Open to opportunities

Phil Elias

@philelias

Business development and partnerships professional helping international education programmes grow through strong partner relationships.

Zimbabwe

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a partnerships or client-facing business development role in international education where I can own partner growth, lead needs-based conversations, and improve delivery and retention in a structured, remote-friendly environment.

I’m a commercial partnerships and business development professional with 7+ years’ experience building relationships, developing opportunities, and driving partner growth across education, sport, and international programmes. I bring a partnership-first approach—moving from first conversation through to delivery, retention, and operational follow-through in remote and international contexts.

In my current role as an Academic Partnerships Manager (Remote), I support academic and institutional partnership activity end-to-end. I act as a consistent point of contact for partner organisations, manage communication and follow-ups, and maintain structured records of partner activity, priorities, and next steps so delivery stays continuous and dependable.

Previously, as Head of English (Programmes, Client Development & Delivery – Remote), I worked client-facing across internationally recruited professionals—aligning service delivery with hiring and organisational needs. I supported business development through needs-based conversations and stakeholder follow-up, managed multiple concurrent workstreams (assessment, scheduling, participant communication, progression), and improved programme materials, operational workflows, and evaluation processes for stronger consistency and user experience.

Earlier entrepreneurial and leadership experience shaped how I work: as a Co-Founder & Operations Manager, I led end-to-end delivery across 700+ events and built operational systems to improve efficiency and customer experience as the business scaled to c. £30k/month. With a background including Director of Studies and teaching/learning leadership, I’m comfortable coordinating stakeholders, onboarding teams, and protecting quality—so partners and participants both feel confident long after onboarding.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Academic Partnerships Manager

Current

Fair Game UK

Jan 2024 - Present (2 years 3 months)

Supported remote academic partnership activity, progressing relationships from initial engagement through to delivery and ongoing coordination. Served as a consistent point of contact for partner communication, follow-ups, and day-to-day relationship support.

Academic Partnerships Stakeholder Management Client Relationship Management Partner Onboarding Cross Functional Collaboration Remote Operations

Current

Head of English Programmes

Current

Allan Solutions

Jan 2022 - Present (4 years 3 months)

Led client-facing programme and assessment support for internationally recruited professionals, aligning delivery with hiring and organisational needs. Managed multiple workstreams across assessment, scheduling, participant communication, and progression, while improving programme materials and evaluation workflows.

Programme Delivery Assessment Coordination Scheduling Client Retention

Director of Studies

Cmt Learning

Jan 2023 - Jan 2024 (1 year)

Delivered large-scale international education and sports programmes with multiple delivery partners and operational workflows. Supported onboarding of educators and staff into safeguarding and delivery frameworks, and worked with students, parents, and staff to maintain participant experience.

Director Of Studies International Education Partner Onboarding Stakeholder Management Programme Delivery Workflows

Co-Founder & Operations Manager

Meeting House

Jan 2018 - Jan 2023 (5 years)

Led end-to-end delivery across 700+ events, coordinating logistics, communications, timelines, and service quality. Built operational systems to improve efficiency and coordinated internal teams and partners to deliver against agreed scope and standards.

Event Operations Client Relationship Management Process Improvement Logistics Coordination Stakeholder Management Team Coordination Quality Assurance

Senior Leader of Learning

Wey Education

Jan 2017 - Jan 2019 (2 years)

Reviewed and improved delivery processes for international EFL programmes and partner organisations. Strengthened quality, communication, and relationship continuity across remote educational provision.

EFL Programme Delivery Quality Improvement Remote Education Partner Relationship Management Communication Strategy Learner Experience

Associate Lecturer (English)

University College London

Jan 2025 - Present (1 year 3 months)

Delivered English for Academic Purposes programmes within defined institutional frameworks for international cohorts. Supported academic requirements, assessment criteria, and operational processes with clear communication and consistent stakeholder management.

English For Academic Purposes Academic Assessment International Cohorts Stakeholder Management Support Operations Management

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

FIFA and CIES

Postgraduate Programme, International Sports Management

2022 -

Completed the FIFA/CIES International Sports Management Postgraduate Programme, covering operations, governance, compliance, stakeholder management, budgeting, and cross-border coordination.

University of Cambridge

DELTA (Level 7), English Language Teaching (DELTA)

2021 -

Completed the Cambridge DELTA (Level 7) qualification.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

Licensed Football Agent, Licensed Football Agent

Qualified through FIFA’s examination process for Licensed Football Agent status, with focus on regulations, contracts, compliance, and financial rules.