-quality responses to queries, and Higher Education and Skills (HE) requirements.

Market Engagement

• Act as the primary representative of Higher Education and Skills (HE) English for new business conversations with Education leaders, education boards, and other influencers.
• Attend and speak at education forums, exhibitions, and networking events to raise awareness and visibility of Higher Education and Skills (HE) English offerings.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing to co-develop lead generation campaigns and targeted promotional material.
• Liaise with Exams, Academic, and Operations teams to align on product delivery, timelines, and support structures for new Higher Education and Skills (HE).
• Partner with other regional teams to coordinate outreach and share market intelligence.
• Collaborate with the Academic team of CUP to jointly pitch solutions.

Data, Reporting & Insights

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of outreach, pipeline, and conversion data in the CRM system.
• Provide regular updates and performance reports to the Head of Higher Education and Skills (HE) English, including market insights and recommendations.
• Use data analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach efforts and inform future strategy.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Education, Marketing, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in business development or sales, preferably in the education or B2B services sector.
• Demonstrated success in acquiring new clients or partners, especially in complex or high-value contexts.
• Strong understanding of the Higher Education and Skills (HE) education ecosystem in India, and ideally across South Asia.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.

Desirable:

• Experience working with Higher Education and Skills (HE) offering international curricula (e.g., Cambridge, IB).
• Knowledge of the English language learning and exams landscape.
• Familiarity with the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh education markets.
• Proficiency in CRM tools like Salesforce or Dynamics.
• MBA or advanced degree is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Sales & Prospecting
• Relationship Building & Influence
• Customer Engagement & Insight
• Proposal Development & Pitching
• Self-Management & Initiative
• Strong Presentation & Communication
• Collaboration & Cross-functional Alignment
• Commercial & Market Awareness

Travel Requirements

• Regular travel across India and priority markets