Business Development Manager | BU : GSP

upGrad GSP; Ernakulam; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

upGrad GSP is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager (BDM) to strengthen its international student recruitment network in Gujarat. You will lead regional recruitment efforts, manage agent partnerships, and drive enrolments in collaboration with Admissions and Marketing.

The role requires 5–8 years of experience, strong relationship and negotiation skills, and willingness to travel within the region.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of overall professional experience.
• Minimum 3–4 years in B2B sales within international student recruitment/study abroad industry.
• Proven experience managing recruitment agents and driving business through partner networks.
• Strong understanding of Gujarat market and its study abroad ecosystem.
• Demonstrated experience in achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Excellent relationship management, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the assigned region.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute regional student recruitment strategies with leadership.
• Build and strengthen relationships with study abroad recruitment agents to drive enrolments.
• Lead and mentor regional Business Development Managers to meet targets.
• Monitor performance and coach for productivity and growth.
• Collaborate with Admissions to ensure smooth application and admission processes.
• Partner with Marketing to run campaigns and recruitment collateral.
• Work with Conversion team to improve student conversion rates.
• Maintain relationships with key recruitment partners across the region.
• Ensure compliance with university admissions policies and standards.
• Represent upGrad GSP at events and partner meetings.
• Prepare market intelligence reports and competitive analyses.
• Conduct training sessions for internal teams and partners.
• Undertake additional responsibilities aligned with objectives.

Job description

Job Title: Business Development Manager (International Student Recruitment) – upGrad GSP

Business Unit:

upGrad GSP

Designation:

Business Development Manager (BDM)

Working Days:

5 Days a Week

About upGrad

Founded in 2015, upGrad is Asia's leading integrated Learning, Skilling, and Workforce Development company. We empower working professionals through industry-relevant programs in collaboration with top Indian and global universities. Our offerings include Degree Programs, Certifications, Bootcamps, Diplomas, Master's, and Executive Doctorate programs across domains such as Technology, Data Science, Management, Law, HR, Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Supply Chain, and more.

At upGrad, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and collaborative workplace where innovation thrives. We encourage every employee to bring their authentic selves to work while contributing to our mission of transforming higher education and career development.

About upGrad GSP

upGrad GSP is one of the world's leading international student recruitment platforms. Originally founded in Australia by Elaine Starkey, GSP has built a network of over 800+ partner universities globally through an extensive recruitment agent ecosystem. As a wholly owned subsidiary of upGrad, GSP continues to expand its global presence by connecting students with world-class international education opportunities.

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced and results-driven Business Development Manager (BDM) to strengthen our recruitment network in Gujarat. The ideal candidate will possess strong B2B sales experience within the international education industry, particularly in managing and growing recruitment agent partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute regional student recruitment strategies in collaboration with the leadership team.
• Build, manage, and strengthen relationships with study abroad recruitment agents to drive student enrolments.
• Lead and mentor a team of Business Development Managers, ensuring individual and regional recruitment targets are consistently achieved.
• Monitor team performance and provide coaching to maximize productivity and business growth.
• Collaborate closely with the Admissions team to ensure a smooth application and admission process while resolving recruitment challenges.
• Partner with the Marketing team to execute effective campaigns and create impactful recruitment collateral.
• Work alongside the Conversion team to improve student conversion rates through strategic planning and targeted engagement.
• Establish and maintain long-term relationships with key recruitment partners across the region.
• Ensure compliance with university admissions policies, procedures, and quality standards.
• Represent upGrad GSP at recruitment events, seminars, and partner meetings while counselling prospective students and partners.
• Prepare regular market intelligence reports, competitor analysis, and business updates.
• Conduct training sessions and knowledge-sharing initiatives for internal teams and recruitment partners.
• Undertake additional responsibilities aligned with business objectives.

Eligibility Criteria

• 5–8 years of overall professional experience.
• Minimum 3–4 years of experience in B2B sales within the international student recruitment/study abroad industry.
• Proven experience managing recruitment agents and driving business through partner networks.
• Strong understanding of the Gujarat market and its study abroad ecosystem.
• Demonstrated experience in achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Excellent relationship management, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the assigned region.