Cluster Manager

About ETHNUS: Ethnus is a leading Emerging Technology training provider and has trained over 2 million students. Pioneering in employability enhancement and skill development since 2007, Ethnus provides training, certification, and placement support to its students in relevant industry-specific jobs. We view our organization not just as a business, but as a powerful enabler for positive impact on society. Ethnus has the honor of being the Cloud expert for Team India in the WorldSkills 2024 competition. We are the Authorized Training Partner of Amazon Web Services (AWS) for the Cloud Computing courses, EC Council for Cyber Security courses, and many more. Over 800 higher education institutions around the country trust our services to enhance and build the employability of their students. Our company has been mentioned by Hon. Minister of Education in the Parliament (2019) for delivering high-quality training and mentoring to students.

Department: Business Development / Sales

Designation: Cluster Manager

Locations: Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh

Qualification: MBA/PGDM in Sales, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field preferred

Experience: 6–10 years in Business Development, Institutional Sales, B2B Sales, Key Account Management, or Client Relationship Management.

CTC: ₹7,00,000 – ₹10,00,000 per annum + Performance Incentives

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced, target-driven, and business-focused Cluster Manager to lead business development and institutional growth across an assigned cluster.

The Cluster Manager will be responsible for revenue generation, new business acquisition, strategic institutional relationships, key account management, team leadership, territory expansion, and achievement of business targets.

The role involves working closely with Training & Placement Officers, Principals, Deans, Heads of Institutions, senior management, and other key decision-makers across colleges and universities.

This is a field-intensive leadership role requiring extensive travel, strong stakeholder management, commercial acumen, negotiation skills, and the ability to build and lead a high-performing sales team.

Key Responsibilities

1. Cluster Business Development

• Own business development and revenue growth across the assigned cluster.
  
• Develop and execute cluster-wise sales strategies to achieve revenue and institutional acquisition targets.
  
• Identify new markets, institutions, business opportunities, and growth areas.
  
• Build a strong and sustainable sales pipeline across the cluster.
  
• Drive new client acquisition and expansion of existing institutional accounts.
  
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and emerging opportunities.
  

2. Institutional & Key Account Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Principals, TPOs, Deans, Directors, and senior institutional stakeholders.
  
• Manage strategic and high-value institutional accounts.
  
• Conduct senior-level business meetings, presentations, negotiations, and partnership discussions.
  
• Understand institutional requirements and position Ethnus solutions appropriately.
  
• Drive client retention, satisfaction, renewals, and account expansion.
  
• Identify opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling across existing partnerships.
  

3. Revenue & Target Ownership

• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue targets for the assigned cluster.
  
• Track sales performance, conversion rates, pipeline value, and revenue achievement.
  
• Develop action plans to address revenue gaps and improve business performance.
  
• Ensure disciplined sales forecasting and pipeline management.
  
• Drive closure of high-value institutional opportunities and strategic accounts.
  

4. Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage the CRM/Business Development team within the cluster.
  
• Set individual and team-level sales targets and performance expectations.
  
• Conduct regular pipeline reviews, field reviews, and performance discussions.
  
• Coach team members on prospecting, institutional engagement, negotiation, and closing.
  
• Support team members in critical client meetings and high-value negotiations.
  
• Build a performance-driven and collaborative sales culture.
  

5. Strategic Partnerships & MOU Management

• Lead strategic discussions for MOUs, institutional partnerships, and long-term collaborations.
  
• Drive negotiations with senior institutional stakeholders and ensure timely closure.
  
• Coordinate with internal teams for documentation, commercial approvals, and implementation.
  
• Identify opportunities to deepen existing partnerships through additional programs and services.
  
• Build long-term strategic relationships with key institutions and education networks.
  

6. Field Sales & Market Development

• Spend significant time in the field meeting institutions and key stakeholders.
  
• Plan cluster-wise travel and institutional engagement based on business priorities.
  
• Represent Ethnus at conferences, seminars, placement events, academic forums, and institutional events.
  
• Build strong local networks and referral channels.
  
• Identify and develop new territories and untapped institutional markets.
  

7. Sales Operations & Reporting

• Maintain accurate sales pipeline, opportunity, client, and revenue data in the CRM.
  
• Review team performance and territory-wise business metrics regularly.
  
• Prepare revenue forecasts and business performance reports.
  
• Provide management with insights on market trends, client requirements, competitor activity, and growth opportunities.
  
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of sales activities and business performance.
  

8. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Training, Operations, Finance, HR, Marketing, and other internal teams.
  
• Ensure smooth transition from business closure to service delivery.
  
• Coordinate with internal teams to fulfil client commitments.
  
• Resolve critical client issues and escalate matters appropriately.
  
• Ensure strong alignment between client expectations and operational delivery.
  

Requirements

The role is particularly suitable for someone who:

• Has a strong track record in B2B sales and business development.
  
• Has experience managing a territory, cluster, region, or sales team.
  
• Enjoys travelling extensively and spending significant time in the field.
  
• Is confident interacting with senior decision-makers.
  
• Has excellent relationship-building and negotiation skills.
  
• Is commercially driven and strongly target-oriented.
  
• Can independently develop markets and generate new business.
  
• Has the ability to coach and lead sales professionals.
  
• Demonstrates strong ownership, accountability, and execution capability.
  
• Is comfortable working in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment.
  

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
  
• MBA/PGDM in Sales, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
  
• 6–10 years of experience in sales, business development, institutional sales, B2B sales, key account management, or client relationship management.
  
• Minimum 2–3 years of experience in managing a sales team or territory preferred.
  
• Experience in Education, EdTech, Training, Higher Education, Recruitment, SaaS, or B2B Services will be an advantage.
  
• Proven experience in achieving revenue targets and acquiring institutional/B2B clients.
  
• Experience handling strategic accounts, negotiations, and institutional partnerships will be preferred.
  

Benefits