Website:
iitm.ac.in
Job details:
About CESSA
The Centre of Excellence on Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA) at IIT Madras is a multidisciplinary research and innovation hub working at the intersection of sports science, data analytics, AI, biomechanics, IoT and wearable technology.
CESSA works with sports federations, government bodies, industry partners, researchers and startups to advance athlete performance, sports technology, sports education and the wider sports-tech ecosystem in India.
Role Overview
CESSA is looking for a Senior Manager – Business Development & Strategic Partnerships to build and grow its external partnerships across the Indian sports and sports-tech ecosystem.
This is a hands-on business development role with responsibility for identifying opportunities, building senior stakeholder relationships, converting opportunities into projects and partnerships, and developing CESSA’s consortium membership programme.
The role will work closely with sports federations, government bodies, corporates, startups, investors and the wider IIT Madras ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities
Sports Federations & Community Partnerships
- Map and prioritise national sports federations, state associations, sporting bodies, clubs and athlete communities as potential partners and clients.
- Build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders including federation leadership, High Performance Directors, coaches and administrators.
- Identify opportunities in areas such as performance analytics, injury prevention, talent identification, officiating technology, fan engagement and sports technology.
- Translate partnership opportunities into project briefs in collaboration with CESSA faculty and researchers.
- Support negotiation of project scope, commercials, timelines, MoUs and Letters of Intent in coordination with IIT Madras.
- Represent CESSA at relevant sports events, industry forums, conclaves and government engagements.
- Track opportunities arising from programmes and initiatives of SAI, Khelo India, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and other government bodies.
Consortium Membership Programme
- Help design and operationalise CESSA’s industry consortium and membership programme.
- Develop membership tiers, benefits, pricing and value propositions for corporates, startups and ecosystem partners.
- Prospect and onboard sports-tech companies, sporting goods companies, analytics firms, media organisations, healthcare and fitness companies and startups.
- Build opportunities around executive education, research collaboration, government-funded projects, pilots, technology access and ecosystem connections.
- Manage the member lifecycle including onboarding, engagement, renewals and expansion.
- Organise member events, demo days, networking sessions and industry engagements.
- Track membership pipeline, revenue and engagement metrics.
Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Development
- Identify and develop strategic partnerships with corporates, investors, accelerators, innovation platforms and other organisations active in sports and sports-tech.
- Support CESSA-linked startups by connecting them with federation pilots, corporate POCs and potential funding opportunities.
- Collaborate with the IIT Madras Research Park, IIT Madras Incubation Cell, alumni network and other IITM initiatives to develop joint opportunities.
- Build and maintain a structured CRM of prospects, partners, projects and consortium members.
- Develop a strong and measurable business development pipeline for CESSA.
Candidate Profile
Essential
- 5+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, institutional sales, sponsorships, ecosystem development or a comparable commercial role.
- Demonstrated experience in originating opportunities, managing senior stakeholders and progressing partnerships or deals towards closure.
- Strong relationship-building, communication and negotiation skills.
- Ability to operate independently and work across academia, industry, government and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Willingness to travel across India, approximately 8–10 days per month.
Preferred
- Professional experience in sports, sports-tech, sports federations, sporting organisations or the broader sports ecosystem.
- Existing relationships within Indian sports federations, sporting communities or sports-tech.
- Prior sporting experience.
- Experience with consortium, membership or ecosystem models such as industry associations, chambers, innovation hubs or accelerators.
- Familiarity with government funding and programme mechanisms including SAI, Khelo India, DST and MeitY.
- Exposure to sports analytics, AI/ML applications in sport, wearables or sports technology.
- Experience working with academic, research or R&D institutions.
- MBA, postgraduate qualification in Sports Management, Business or a related discipline is desirable.
Why Join CESSA
- Opportunity to build partnerships at the intersection of sports, technology, research and innovation.
- Work within the institutional ecosystem of IIT Madras, with access to faculty, researchers, startups, the Research Park and Incubation Cell.
- Opportunity to help build a nationally relevant sports-tech consortium and partnership platform from the ground up.
- Direct engagement with sports federations, industry, government and emerging sports-tech companies.
- A high-impact role with significant ownership and visibility.
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