Mayank Kansal
Glenwood,Australia
Summary
Dynamic international business development leader with 14+ years of experience driving multi-channel marketing, digital recruitment, and revenue growth across Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and ME. Expert in data-driven student recruitment, strategic partnership development, and leveraging CRM systems to optimize performance. Proven track record of exceeding enrollment targets, building high-performing teams, and delivering innovative solutions aligned with institutional goals.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Business Development Manager
UpGrad GSP
01.2022 - Current
- Channel Relationship Management: Engaged and built relationships with targeted channel portfolios—including education agents and institutional providers—to drive quality student recruitment.
- Platform Expertise: Maintained current and comprehensive knowledge of the UpGrad GSP platform, its processes, and partnered institutions’ course offerings.
- Agent Training & Student Counseling: Conducted regular training sessions to update agents on the UpGrad GSP platform and product knowledge; provided timely student counseling to ensure a seamless handover to agents.
- Strategic Advisory & Reporting: Advised internal stakeholders on market trends within the allocated territory while ensuring consistent, accurate reporting on channel activities, pipeline, and forecasts.
- Team Leadership: Managed a team comprising 5 direct reports (Subcontinent territory-based) and 10 indirect reports, fostering collaboration and high performance.
- Quality & Compliance: Positioned UpGrad GSP as a quality aggregator and B2B platform by ensuring channel partners adhere to ethical practices and deliver compliant, enrollment-ready student applications.
- Target Achievement: Met revenue, student placement, and agent recruitment & retention targets through disciplined sales pipeline management and strategic follow-up.
- Sales & Business Development: Leveraged strong relationship management and strategic selling skills to generate new business with student agents, driving quality lead volume and successful enrollments.
- Regulatory & Data Integrity: Applied in-depth knowledge of Australia’s and the UK’s enrollment and visa requirements to ensure timeliness and accuracy of student, institution, and agent data for effective service delivery.
- B2B Event Leadership: Conceptualized and launched the annual UpGrad GSP Partner Assembly—an industry-leading event that fosters B2B engagement and strengthens agent–university collaborations.
Business Development Specialist
Torrens University
07.2021 - 01.2022
- Sales and Business Development: Owned and delivered international enrollment sales targets for the Subcontinent and Middle East, driving revenue growth and market penetration.
- Program Promotion: Promoted a diverse range of faculties—including Health, Business, Design & IT, Hospitality, Research, and TULC programs—to enhance program visibility and appeal.
- Regional Sales Management: Collaboratively managed region- and campus-specific sales targets with team members, ensuring alignment and maximum enrollment performance.
- Sales Forecasting & Strategic Collaboration: Forecasted sales results and worked closely with the Associate Director and Vice President to align strategies with university objectives.
- Pipeline Conversion: Focused on converting the sales pipeline from initial inquiry to successful enrollment, streamlining the admission process.
- Partner Management: Managed and coordinated with official education partners by establishing and maintaining agreements and incentive arrangements to support robust recruitment efforts.
- Agent Marketing & Compliance: Contributed to the agent marketing program—promoting initiatives and ensuring compliance in agent management—to secure quality student applications.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engaged with agents across NSW, VIC, SA, and QLD, ensuring high-level stakeholder management and effective communication.
- Student and Pastoral Care: Addressed student and pastoral care issues promptly, ensuring necessary support while transitioning students to agent-led counseling.
- Strategic Marketing & Recruitment: Contributed to the development and implementation of Torrens University Australia’s strategic international marketing and recruitment plan, enhancing the institution’s competitive positioning.
- Market Opportunity Evaluation: Evaluated international market opportunities for the TUA product portfolio to guide strategic enrollment decisions.
- Integrated Campaign Collaboration: Collaborated with brand marketing teams, domestic sales, and international counterparts to design and execute effective marketing campaigns.
- Budget Monitoring: Ensured strict adherence to budgets through continuous monitoring and optimal resource allocation.
Manager, International Student Recruitment
Southern Cross University
06.2018 - 07.2021
- International Recruitment Strategy: Implemented an innovative, cost-effective strategy for the direct acquisition of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Feeder Institution Partnerships: Identified, developed, and facilitated relationships with feeder institutions—including English language schools and vocational training providers—to expand recruitment channels.
- Market Intelligence & Government Relations: Maintained strong relationships with local governments, businesses, and the Australian embassy to capture vital market intelligence and inform strategic decisions.
- Competitive Strategy Development: Leveraged market intelligence and competitor activities to devise targeted strategies for increasing student recruitment and retention.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked collaboratively across business units to ensure effective delivery of recruitment outcomes aligned with institutional goals.
- Agent Relationship Management: Maintained excellent relationships with existing recruitment agents, regularly liaising to maximize conversion rates throughout the sales cycle.
- Agency Agreement & Training: Researched, analyzed, and recommended new agency agreements while managing and providing ongoing training for both onshore and offshore agents.
