Category Manager Full Time

The Category Manager – Learning Centers will own the end-to-end growth and expansion of 21K’s Learning Center model across cities. This role combines revenue ownership, local marketing strategy, center setup, team management, and operational execution. The incumbent will act as a business owner for the Learning Center category and drive scalability across regions.

• Revenue & Growth Management
• Drive revenue targets across all existing Learning Centers (Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune) and upcoming cities.
• Design and execute city-wise growth strategies to increase enrollments, occupancy, and center-level profitability.
• Take full accountability for city-level profitability, occupancy rates, and break-even timelines.
• Plan and execute local marketing initiatives including offline activations, school outreach programs, community engagement, events, and partnerships.
• Collaborate closely with the central marketing and admissions teams to optimize the lead generation and conversion funnel.
• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly revenue performance and present structured reports to leadership.
• Identify and implement revenue enhancement opportunities such as workshops, bootcamps, hybrid programs, seasonal offerings, and value-added services.
• Monitor center-wise P&L, cost structures, and marketing ROI to ensure sustainable growth.
• Conduct competitor and market research to identify expansion opportunities and local positioning strategies.
• Build forecasting models and revenue projections for new city launches.
• Learning Center Setup & Expansion
• Lead end-to-end setup of new Learning Centers in identified cities, ensuring timely launch and operational readiness. Implement end-to-end expansion into new cities, from feasibility assessment to successful launch.
• Identify and evaluate potential properties/locations in collaboration with leadership and finance teams based on demand, competition, and cost analysis.
• Develop scalable center-launch playbooks including timelines, budgets, vendor frameworks, and SOPs.
• Coordinate infrastructure planning including classroom setup, branding, furniture, technology requirements, and safety compliance.
• Oversee vendor identification, negotiation, onboarding, and procurement processes.
• Ensure adherence to brand guidelines and uniform center experience across all locations.
• Develop standardized launch checklists and expansion frameworks for scalable growth.
• Operations & Center Performance Management
• Oversee overall functioning of all Learning Centers to ensure operational efficiency.
• Monitor key performance indicators including occupancy rates, batch utilization, admissions pipeline, and center-level expenses.
• Ensure alignment between academic delivery, operations, and revenue objectives.
• Establish SOPs for center management and ensure compliance across locations.
• Conduct periodic center visits to review performance, address operational challenges, and drive improvements.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities without compromising quality or learner experience.
• Local Marketing & Demand Generation
• Plan and execute strong ground-level marketing initiatives including community outreach, school tie-ups, events, partnerships, and offline activations.
• Ensure local marketing strategies are outcome-driven and aligned to enrollment targets.
• Optimize cost per acquisition (CPA) and city-level marketing efficiency.
• Monitor lead funnel metrics and work with admissions teams to improve conversion ratios.
• Build strong local brand presence for 21K Learning Centers in each city.
• Team Leadership & Coordination
• Manage and mentor center-level teams including coordinators, support staff, and local marketing resources.
• Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Academic, Finance, and HR teams to ensure cross-functional alignment.
• Support hiring requirements for new centers in collaboration with HR.
• Build a high-performance, ownership-driven culture across all Learning Centers.
• Strategic Planning & Business Ownership
• Develop short-term and long-term expansion roadmaps aligned with organizational goals.
• Prepare city-level business plans including revenue projections, budget planning, and break-even analysis.
• Create scalable business models for multi-city growth.
• Provide regular dashboards and performance insights to leadership for strategic decision-making.
• Identify new growth avenues including partnerships, franchise opportunities, or regional collaborations.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned from time to time to support team and organizational growth.
• Develop a 1–3 year roadmap for national expansion of Learning Centers.
• Identify new partnership or collaboration opportunities to accelerate expansion.
• Continuously refine the business model to improve profitability and operational efficiency.
• Evolve the Learning Center vertical into a sustainable, high-growth revenue engine for 21K School.
• Multi-City Operations & Performance Optimization
• Establish standardized operating frameworks across all centers for consistency and scalability.
• Track key metrics including occupancy, batch utilization, student retention, and center profitability.
• Conduct regular performance reviews with center teams and drive accountability.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement structured improvements.
• Ensure brand consistency, quality standards, and student experience across all locations.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The performance of the Category Manager will be evaluated based on:

• Achievement of center-wise and overall revenue targets
• Occupancy rate across Learning Centers
• City-level profitability and break-even timelines
• Cost per acquisition (CPA) and marketing ROI
• Number of successful center launches within defined timelines
• Admission conversion rates
• Batch utilization and seat optimization metrics
• Vendor cost optimization and infrastructure efficiency
• Stakeholder satisfaction and team performance metrics
• Expansion roadmap execution against planned milestones

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 7–10 years of experience in business expansion, city operations, category management, program management, or branch operations
• Proven track record of owning revenue targets and driving measurable growth
• Experience in setting up physical centers, retail outlets, franchises, co-working spaces, or education institutes preferred
• Strong understanding of local/offline marketing and ground-level activations
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and multiple stakeholders
• Strong analytical mindset with experience in financial planning, budgeting, and P&L ownership
• Ability to travel extensively and manage multi-city operations
• High ownership mindset with strong execution capabilities