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 partners with national sports federations, government bodies, and industry to drive athlete performance, fan engagement, sports education, and the growth of the sports-tech startup ecosystem in India

Role Overview

1. Sports Federation & Community Engagement - build and sustain relationships with national and state sports federations, sporting bodies, clubs, and athlete communities across India to surface and convert project and consulting opportunities for CESSA.

2. Consortium Membership Programme co-design and operationalise a structured membership model through which companies and startups gain privileged access to CESSAs training programmes, research pipeline, government-funded projects, and investor network. The role sits at the nexus of sports, technology, and institutional partnership, and demands equal facility with boardroom negotiations and grassroots community engagement.

Key Responsibilities

A. Sports Federations & Communities

- Map and prioritise national sports federations (NSFs), state associations, and sporting communities as prospective project partners and clients.

- Establish and maintain senior-level relationships with CEOs, Secretaries General, High Performance Directors, and Coaches at federations across disciplines (cricket, athletics, hockey, kabaddi, wrestling, football, etc.).
- Identify performance analytics, injury prevention, talent identification, officiating technology, and fan-engagement mandates within federations and translate them into project briefs for CESSA faculty and researchers.
- Negotiate project scopes, timelines, and commercials; draft MoUs and Letters of Intent in coordination with the IIT Madras administration.

• Represent CESSA at national and state-level sports events,



conclaves, and government consultations.
- Track government schemes (SAI, Khelo India, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports) and identify grant and programme opportunities that align with CESSAs capabilities.

B. Consortium Membership Programme

- Co-design the membership tiers, benefits framework, and pricing structure in collaboration with CESSA leadership (e.g., Corporate Member, Startup Member, Associate Partner).
- Define and articulate the value proposition: access to training programmes and executive education, early-stage research outputs, co-branded government funding bids (DST, MEITY, Khelo India), and curated investor introductions.
- Prospect and onboard sports-tech companies, sporting goods manufacturers, data and analytics firms, media companies, healthcare and fitness brands, and early-stage startups as consortium members.
- Manage the member lifecycle onboarding, engagement calendar, annual reviews, renewals, and upsell.

• Organise members-only events, demo days, and networking sessions that reinforce membership value.
- Track and report membership revenue, pipeline, and engagement metrics quarterly.

C. Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem

- Identify and close strategic partnerships with investors, accelerators, and corporate innovation arms interested in sports-tech.
- Support CESSAs incubator initiatives by connecting portfolio startups with federation pilots, corporate POCs, and funding sources.
- Collaborate with IIT Madrass alumni network, IITM Research Park, and IITM Incubation Cell to leverage joint business development opportunities.




- Build and maintain a live CRM of prospects, partners, and members

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

- Experience working with or within sports organisations, sports-tech companies, government sports bodies, or related industries.
- Existing network within Indian sports federations, sporting communities, or the sports-tech ecosystem.
- Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in at least one additional Indian language is an advantage.
- Comfortable with pan-India travel (expect 810 travel days per month).

Preferred

- Prior sporting experience is desirable.
- Prior exposure to consortium, membership, or ecosystem models (industry associations, chambers of commerce, innovation hubs, etc.). • Familiarity with government grant and funding processes (DST, MEITY, SAI, Khelo India).
- Understanding of sports analytics, AI/ML applications in sports, or wearable technology.
- Experience working with academic institutions or R&D; organisations.

CESSA Offers

- A unique institutional platform the credibility of IIT Madras combined with a dynamic, impact-driven sports-tech mandate.

- Direct access to world-class faculty, cutting-edge research, and a vibrant startup ecosystem through IITM Research Park and Incubation Cell.
- Opportunity to build a nationally significant consortium and membership programme from the ground up.

• A team-oriented, mission-driven work environment with a growing national and international footprint.

Preferred candidate profile

Qualification and Experience

- Undergraduate bachelors degree in business, Sports Management, Engineering, or a related field with 10 years
- Postgraduate MBA or postgraduate degree in Sports Management, Business, or a related discipline.
- 58 years of business development, partnerships, or institutional sales experience, with a demonstrated track record of closing deals.

Salary - Rs.1,00,000/- per month

📌 Senior Manager (Chennai)
🏢 Iit Madras
📍 Chennai