- Sales Cycle Optimization: Liaised with agents throughout the sales cycle—from inquiry through to application, acceptance, and commencement—to optimize conversion rates.
- Performance Reporting & CRM Oversight: Prepared weekly sales, outstanding application, and recruitment reports to monitor performance, while regularly reviewing agent contracts within the CRM system.
- Agent Incentives & Compliance: Implemented agent incentive plans and ensured that all marketing and promotional activities complied with regulatory requirements and ethical standards, thereby enhancing the quality of student recruitment.
International Business Development Manager
Canterbury Education Group
01.2016 - 06.2018
- Agency Recruitment & Relationship Management:
Developed and recruited new agency relationships while nurturing existing ones to drive both onshore and offshore student applications. - Liaison & Relationship Building:
Established and maintained strong liaison relationships with internal staff, international institutions, and prospective students. - Policy Development & Guidelines:
Collaborated with the admissions director to develop admission policies and entry guidelines for student recruitment in designated regions. - Partner Due Diligence & Negotiations:
Conducted due diligence checks on prospective international partners and negotiated international agreements to ensure strategic alignment. - Agreement Formation & Commission Structuring:
Formulated new agreements with recruitment agents and determined appropriate commission structures to incentivize performance. - Agent Performance Management:
Constantly monitored agent performance, making informed decisions on extending or terminating agency agreements while supporting agents in developing new marketing strategies. - Institutional Relationship Management:
Maintained robust relationships with key partners, including the University of Southern Queensland, to ensure continuous collaboration. - Application Processing & Data Management:
Assessed and processed student applications, accurately recording data in the Student Management System to streamline operations. - Additional Responsibilities:
Undertook other duties within the student services department as required to support overall departmental efficiency. - Student File Auditing:
Created and audited student files prior to generating SOA or Final Certificates, ensuring adherence to system protocols. - Student Counseling & Referrals:
Provided counseling to students and referred them to appropriate internal staff or external agencies as needed. - Complaint Handling:
Received student complaints and appeals, ensuring they were forwarded to the relevant staff for prompt resolution. - Student Support & Resolution:
Assisted students in resolving issues to enable them to successfully complete their studies.
Manager - International Student Recruitment
Universal Higher Education
01.2015 - 12.2015
Education
Post Graduate Diploma - International Business
Amity University
Delhi02.2002
Bachelors of Commerce - Business
University of Mumbai
Mumbai03.1999
Skills
- International Business Development & Digital Marketing
- Multi-Channel Recruitment Strategies & CRM Systems
- Data Analytics, KPI Tracking & Performance Reporting
- Strategic Partnerships & B2B Relationship Building
- Consultative Sales, Negotiation & Closing Deals
- Team Leadership, Performance Monitoring & Staff Development
- Market Intelligence, Regulatory Compliance & Visa Trends
- Lead Nurturing & Conversion Optimization
Accomplishments
- Led the transformation of Global Study Partners (GSP) from a startup to a key player in international student recruitment, culminating in its acquisition by UpGrad, a billion-dollar Indian edtech company, and its rebranding to UpGrad GSP.
- Played a pivotal role in scaling student recruitment from just 50 students at inception to over 750+ students onshore in Australia, alongside significant offshore growth, including: 450+ students from SE Asia, 900+ students from India, 800+ students from Bangladesh, 400+ students from Nepal
- Led the recruitment of teams in South India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, ensuring strategic market expansion and sustained business growth.
- Instrumental in UpGrad GSP winning the prestigious 2023 Premier’s NSW Export Award in the Professional Services category, showcasing its impact in international education.
- Secured multiple performance awards from partner institutions, demonstrating excellence in student recruitment and agent management.
- Strengthened collaboration between onshore and offshore teams, improving operational efficiency and driving agent engagement for quality student enrollments.
- Drove strategic initiatives that positioned UpGrad GSP as a top-tier aggregator for international student recruitment, leading to a 45% increase in market share.
Certification
- Google Ads Video Certification, 10/2021
- Google Ads Search Certification, 10/2021
- Google Ads Display Certification, 10/2021
Secret Superstar - Awarded by UpGrad GSP
Recipient of the prestigious “Secret Superstar” award from the UpGrad GSP CEO, recognizing outstanding contributions beyond just meeting targets. This award highlights exceptional efforts in building and maintaining strong relationships with government authorities and institutional partners, ensuring strategic growth and long-term success in international student recruitment.
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Hindi
Native or Bilingual
French
Limited Working
Timeline
Senior Business Development Manager
UpGrad GSP
01.2022 - Current
Business Development Specialist
Torrens University
07.2021 - 01.2022
Manager, International Student Recruitment
Southern Cross University
06.2018 - 07.2021
International Business Development Manager
Canterbury Education Group
01.2016 - 06.2018
Manager - International Student Recruitment
Universal Higher Education
01.2015 - 12.2015
Post Graduate Diploma - International Business
Amity University
Bachelors of Commerce - Business
University of Mumbai
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