– Strategic Partnerships Lead

Company: AI Cure Academy

Position: Strategic Partnerships Lead

Location: Pune ONLY

Experience: 2–4 Years

Qualification: MBA – preferably Marketing, Business Development, Strategy, or related field

Travel: Willingness to travel as required

Working Hours: Flexible; willingness to work extended/late hours when required

About AI Cure Academy

AI Cure Academy is focused on building industry-ready talent in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Drug Discovery, and Pharma & Life Sciences. We work with universities, colleges, pharmaceutical companies, institutions, and other strategic partners to create high-impact learning and industry collaboration opportunities

Role Overview The Strategic Partnerships Lead will play a critical role in building and managing strategic relationships for AI Cure Academy The candidate will act as a bridge between the CEO, AI Cure Academy, and potential partners, ensuring that prospects are professionally evaluated, opportunities are developed, proposals are presented, negotiations are coordinated, and partnerships are successfully converted into signed MoUs and active business relationships The role combines Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, Sales, CEO Office coordination, Lead Generation, and Corporate Communication.

Key Responsibilities

- Strategic Partnerships & Business Development
- Identify and develop potential partnerships with universities, colleges, corporates, pharmaceutical companies, government institutions, associations, and other organizations
- Build and maintain a strong pipeline of strategic partnership opportunities.
- Generate new leads through networking, LinkedIn, research, references, events, conferences, and direct outreach
- Initiate conversations with potential partners and understand their requirements.
- Develop opportunities from initial contact through proposal, negotiation, MoU, and implementation
- Prospect Screening & Qualification




- Conduct the initial screening and qualification of potential partners
- Evaluate the organization, decision-makers, business potential, requirements, credibility, and strategic fit
- Prepare brief prospect reports for the CEO and management before high-level meetings.
- Ensure the CEO's time is utilized effectively by prioritizing qualified and high-potential opportunities
- CEO & Stakeholder Coordination
- Act as the primary coordination point between the CEO, internal teams, and external stakeholders
- Coordinate meetings, discussions, presentations, follow-ups, and negotiations involving the CEO
- Prepare meeting briefs, agendas, action points, and follow-up trackers
- Ensure commitments made during meetings are communicated to the relevant internal teams and followed through to completion
- Maintain professional relationships with senior management and decision-makers of partner organizations
- Proposal & MoU Management
- Coordinate preparation and submission of business proposals, partnership proposals, presentations, commercial proposals, and related documents
- Coordinate internally with the academic, technical, legal, finance, and management teams for finalization of proposals
- Manage the end-to-end MoU coordination process, including drafting coordination, review, negotiation, approvals, execution, and documentation
- Maintain a centralized tracker of all partnership discussions, proposals, MoUs, and next actions
- Sales & Lead Generation
- Take ownership of generating qualified business leads for AI Cure Academy
- Convert partnership opportunities into revenue-generating engagements




- Conduct follow-ups with prospects and ensure timely movement through the sales pipeline
- Maintain CRM/pipeline data and provide regular business development reports to the CEO
- Work towards defined monthly and quarterly partnership and revenue targets
- LinkedIn & CEO Office Support
- Support the CEO and company LinkedIn presence
- Coordinate and manage regular LinkedIn content, posts, announcements, partnership updates, achievements, events, and thought-leadership content
- Coordinate with internal/external teams for content, creatives, photographs, announcements, and campaign material
- Support the CEO in building a strong professional digital presence and network
- Identify relevant LinkedIn opportunities, prospects, decision-makers, and industry conversations The ideal candidate should have
- MBA with 2–4 years of relevant experience in Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, Sales, Corporate Relations, Consulting, or a similar role
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong presentation and negotiation abilities
- Ability to interact confidently with CEOs, CXOs, university leadership, senior management, and institutional decision-makers
- Strong follow-up and relationship-management skills
- Ability to independently manage multiple stakeholders and opportunities
- Strong organizational and documentation skills
- Good understanding of LinkedIn, professional networking, and digital communication.
- Commercial mindset with a robust focus on lead generation and conversion
- High ownership, maturity, professionalism, and ability to represent the CEO and organization appropriately
- Willingness to travel for meetings, conferences, partner visits, and business development activities
- Flexibility to work extended or late hours when required, particularly for CEO meetings, partner discussions, events, or critical business activities.

📌 Strategic Partnerships Lead (Pune)
🏢 AI Cure Academy
📍 Pune