Manager Strategy

About Allen Career Institute

Allen Career Institute was founded on April 18, 1988, in Kota, Rajasthan, by Rajesh Maheshwari, who began by teaching eight students out of a small rented space. His brothers Govind, Naveen and Brajesh Maheshwari joined him over time, and the institute has been run as a family-led organisation since its founding. Allen was named in memory of the founders' father, Laxmi Narayan Maheshwari.

From its early years, Allen distinguished itself by offering coaching across Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology under one roof, rather than focusing on a single subject. This model helped establish Kota as India's best-known hub for competitive exam coaching, and Allen grew alongside it into one of the country's largest test preparation institutions, known primarily for its IIT-JEE and NEET coaching programmes.

Allen has since expanded well beyond its original Kota campus, operating classroom centres across multiple cities in India and building out a digital learning arm, Allen Online, alongside brands such as Doubtnut and Allen IntelliBrain. The company has also attracted institutional investment, including backing from Bodhi Tree Systems, and continues to explore opportunities for expansion and business transformation.

It is this next phase, spanning organic expansion, digital growth and inorganic opportunities such as partnerships, investments, acquisitions and capital market initiatives, that the Strategy Team supports directly.

Role Overview

Allen Career Institute is looking for a high-calibre Manager – Strategy to drive and support high-impact strategic initiatives across organic and inorganic growth.

The role requires a professional with 3–5 years of experience, combining strong strategic thinking, financial acumen and execution capabilities, with hands-on exposure to M&A transactions and capital markets.

The individual will work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams across strategy, finance, product, operations and business functions. The position will involve evaluating strategic opportunities, supporting investment and transaction-related decisions, developing financial models and translating complex business problems into actionable recommendations.

The ideal candidate should have a strong academic background, preferably from a Tier 1 undergraduate institution, and prior experience in investment banking, M&A, transaction advisory, corporate finance, strategy consulting or similar analytical and financial roles.

This is a high-ownership role offering direct exposure to senior leadership and the C-Suite, with the opportunity to contribute to Allen's long-term growth and strategic direction.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive strategic projects linked to business growth, market expansion, operating performance and inorganic growth opportunities.
• Lead and support M&A initiatives, including target identification, market scans, preliminary evaluation, due diligence coordination, valuation and transaction execution support.
• Work on capital markets-related initiatives, including fundraising support, capital structuring, investor-related analysis and strategic financial evaluations.
• Conduct detailed market research, competitor benchmarking, sector analysis and opportunity assessments to identify potential growth avenues.
• Build and evaluate financial models, business models, valuation models, scenario analyses and investment business cases.
• Evaluate potential acquisitions, partnerships, investments and expansion opportunities from strategic and financial perspectives.
• Develop data-backed insights and strategic recommendations to support key business and leadership decisions.
• Prepare and present leadership presentations, investment notes, strategy decks, financial analyses and decision-support materials.
• Work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders across finance, product, operations and business teams to drive strategic initiatives.
• Track market trends, competitive activity, capital market developments and sector opportunities relevant to Allen's growth priorities.
• Take ownership of high-priority strategic initiatives, ensuring structured execution, stakeholder alignment and timely delivery.
• Support the C-Suite and senior strategy leadership on critical business decisions and long-term strategic planning.

Candidate Requirements

Must-Have Criteria

• 3–5 years of full-time work experience in a relevant strategic, financial or consulting role.
• Hands-on experience in M&A as well as capital markets.
• Strong academic background, preferably from a Tier 1 undergraduate institution.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and structured thinking abilities.
• Demonstrated proficiency in financial analysis, financial modelling, valuation and business case preparation.
• Experience evaluating investment opportunities, strategic transactions or business growth initiatives.
• Ability to work with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Strong ownership mindset, execution orientation and bias for action.
• Excellent communication, presentation and business-writing skills.

Ideal Candidate Profiles

Candidates should ideally come from one of the following backgrounds:

• Investment Banking Professionals: 3–5 years of experience in M&A, fundraising, capital markets, deal execution, valuation or transaction advisory.
• CA Professionals: Qualified Chartered Accountants with 3–5 years of relevant experience in Big 4 Deals, M&A, transaction advisory, corporate finance or capital markets.
• Strategy & Consulting Professionals: Professionals with 3–5 years of experience in strategy consulting or corporate strategy, with meaningful exposure to financial modelling, M&A and capital markets.
• Corporate Finance / M&A Professionals: Candidates with experience in corporate development, investment evaluation, acquisitions, fundraising, financial structuring or strategic transactions.

Additional Preferred Experience

• Prior experience working on end-to-end M&A transactions, including deal evaluation, due diligence, valuation and execution.
• Exposure to capital markets, fundraising, investor interactions or capital structuring.
• Experience in growth strategy, market entry, business transformation or investment evaluation.
• MBA from a top-tier institute is an added advantage but not mandatory.
• Experience working with senior leadership, promoters, founders or C-suite stakeholders.