Business Development Executive

Kids Age National Newspaper; Mumbai; On-site; INR 360,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

Kids Age National Newspaper is seeking a Field-based Business Development Executive to expand partnerships with K-12 schools and pre-schools in Mumbai. You will drive subscriptions, manage school relationships, and align with academic calendars to maximize renewals and growth.

You will engage with Trustees, principals, and academic coordinators, navigating procurement cycles and invoicing while traveling locally to meet clients and close deals.

Qualifications

• 1) Proven B2B sales or institutional partnership experience in education publishing or EdTech.
• 2) Active Mumbai Rolodex with Principals/Trustees/educational leaders.
• 3) Track record in quota attainment, school fee collection, and renewals.
• 4) Understanding of school buying calendars and CBSE/ICSE/state/IB frameworks.
• 5) Willingness to travel locally for in-person visits.

Responsibilities

• Institutional acquisition and network expansion across Mumbai and MMR.
• Drive school subscriptions and renewals with partner schools.
• Align with academic calendars to pitch and close contracts Oct–Apr.
• Manage terms, invoicing, and collections with school administrations.
• Be the single point of contact for logistics and distribution issues.

Skills

B2B Sales

School Network

Account Management

Negotiation

Travel Ready

CRM Tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing or related

Tools

CRM

Spreadsheets

Presentation software

Job description

Company Description Kids Age is a widely read monthly newspaper for children in Indian schools, offering engaging content such as games, puzzles, stories, and articles on mathematics and science. The publication provides children with a platform to showcase their work, gain recognition, and win prizes. Kids Age has earned national acclaim and multiple prestigious awards, including the Limca Book of Records, India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and India’s Best Education Sector Magazine Award. The organization is committed to making learning enjoyable while supporting creativity and curiosity among young readers.

Role: Buiness Development Executive - School Partnership

Experience: 1-3 Years

Salary: 30K + Travel + upto 1 Lakh plus Incentives

About the Role

At Kids Age, we are on a mission of reimagining the joy of reading for over 1.2 million young learners across India. As a School Partnership & Academic Success Manager, you will be the driving force behind expanding and sustaining our footprint across leading K-12 schools and pre-schools in Mumbai. You will connect directly with institutional decision-makers - Trustees, Principals, and Academic Coordinators - to integrate our curriculum‑aligned, screen‑free, experiential publication into everyday classroom and home reading routines.

Key Responsibilities

1. Institutional Acquisition & Network Expansion

• Leverage existing relationships with school management, Trustees, and Principals across Mumbai/MMR to introduce Kids Age.
• Drive institutional adoption and student‑level subscription rollouts across primary schools and pre‑schools.
• Align with school academic calendars to pitch, pilot, and close contracts during peak planning and procurement cycles (October–April).
• Manage long‑term relationships with existing partner schools to ensure 90%+ renewal rates year‑on‑year.
• Increase student subscription penetration within existing schools by converting single‑grade adoptions into whole‑school reading programs.
• Identify cross‑opportunity initiatives such as school library subscriptions, activity books, and kindergarten‑specific editions.

3. Academic Engagement & Reading Evangelism

• Conduct orientation sessions and walkthroughs for educators on utilizing interactive formats (such as 3D, Solar Active, and Spy Decoder activities) for classroom engagement.
• Organize school reading drives, inter‑school literacy activities, and reading‑hour initiatives to demonstrate tangible value to educators.
• Support schools with communication collateral for parent‑teacher forums, helping convey the value of screen‑free reading to parents.

4. Operations, Dispatch & Financial Collections

• Oversee end‑to‑end account coordination, from student count finalization and subscription onboarding to timely monthly delivery fulfillment.
• Manage commercial terms, invoicing, and timely payment/fee collections from partner school administrations.
• Act as the single point of contact to resolve logistics or distribution challenges across the MMR region.

Who Can Be a Buiness Development Executive - School Partnership?

• Proven B2B School Network: 1–3 years of direct B2B sales or institutional partnership experience in education publishing, K‑8 curriculum solutions, pre‑school content, or school‑focused EdTech.
• Active Mumbai Rolodex: Demonstrated direct access and established trust with Principals, Trustees, and Pre‑school heads across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane.
• Commercial & Academic Balance: Proven track record in quota attainment, school‑fee collection cycles, contract renewals, and managing academic relationships.
• Understanding of School Cycles: Clear understanding of institutional buying calendars, board‑specific curriculum expectations (CBSE, ICSE, State, IB, and early‑childhood frameworks), and school administration dynamics.
• Field Readiness: High energy with a willingness to travel locally across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for in‑person school visits and meetings.

Strategic Dimensions Included to Strengthen This Role

• Parent‑School Dynamic: Because children's newspapers are frequently funded via annual student activity fees or parent consent forms, this role actively incorporates parent‑facing orientation tools and support for Parent‑Teacher Meets (PTMs).
• School Academic Procurement Timing: The responsibilities explicitly tie KPIs to the academic budgeting cycle (Q3/Q4 institutional alignment for June rollouts).
• Early Childhood / Pre‑School Adaptation: Added dedicated focus on pre‑school chains and early childhood centers, where experiential and tactile learning formats have high adoption rates.

Qualifications

• Ability to drive New Business Development and Lead Generation, with a focus on building a strong pipeline of school and institutional clients.
• Strong Business and Account Management skills to nurture relationships, retain clients, and identify opportunities for upselling or cross‑selling.
• Excellent Communication skills, including clear verbal and written communication and confident presentation abilities.
• Proven experience in sales or business development, preferably in education, media, publishing, or related sectors.
• Strong negotiation, persuasion, and interpersonal skills, with a customer‑centric approach.
• Comfort working in an on‑site, field‑oriented environment in Mumbai, including regular client visits.
• Basic proficiency in using CRM tools, spreadsheets, and presentation software to manage leads and report performance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.