Associate Director, Agent & University Partnerships

About the role

Own the agent channel and the university channel as one global growth system. On the agent side: identify, activate, and scale partner networks across every corridor that matters, and whatever opens next. Design the commercial architecture, commissions, performance tiers, and incentives, that aligns agent behaviour with student outcomes across markets. Build real-time visibility into what's working and what's leaking, globally. On the university side: turn ad hoc, transactional relationships into deep, structured partnerships with institutions worldwide. Sit across the table from admissions directors and international recruitment heads. Build value propositions that go beyond referral fees, co-branded campaigns, exclusive pipeline access, data-driven recruitment intelligence. Make Manifest the partner universities choose first and renew every year, regardless of geography. The compounding effect is the point. More universities across more destinations make agents more productive in every market. More agent volume across more source countries gives universities better proof. Better data across both sides means smarter matching, higher conversion, and a global flywheel that gets harder to compete with every quarter.

Responsibilities

• Master Agent Ecosystem Ownership
• Own and manage Cialfo's global master agent network across all key destinations
• Define the strategy for which agents to onboard, expand, or phase out
• Build strong, long-term relationships with key master agents while holding them accountable to performance
• Ensure agents are aligned with Cialfo's standards, priorities, and growth objectives
• University Partnerships
• Own and commercially drive Cialfo's relationships with university representatives, starting in India and scaling globally
• Serve as the primary point of contact for rep engagement, joint activity planning, and revenue alignment
• Build structured engagement cadences with reps across key destinations, ensuring Cialfo is positioned as a preferred and high-value partner
• Identify opportunities to deepen university partnerships through co-marketing, preferential processing, or exclusive arrangements
• Lay the groundwork for scaling this model globally as the programme matures
• Commercial Growth & Monetisation
• Drive revenue growth across both channels by improving application volumes, conversion rates, and partner productivity
• Lead commercial negotiations, pricing structures, and partnership agreements across agent and university relationships
• Continuously optimise partnerships to ensure maximum value extraction and sustainable margins
• Identify and unlock new revenue opportunities through agent and university partnerships
• Performance Management
• Define and track clear performance metrics across all agents and university partners, including application volume, offer rates, enrolment conversion, and processing efficiency
• Build a structured approach to performance tracking and reviews across both channels
• Actively manage underperformance and scale high-performing partners
• Operational Integration
• Work closely with operations teams to ensure seamless application processing from master agents and university partners
• Align partners with internal workflows, submission standards, and timelines
• Identify and resolve friction points between partners, operations, and counsellors
• Ensure consistency in how applications are handled across all partnerships
• Internal Enablement & Best Practices
• Guide internal teams on how to effectively work with master agents and university reps
• Define and roll out best practices, playbooks, and engagement models
• Ensure teams are aligned on process updates, partner expectations, and requirements
• Improve internal coordination to maximise efficiency and outcomes
• Market Intelligence & Partner Strategy
• Stay close to both the agent and university rep ecosystems to identify emerging players, market shifts, and new partnership oppor

Additional Information

We are looking for an Associate Director, Agent & University Partnerships to own and scale our global network of master agents and university partners across all key study destinations. This is a high-impact, commercially driven role responsible for managing both partnership ecosystems, from selection and onboarding, to performance management, monetisation, and long-term partnership value creation. You will be accountable for ensuring that master agents and university partners are not only operationally aligned, but also driving strong application volumes, high-quality submissions, and revenue outcomes for the business. This role also owns the commercial relationship with university representatives in India, with a view to expanding this globally over time. You will sit at the intersection of external partnerships and internal execution, working closely with operations and counselling teams to ensure that partners are effectively integrated into workflows, and that best practices are consistently applied.

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