Manager- Outreach & Partnership (VSAC)

Job Title: Lead- Outreach & Partnerships

Reports to: Director VSAC

Travel Requirement: 50% travel (across India)

Location: Sonipat

Nature of work: Full-time

About Ashoka University:

10 years ago, we embarked on a journey to establish a world-class, multi-disciplinary, liberal arts and sciences university in India. Built on the finest global best practices of institution and university governance, Ashoka has truly transformed Indian higher education in India with its unique pedagogy, governance and best practices.

Ashoka is today India's #1 liberal arts and sciences university that is home to the most diverse student body, a hub for impactful research and a magnet for best-in-class faculty and staff.

Ashoka has been ranked in the top five among private Universities in India by QS Asia and has also secured top rank among all Indian Universities in the International Faculty indicator. The University was earlier awarded Diamond rating by QS I.GAUGE as a recognition of its continuous focus on academic rigour, inter-disciplinary pedagogy, world-class faculty, academic research, innovative modules of engagement with the community and teaching methods.

For further information, visit www.ashoka.edu.in.

We aim to co-create a nurturing space for our students, faculty, staff, donors and community positively through universal values:

● Be Mission-Driven

● Think Strategically

● Act Authentically

● Take Accountability

● Build Collaboration

● Deliver Excellence

About the Vachani School of Advanced Computing: The Vachani School of Advanced Computing (VSAC) at Ashoka University is building a world-class ecosystem for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and emerging areas of computing.

The school is expanding rapidly with new initiatives, including:

● PhD, Postdoctoral and Pre-doctoral research programs

● Advanced Master's programs in AI and Computing

● Global research collaborations

● Academic events, conferences, and workshops

● Industry and institutional partnerships

VSAC is looking for a Lead – Outreach & Partnerships who will help drive national and international outreach efforts to attract high-quality students, researchers, and collaborators.

Role Overview: The Lead – Outreach & Partnerships will be responsible for developing and executing outreach initiatives to build a strong pipeline of candidates for PhD, Postdoctoral, Pre-doctoral, and Master's programs at VSAC.

This role combines relationship management, academic outreach, B2B partnerships, and marketing initiatives to position VSAC as a leading destination for advanced computing research and education.

The role involves extensive engagement with universities, research communities, academic institutions, and conferences.

Role and Responsibilities:

Outreach and Relationship Management

● Build and maintain relationships with universities, faculty members, research groups, and academic institutions.

● Develop partnerships with engineering colleges, research labs, and institutions to create awareness about VSAC programs.

● Represent VSAC in academic and research ecosystems.

Sales and Marketing of Academic Programs

● Execute a structured outreach and sales strategy to attract candidates for:

○ PhD programs

○ Postdoctoral fellowships

○ Pre-doctoral programs

○ Master's programs

● Manage the candidate pipeline and lead generation efforts.

Campus and Conference Engagement

● Visit universities, research labs, and academic institutions to conduct outreach sessions.

● Represent VSAC at academic conferences, workshops, and seminars.

● Organise campus presentations and information sessions.

Events and Ecosystem Building

● Coordinate and execute:

○ Workshops

○ Hackathons

○ Research seminars

○ Outreach events

● Build visibility for VSAC within the AI, Data Science, and Computing ecosystem.

Marketing and Lead Generation

● Work closely with internal teams to execute marketing and outreach campaigns.

● Manage direct engagement with potential applicants through calls, emails, and academic networks.

● Build and maintain a pipeline of high-quality candidates.

Sales Planning and Execution

● Develop and execute annual outreach and recruitment plans.

● Track outreach initiatives and candidate conversion metrics.

● Achieve defined outreach and recruitment targets.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The role will be evaluated on metrics such as:

● Pipeline of high-quality applicants for PhD, Postdoc, Pre-doc, and Master's programs

● Number of institutional outreach engagements

● Campus visits and conference participation

● Conversion of outreach leads into applications and enrollments

● Growth of academic partnerships and networks

Eligibility and Experience

● Graduate degree required

● 4–5 years of experience in outreach, partnerships, sales, or academic engagement roles

● Experience in B2B sales, partnerships, or education outreach preferred

● MBA is a plus

● Engineering or technology background preferred

Skills and Attributes:

The ideal candidate should have:

● Strong relationship-building and networking skills

● Ability to represent the institution in academic and professional forums

● Experience in sales planning, outreach campaigns, and partnership development

● Strong communication and presentation skills

● Ability to travel frequently and manage multiple outreach initiatives

Travel Requirement

The role requires approximately 50% travel, including:

● University visits

● Conferences and academic events

● Outreach programs and workshops