The posting
About the role
An established international education organisation is seeking an experienced Regional Business Development Manager to support its continued growth across Southeast Asia and selected Asian markets. Based in Singapore (or Malaysia), this is a regional commercial role with responsibility for identifying new market opportunities, developing institutional partnerships and generating sustainable revenue across multiple countries. The successful candidate will work with a diverse portfolio of education, qualifications, training, digital credentials, academic pathways and professional learning solutions.
Key responsibilities
- Developing new business across Southeast Asia and selected Asia markets.
- Identifying and qualifying new institutional and commercial opportunities.
- Building relationships with schools, colleges, universities, training providers, education groups, professional organisations and corporate partners.
- Developing new partnership and distribution channels.
- Managing opportunities from initial engagement through proposal, negotiation and successful close.
- Growing existing institutional relationships and identifying opportunities for cross-selling and expansion.
- Developing country and market-specific business development plans.
- Maintaining a strong and well-qualified regional pipeline.
- Working closely with academic, operations, marketing and leadership teams to develop commercially appropriate solutions.
- Providing accurate sales forecasts and maintaining effective CRM records.
Requirement
- Approximately 5–8 years or more of successful business development, partnerships or commercial experience.
- Experience managing more than one geographical market or territory.
- A strong track record in B2B or institutional sales.
- Experience developing new business rather than solely managing existing accounts.
- Confidence engaging senior decision-makers, including business owners, principals, directors, university representatives and senior executives.
- Strong commercial negotiation and relationship-management skills.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Strong organisational skills and disciplined follow-through.
- The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across different teams and markets.
- Confidence using CRM systems, LinkedIn, digital research tools and AI-enabled business-development platforms.
Experience within any of the following would be advantageous:
- International education.
- Qualifications or awarding organisations.
- Higher education.
- Professional education or training.
- EdTech.
- Student recruitment.
- Academic pathways.
- Education partnerships.
- Corporate learning.
- Franchise, channel or distribution development.
Additional Asian-language capability, particularly Mandarin or Malay, would be advantageous but is not essential.
What We Are Looking For
We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate the ability to:
- Enter and develop new markets.
- Identify commercial opportunities independently.
- Build credible relationships with institutional decision-makers.
- Develop opportunities from initial contact through to contract.
- Manage multiple markets and opportunities simultaneously.
- Convert a strong pipeline into sustainable revenue.
This role requires someone who is commercially minded, proactive, resilient, resourceful and accountable for results.
Performance Expectations
Following an appropriate onboarding and market-development period, the successful candidate will be expected to establish a strong regional commercial pipeline and contribute directly to new partnership and revenue growth.
Performance will be assessed through a combination of:
- Pipeline development.
- Qualified opportunities.
- Institutional meetings.
- Proposals and negotiations.
- New partnerships.
- Conversion rates.
- Revenue generation.
- Development of strategic regional accounts.
The final package will reflect the successful candidate's experience, regional track record and existing network.
Regional business travel expenses will be provided separately in accordance with company policy.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to take on a genuinely regional role within an international education environment, with the ability to:
- Develop multiple Asian markets.
- Build new institutional partnerships.
- Work across a broad portfolio of education solutions.
- Contribute directly to commercial strategy.
- Take meaningful ownership of regional growth.
Candidates who enjoy building markets, developing partnerships and converting opportunities into measurable commercial outcomes are encouraged to apply.
Applications will be treated in confidence.
