Why this role exists

Edstellar is looking for a high-ownership player-coach who can take end-to-end ownership of the trainer side of program delivery - from understanding the requirement to finding, evaluating, onboarding, coordinating and closing with the right trainer. You will personally handle critical programs while also guiding a small team of 2-4 people to deliver with speed, quality and consistency.

This is not a pure people-management role and not a pure sourcing role. It sits at the intersection of program management, expert sourcing, commercial coordination and delivery operations.

What you will own

- Join client discovery calls with Sales and help capture trainer-relevant requirements that may otherwise be missed - expertise, industry context, geography, language, delivery style, certifications, availability and other fit criteria.
- Translate the brief into a clear sourcing strategy and trainer scorecard, then shortlist, evaluate and validate suitable trainers using ChatGPT, Claude, LinkedIn, Freelancer, Upwork and other relevant channels.
- Conduct trainer screening and fit assessment, including experience validation, training capability, communication, availability, references/evidence where needed, and overall suitability for the program.
- Own trainer communication end to end: outreach, follow-ups, commercial negotiation, availability confirmation, onboarding, NDA/MSA/contracting, scheduling, payment coordination and relationship management.
- Partner closely with Sales and Customer Success so trainer readiness supports an excellent client experience, while keeping trainer experience equally strong and professional.
- Manage trainer commercials responsibly and negotiate effectively within approved budgets. Margin protection is shared with the Head of Business and Sales, but disciplined trainer costing is a key part of this role.
- Build, maintain and reuse a strong global trainer/expert/coach network so Edstellar can respond faster and with better-fit options over time.
- Step in proactively when requirements are unclear, timelines are compressed, trainer availability shifts,



or delivery risks emerge - and bring structure to the situation.

Player-coach responsibilities

- Personally own high-priority and complex trainer requirements while distributing other work across a team of 2-4.
- Review shortlists, screening quality, outreach quality and program readiness before critical submissions or confirmations.
- Coach and groom team members on sourcing strategy, trainer evaluation, negotiation, communication, documentation and stakeholder management.
- Create and improve SOPs, templates, trackers and operating rhythms that increase speed without compromising quality.
- Track team workload, turnaround time, quality and closure discipline; identify bottlenecks and improve the process continuously.

What great looks like

- Fast turnaround time without sacrificing trainer quality.
- Robust first-time-right shortlists with clear evidence of fit.
- Trainers who are well briefed, professionally managed and ready on time.
- Smooth contracting and payment discipline with minimal follow-up debt.
- Consistently strong trainer and client experience.
- A team that becomes more independent, sharper and more reliable over time.
- A growing trainer network that is tagged, reusable and increasingly valuable to Edstellar.

Who will thrive in this role

- 4-6 years of total experience, with at least 3-4 years strongly preferred in managed training services, corporate training, L&D; operations, expert networks, learning operations or adjacent services environments.
- Hands-on experience across most of the trainer lifecycle: requirement understanding, sourcing, screening, evaluation, negotiation, contracting, coordination and payment follow-up.
- Experience leading,



mentoring or quality-checking the work of a small team, while remaining comfortable doing the work yourself.
- Strong research instincts and confidence using AI tools and online platforms to identify hard-to-find experts quickly.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, especially with independent trainers, senior experts, coaches and internal stakeholders.
- Commercially sensible - able to negotiate firmly but fairly and balance quality, availability, cost and relationship value.
- High ownership, self-motivation, thoroughness and attention to detail. You close loops rather than wait to be reminded.
- Comfortable with ambiguity, changing priorities and imperfect information; able to convert chaos into clear next steps.
- International trainer / expert / coach sourcing experience is a strong advantage, not mandatory. An existing global network is a plus.
- MBA preferred, but not mandatory. Skills, judgment and relevant experience matter more than credentials.

Working style & reporting You will report to the Associate Director - Strategy to start with. As the role scales and demonstrates impact, there is potential to report directly to the Head of Business in the coming quarters. The role is based in BTM 2nd Stage, Bengaluru and is 5 days work from office. Because trainer sourcing can be global, occasional flexibility for calls outside standard India working hours will be required.

You may be a strong fit if you enjoy both execution and leadership: you can personally solve a difficult trainer requirement today, then turn what worked into a better process for the team tomorrow.

About Edstellar

Edstellar is a global Capability Transformation partner that helps organizations identify workforce skill gaps and close them through a hyper-customized ecosystem of consulting, assessments, technology, training, coaching, and other capability-building interventions.

Interested? Apply with your resume and a short note on the kinds of trainer/expert sourcing and delivery programs you have handled.

📌 Team Lead - Program Delivery (Bengaluru)
🏢 Edstellar Solutions
📍 Bengaluru