Website:
rai.net.in
Job details:
Role Overview
The Retailers Association of India (RAI) is looking for a self-driven strategic partnerships leader to build and scale our HR-focused learning and networking platforms for the retail industry. You will anchor “The Largest HR Event in the Retail Industry” – a flagship summit that convenes CHROs and HR leaders to shape future-ready people strategies for Indian retail.
This role combines content leadership with commercial ownership: you will define the intellectual agenda of the summit and related initiatives, while building a strong ecosystem of partners, sponsors, and service providers to fund and enable these large-format events.
Key Responsibilities
- Event strategy and content leadership
- Design high-impact event themes across HR Tech, AI in Retail, Workforce Transformation, Talent & Culture, and Future of Work in retail.
- Curate C-suite speakers (CHROs, HR leaders, founders, experts) and shape session formats that drive practical, future-looking conversations.
- Benchmark against global best practices in HR conferences and continuously elevate the positioning of RAI’s HR platforms.
- Sponsorship and revenue growth
- Identify, engage, and close high-value sponsorships with HR tech firms, consulting organisations, payroll and staffing companies, and other HR ecosystem players.
- Own the full sponsorship sales cycle – from prospecting and pitching to negotiation, contracting, and renewals.
- Achieve and exceed sponsorship revenue targets while maintaining strong partner satisfaction and retention.
- Partnership design and account management
- Create tailored sponsorship packages that align partner objectives (branding, lead generation, thought leadership, networking) with event assets.
- Ensure 100% delivery of promised benefits and strong ROI for all partners through on-ground activation, brand visibility, and curated introductions.
- Maintain deep, long-term relationships with sponsors and explore upsell/cross-sell opportunities across RAI’s broader event portfolio.rai+1
- Community and stakeholder engagement
- Serve as the primary bridge between RAI and the retail HR leadership community, driving year-round engagement beyond the flagship summit
- Work closely with CHROs, senior HR leaders, and industry influencers to keep the agenda relevant to real-world talent and workforce challenges.
- Represent RAI at key industry forums and partner events to expand the HR ecosystem and uncover new collaboration opportunities.
- Commercial planning and governance
- Build and manage event P&Ls, including budgeting, pricing, revenue forecasting, and profitability tracking.
- Work with internal teams (events, marketing, content, finance) to ensure seamless delivery of all sponsor and stakeholder commitments.
- Track performance metrics (sponsor NPS, renewal rates, yield per sponsor, contribution margins) and recommend improvements.
Core Competencies
- Strategic planning and insight
- Ability to translate industry challenges (frontline workforce scale, leadership depth, productivity, retention) into compelling event narratives and content tracks.
- B2B sales and negotiation
- Demonstrated success in consultative B2B sales, sponsorships, or enterprise solutions, with comfort in engaging CXO-level decision-makers.
- Stakeholder and relationship management
- Strong executive presence and interpersonal skills to work effectively with senior HR leaders, sponsors, partners, and internal cross-functional teams.
- Financial and commercial acumen
- Comfort with budgets, revenue targets, deal structuring, and profitability, with the ability to balance partner value and commercial outcomes.
- Ownership and drive
- High degree of initiative, resilience, and accountability, with a builder’s mindset to create and scale a flagship property over multiple editions.
Candidate Requirements
- Experience
- 5–7 years of experience in sponsorship sales, B2B partnerships, or business development for conferences, media, HR tech, or similar platforms.
- Prior exposure to the HR tech / HR services ecosystem or experience selling into HR leadership is highly preferred.
- Education
- MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification in Marketing, HR, Communications, or Business Management.
- Network and industry exposure
- Existing relationships within the HR service provider ecosystem (HR tech, consulting, payroll, staffing, L&D, assessments) will be a strong advantage.
- Location and travel
- Based in or willing to relocate to Mumbai, with readiness to travel for client meetings and events as required.
Interested candidates should send an email with a cover letter and resume to Dr Lawrence Fernandes <lawrence@rai.net.in> with the subject line Strategic Partnerships Lead – Retail HR Summits_Your_Name. The cover letter should explain why you're the best person for this role.
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