Business Unit Head - Education

Job Description:

Designation: Business Unit Head - Early Learning

Location: Agra

Experience: 5-10+ years

Reporting To: Senior Management / CEO / Directors

Team Size: Cross-functional (Marketing, Product, Sales, Ops, Editorial - direct & dotted)

About Us:

Client is one of Indias leading educational publishing houses, creating trusted and innovative learning resources that empower students and educators nationwide.

Role Summary:

Client is hiring a Business Unit Head - Early Learning to lead its premium early-learning and childrens publishing imprint. This is a full P&L ownership role with responsibility for revenue growth, profitability, brand building, product innovation, and team leadership across D2C, marketplaces, offline retail, exports, and partnerships. The role demands a builders mindset - someone who can scale a business, not just manage operations.

Key Responsibilities:

1. P&L Ownership & Business Strategy:

- Own end-to-end P&L for Lil Legends, including revenue targets, gross margins, marketing spends (ROAS/ACOS discipline), inventory planning & working capital.

- Build annual and quarterly business plans with clear growth levers.

- Drive profitability improvement through pricing, cost optimization, mix, and channel strategy.

- Present performance updates and strategic plans to senior leadership.

2. D2C Growth (Shopify / Website):

- Own the D2C business end-to-end.

- Scale new user acquisition via Meta, Google, influencer-led performance campaigns.

- Improve conversion rate (CRO), AOV, and repeat purchase rate.

- Drive retention via email, WhatsApp, loyalty, referrals, bundles, and subscriptions.

- Own website UX/UI roadmap, funnel performance, and tech integrations (payments, CRM, analytics).

- Ensure D2C remains a profitable, scalable channel, not just a vanity one.

3. Marketplaces (Amazon & Others):

- Own Amazon P&L and growth strategy.

- Drive category leadership for key early-learning segments, ACOS and TACOS discipline, and listing excellence (IDQ, A+, videos, storefronts).

- Work closely with advertising teams and supply chain & inventory planners.

- Evaluate and scale other marketplaces (FirstCry, Flipkart, etc.) where relevant.

4. Offline & Field Sales:

- Lead offline revenue across general trade, modern trade, exhibitions (World Book Fair, fairs, events), and institutional / school sales.

- Build distributor and FSE strategy, incentive structures, and targets.

- Ensure healthy discounts, credit cycles, and returns control.

- Strengthen Lil Legends presence as a premium brand in offline retail.

5. Influencer Marketing & Brand Building:

- Own influencer strategy across parenting creators, educators, and doctors / child experts.

- Balance performance-led influencer campaigns and brand-led storytelling collaborations.

- Build long-term creator partnerships, not just one-off posts.

- Drive brand campaigns aligned with early-learning philosophy, parenting insights, and IP-led storytelling.

6. Product Strategy & Publishing Roadmap:

- Own the product and publishing roadmap including new launches, series development, and IP creation.

- Ensure products are market-led, curriculum-aligned (NEP / NCF), and differentiated from competitors.

- Work closely with editorial, design, and production.

- Balance commercial titles and brand-building / thought-leadership titles.

7. International Sourcing & Partnerships:

- Lead international publishing partnerships and imports.

- Own commercial negotiations, pricing and margin structure, and India-market adaptation.

- Explore new licensing, co-editions, and strategic IP collaborations.

8. Cross-Functional Leadership:

- Act as the single-point owner for Lil Legends across marketing, editorial, sales, ops, and finance.

- Build clear processes, accountability, and performance metrics.

- Mentor and grow leadership talent within the BU.

Candidate Profile:

- 5-10+ years of experience in publishing, D2C, consumer brands, edtech, or media.

- Mandatory prior P&L ownership.

- Strong understanding of performance marketing, marketplaces (especially Amazon), and offline sales dynamics.

- Comfortable with numbers, budgets, and decision-making under pressure.

- Experience with content, books, or education is a strong plus.

Mandatory Skills:

- P&L

- Business Acumen

- Cross Functional Teams

Additional Skills:

- Communication Skills

- Leadership