The Knowledge Society (TKS) is a global human accelerator focused on developing young people (ages 13-18) to impact billions. In TKS, students learn about solving problems using emerging technologies, develop foundational mindsets, and build real-world skills, while being part of a global community of like-minded people.

Our vision is to help create the next generation of unicorn people – people who create the future. In 2020, TKS was recognized by The World Economic Forum as a “School of the Future” and was also featured in Forbes, BBC, and the Fast Company.

We currently have 2,500+ students and alumni from over 300 cities globally. Our alumni have started venture-backed companies, performed cutting-edge research, presented at the world’s largest conferences, and are creating solutions to tackle important problems like maternal mortality, disease, and energy.

The Partner Development Manager Role:

TKS trains young people to solve important problems in the world, and we’re often asked “how do the students hear about you?” This is where you come in! You will be directly responsible for over 40% of applications to the program by making schools & organizations aware of TKS.

The main channels you will be focusing on are schools, youth organizations and student events/conferences (like the International Science and Engineering Fair). In this role, you’ll build meaningful relationships with these institutions as a channel to reach curious and ambitious young people from around the world.

This will include managing a pipeline of relationships, organizing meetings with key stakeholders, organizing value add opportunities with institutions such as speaking events, teacher and student workshops, and managing a global community of educators, with the ultimate goal of leveraging them to find top students to participate in the program.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Prospecting school partners: You’ll identify and reach out to school district leadership (superintendents), school administrators, counsellors, and teachers to introduce them to the TKS program and showcase how their students can benefit from it, building TKS Champions and brand recognition.
• Building value-add partner relationships: You’ll identify and lead mutually beneficial relationships with large international youth organizations, conferences and events. Collaborate with these partners to organize joint events, conference activations, workshops, and initiatives that provide added value for both TKS and partner organizations, showcasing the benefits of the TKS program to their respective communities.
• Driving student applications to TKS: Leveraging the relationships you’ve cultivated with our network of champions and partners, you’ll play a critical role in driving student applications to TKS. Your objective will be to meet/ exceed the target for referral applications to TKS generated through our trusted champions network.

Experience we’re looking for:

• Experience: You should have a minimum of 5 years of successful experience in sales, business development, or partnership management, preferably within the education or technology sector.
• CRM Proficiency: Proficient in using sales CRM tools like HubSpot or similar platforms, displaying your expertise in managing and tracking sales pipelines, maintaining accurate records, and leveraging data to drive informed decision-making.
• Event Conversion: You are comfortable hosting events and creating a presence at conferences, including conference booths. You actively engage participants and ultimately create brand champions.
• Bonus: Experience in student recruitment, admissions, or marketing is a plus, particularly in attracting high-achieving high school students to programs or opportunities.

To be successful, you’ll need to have:

• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) – you will be interfacing with a lot of teachers, principals, students, and parents.
• Strong presentation skills – you can pitch your ideas and sell people on your vision
• Strong organizational skills – you will be managing a large pipeline of schools and organizations.
• Ability to analyze data to discover insights and drive decisions.
• Passion for education & making education better for youth.
• Friendly and people-oriented.
• Growth mindset, open to feedback, and desire to learn.

Why you might not be a fit:

• Monthly quotas and strong adherence to KPIs stress you out
• You dislike cold outreach & lead generation
• You feel uncomfortable leading virtual or in person meetings
• You don’t want to travel (this role will have monthly travel to events)

Benefits/Perks:

• Build relationships with the next generation of unicorn founders
• Competitive compensation
• Complete ownership and autonomy
• Network with influential people
• Work with smart people who enjoy high-quality conversations
• Access to TKS program content – always be learning 💡

Ps. Yes, we offer health benefits, vacation, swag, and other nice perks.