Associate/Associate Manager - Business Development & Partnerships - Education

About Athena Education: Athena Education is India's largest institution in the premium undergraduate study-abroad space, helping ambitious students gain admission to some of the world's leading universities. Founded 12 years ago by Princeton graduates Poshak Agrawal and Rahul Subramaniam, Athena works with students and families across 36 countries. Our students have gone on to universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Cambridge, Brown, Cornell, UPenn and the University of Chicago, among others. At Athena, we take a holistic approach to undergraduate admissions - combining academic strategy, mentorship, personal development and long-term guidance to help students become the best version of themselves. About the Role: We are looking for an Associate / Associate Manager - Business Development & Partnerships to help drive Athena's growth in Bangalore. This is not a conventional sales or relationship-management role. You will work at the intersection of premium B2C sales, relationship building and business development, with significant ownership of the revenue funnel. You will engage with prospective students and families, understand their aspirations and needs, build trust through a consultative sales process, and ultimately convert high-value prospects into Athena customers. Alongside this, you will identify and build strategic relationships with schools, universities, educational organisations and other relevant partners to create new growth opportunities for Athena. The role is particularly suited to someone who enjoys high-trust conversations, complex sales cycles and relationship-led selling, and is excited by the world of top global universities and premium education. What You Will Do: - Own the Sales Funnel: Engage with inbound and outbound leads and take ownership of the sales journey. - Understand the aspirations, requirements and concerns of prospective students and families. - Conduct consultative conversations and articulate Athena's value proposition. - Build relationships with high-value prospects and nurture them through longer decision-making cycles. - Convert qualified prospects into paying Athena customers. - Own and work towards revenue and conversion targets. - Drive Business Development: Identify new business opportunities across Bangalore and beyond. - Build relationships with schools, universities, educational platforms and relevant organisations. - Explore potential partnerships that can create a strong pipeline for Athena. - Represent Athena at relevant events, conferences and networking forums. - Build Long-Term Relationships: Develop trusted relationships with students, parents, institutions and external stakeholders. - Understand stakeholder needs and identify mutually beneficial opportunities. - Negotiate and manage partnerships with new and existing partners. - Ensure strong engagement and long-term partnership success. - Work Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Athena's Consulting, Marketing and Operations teams. - Share market intelligence, customer insights and competitive trends. - Contribute to sales strategy and initiatives to grow the Bangalore market. - Track and report sales and business development performance to senior leadership. Who Are We Looking For?: We are looking for someone who is commercially driven, intellectually curious and excellent at building relationships. You could be a strong fit if you: - Have 2 - 5 years of experience in B2C sales, business development, partnerships or consultative selling. - Have experience selling a high-consideration / premium product or service and managing longer sales cycles. - Are comfortable owning revenue targets and can speak confidently about your sales metrics. - Are an excellent communicator and can build trust quickly with customers and senior stakeholders. - Enjoy conversations that go beyond transactional selling. - Are proactive, entrepreneurial and comfortable operating with significant ownership. - Are excited by the world of Ivy League and top global universities. Why Athena?: This is an opportunity to work on a high-impact growth mandate at one of India's leading premium undergraduate education companies. You will have the opportunity to: - Own a meaningful part of Athena's growth in Bangalore. - Work closely with senior leadership on sales, revenue and partnerships. - Build relationships with ambitious students, families, institutions and senior stakeholders. - Gain exposure to the world of Ivy League and top global universities. - Work in a high-ownership, entrepreneurial environment where your contribution directly impacts growth.