Director of Partnerships- SEA

Location: Southeast Asia

Experience: 8–12+ years (Student housing experience is preferred)

Travel: Frequent travel across Southeast Asia

About Amber

With the student at the heart of everything we do, Amber is a technology first, global student housing solutions company operating one of the world’s largest student housing booking platforms. Operating in 14+ destination and 70+ source countries we cater for over 130 nationalities annually. We partner with universities, education agencies, and student housing providers to support their businesses while providing guidance for students in finding their ideal accommodation while studying.

About the Role

We are looking for a senior, strategic partnerships leader to build and scale Amber’s education agency and higher education institution partnerships across Southeast Asia.

As Director of Partnerships, SEA, you will own the regional partnership strategy and be responsible for expanding Amber’s presence across key SEA markets. You will build and mature relationships with the education agency network, senior university leadership, international offices, and other strategic partners.

This role requires someone who can operate at both strategic and commercial levels identifying high-value opportunities, building long-term relationships, leading negotiations, and translating partnerships into meaningful business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• •Own and drive Amber’s SEA partnerships strategy, with a focus on education agencies and strategic education institutions
• •Identify priority markets, partnership opportunities and channels to accelerate growth
• •Build and manage relationships with senior decision-makers across all networks
• •Develop and close high-value, strategic partnerships across multiple SEA markets
• •Own the complete partnership lifecycle — from market mapping and relationship development to negotiation, onboarding, activation, and expansion
• •Represent Amber at industry events across SEA
• •Work closely with Marketing, Operations, Product, and Leadership teams to translate partnerships into business outcomes
• •Provide leadership with market intelligence, partnership insights, and recommendations for SEA expansion

What We’re Looking For

• •8–12+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, business development, institutional relations, education agent / university partnerships, or a related field
• •Strong, demonstrable experience building and managing partnerships
• •Experience engaging with senior stakeholders
• •Regional experience across Southeast Asia
• •Desirable experience in student accommodation, EdTech, overseas education, international education, student recruitment, or student mobility businesses
• •Proven track record of independently building and closing strategic partnerships
• •Strong commercial acumen with the ability to connect partnerships to revenue and business growth
• •Excellent presentation and executive stakeholder management skills
• •Strong understanding of the SEA higher education and international student mobility landscape
• •Ability to operate across multiple countries, cultures, and stakeholder groups
• •Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate with high ownership
• •Ability to travel extensively across the SEA region

Why Amber

• •High autonomy: Significant ownership to build and shape the strategy across SEA
• •High-impact role: Work directly with senior stakeholders and shape market expansion
• •Global exposure: Work across international markets
• •Strong career development: Performance-driven growth
• •Make a difference: Opportunity to really make a difference to others lives
• •Highly competitive compensation package