Client Partnership Director (India)

Role: Client Partnership Director (India)
Location: Bangalore, India

Job type: Full time, permanent

Working arrangement:  Hybrid

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst thriving personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

The role:

As Client Partnership Director (India), the successful candidate will be responsible for leading QS's integrated commercial effort across India, with a clear mandate to drive sustainable revenue growth across the full portfolio of QS services.

This new role has been created to provide dedicated commercial leadership for one of QS's most strategically important markets, ensuring disciplined sales execution and strong client engagement. The Head of Client Partnerships will own the India revenue target end-to-end, lead the in-country sales team day-to-day, and drive operational rigour across pipeline management, CRM adoption, and commercial performance.

Working closely with the Chair for India, and other key senior stakeholders, the role will translate the India sales strategy into measurable outcomes, build long-term institutional relationships with universities and higher education bodies, and represent QS's full portfolio – including ratings, data subscriptions, sponsorships, digital services, and student recruitment events; in a coordinated and credible manner.

The role will also play a central part in strengthening sales discipline within the integrated team, embedding a unified CRM, transparent pipeline reporting, and a structured framework aligned with QS commercial standards.

Role responsibilities:

Develop and deliver a 5-year QS growth plan for India, grounded in market insight, segmentation analysis, and long-term portfolio priorities, providing a clear roadmap for revenue growth, market share expansion, and product penetration across the full QS portfolio.

Deliver on the integrated India revenue target across QS services, with full accountability for pipeline, forecasting, new business conversion, and renewals.

Lead, coach, and develop the India sales team, ensuring focus across the full integrated portfolio and balanced effort across all QS services and products.

Drive go-to-market execution across QS's India business, working in close partnership with commercial leadership, and Business Unit leads.

Develop and execute account plans for key institutional clients, including target universities for ratings, sponsorships, data subscriptions, and value-added services.

Lead engagement with state and central government bodies, regulatory authorities, and public-sector higher education institutions, positioning QS as a trusted partner across policy, ratings, and capacity-building agendas.

Identify, qualify, and lead QS's response to government and institutional tenders, RFPs, and large-scale public-sector opportunities, ensuring timely, competitive, and compliant submissions.

Represent QS publicly across India, including speaking engagements at higher education conferences, industry forums, university convenings, and government-led platforms, building QS's profile and thought leadership presence in the market.

Build and maintain a robust pipeline, ensuring full adoption of a unified CRM and accurate, transparent reporting to QS leadership.

Operate a clear commission and incentive framework for the sales team, in alignment with QS commercial standards and the approved India sales strategy.

Strengthen long-term relationships with Vice-Chancellors, senior institutional leaders, and decision-makers across the Indian higher education sector.

Partner with the Chair for India on strategic accounts and high-level government and institutional engagements, while maintaining independent ownership of the broader sales team and target.

Provide structured market intelligence and competitive insight to inform QS product positioning, pricing, and go-to-market strategy in India, including identification of new product or service opportunities tailored to the Indian market.

Any other duties that fall within the purpose and scope of the role.

Key skills and experience: 

Extensive experience in B2B, institutional, or enterprise sales leadership roles, with several years in a senior leadership capacity managing quota-carrying teams and owning multi-million revenue targets.

Demonstrated track record of driving revenue growth and market expansion in long-cycle, consultative B2B environments, with consistent achievement of annual targets.

Experience in higher education, education services, ratings/accreditation, or EdTech is strongly preferred. Familiarity with the Indian higher education landscape is a significant advantage.

Proven ability to engage and influence at the most senior institutional level – Vice-Chancellors, Pro-VCs, Registrars, Deans, Boards of Governors, and Trustees, or equivalent C-suite and board-level decision-makers in adjacent sectors – with the credibility and gravitas to be taken seriously as a peer.

Established credibility and active network with state and central government stakeholders, regulatory bodies (UGC, AICTE, NAAC, NBA), and public-sector institutions.

Working knowledge of, or demonstrable interest in, national higher education policy and initiatives, including NEP 2020, internationalisation frameworks, and the broader regulatory and reform agenda shaping the Indian higher education sector.

Proven experience identifying, bidding for, and winning government and institutional tenders, RFPs, and large-scale public-sector opportunities, including familiarity with public procurement processes, consortium bids, and compliance documentation.

Demonstrated experience building, leading, and scaling commercial teams, including hiring, target setting, performance management, coaching, and developing future sales leaders.

Track record of developing and executing multi-year growth strategies, including market segmentation, account planning, portfolio prioritisation, and revenue forecasting.

Strong commercial judgment in structuring deals, pricing frameworks, MoUs, and renewals, with the ability to balance long-term relationship value against short-term commercial pressure.

Strong CRM and operating discipline, with hands-on experience embedding pipeline transparency, forecast accuracy, and structured sales reviews across a team.

Outstanding executive presence and platform skills, with a track record of representing organisations on stage at industry conferences, government forums, and high-profile events. Comfortable as a public face of the brand in India.

Strong commercial and financial acumen, including comfort with P&L thinking, commission plan design, and investment cases for sales infrastructure.

Postgraduate qualification preferred (MBA from a recognised institution, or equivalent).

Fluent in English (written and spoken); working knowledge of Hindi and/or one or more regional Indian languages is highly advantageous given the geographic spread of the client base.

Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills, with the credibility and presence to lead from the front, build internal champions across QS globally, and serve as the public face of QS in India.

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11 international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

We take investing in our people very seriously.

As standard you will have: 

Competitive base salary  

Access to an annual bonus scheme (for qualifying roles only) 

21 days annual leave – increasing to 23 days after 5 years’ service + 8 days casual leave

14 days holiday for the year 2025

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave 

Access to Provident Fund and Pension Fund Scheme 

Group Medical Insurance

A vibrant social environment and multicultural and multinational culture

But that’s not all. Outside of these standard benefits we also offer resources to allow professional growth and wellness initiatives to nurture a healthy mindset:

Free subscription to the Calm App – the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation

A focus on welfare which is led by our global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally

EAP (Employee Assistance Program) Service - dedicated services for enhanced EAP and comprehensive wellness with 24/7 helpline available through Truworth Wellness 

Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups

Strong recognition and reward programs – including a peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual personal development event

Support for volunteering and study leave

Free subscription to LinkedIn learning – with over 5,000 courses and programmes at your fingertips

Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive.