Director of Business Development (District Sales)

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Organization Summary

The Buck Institute for Education (dba PBLWorks) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Northern California, and is the industry leader in providing professional development and support services related to Project Based Learning (PBL). PBLWorks creates, collects, and shares high-quality PBL tools and resources with K-12 teachers and leaders across the country and world. At PBLWorks, we believe that all students—especially Black and Brown students —should have access to quality PBL to deepen their learning and achieve success in college, career, and life. We seek to build a multi-talented staff who deeply understand and embrace the diversity of the students of today and have awareness of the opportunities and challenges in the world those students will inherit. At PBLWorks, we build the capacity of teachers to design and facilitate quality Project Based Learning and the capacity of school and system leaders to set the conditions for teachers to implement great projects with all students.

Opportunity

The Director of Business Development (District Sales) position offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to join our fast growing and mission-driven organization and apply their skills and background to grow the K-12 market for PBLWorks products and services in this newly-created role. The Director develops and cultivates relationships with partners, evaluates needs, and offers solutions to districts seeking to scale high quality Project Based Learning (PBL) districtwide. They are responsible for implementing strategy based on organizational and departmental goals that will promote sales growth and customer satisfaction and ultimately increase access to high quality Project Based Learning for all students, especially Black and Brown students. The Director will be responsible for outbound and inbound district level sales, creating and executing on a long-term strategy and annual strategic priorities and plan.

The Director of Business Development (District Sales) reports to the Senior Director of Business Development, and is a full-time, exempt position with benefits. This is a remote position with expected travel domestically approximately 25%-40% of the time, including to the home office in Novato, California.

Key Responsibilities:

• Create a plan to target, pitch and close K12 education partners in districts, especially those serving 50% or more Black and Brown students

• Execute on strategy, plans, and sales targets for inbound and outbound sales

• Identify and pursue potential customers within the K-12 market, including school districts, administrators, and decision-makers. Utilize various channels such as cold calling, networking events, and education conferences to generate leads and build a robust sales pipeline that leads to revenue of $1-3 million annually in new district partnerships and contributes to an overall B2B target of $8-$15 million

• Tailor product and service presentations to address the specific needs and challenges of K-12 institutions. Clearly articulate how the offered solutions align with educational goals, improve outcomes, and enhance the overall effectiveness of schools and districts

• Build, manage, and grow a pipeline and hit quarterly sales goals

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the K-12 education sector, including superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, and technology officers. Establish trust and credibility by understanding their unique requirements and providing ongoing support

• Manage the end-to-end sales cycle, from initial contact and needs assessment to proposal development, negotiation, and contract closure. Effectively collaborate with internal teams, to ensure seamless onboarding, delivery and implementation of products and services

• In collaboration with Marketing and the Senior Director, plan, support and actualize business development campaigns

• Build a cohesive, productive, and collaborative partnership with the inbound sales team.

• Conduct thorough research on the K-12 education sector to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities. Analyze competitor offerings and market dynamics to inform the development of targeted sales strategies.

• Proactively identify opportunities to cross-sell additional digital and curriculum products. Utilize a consultative approach to understand evolving needs, aligning supplementary offerings with their educational objectives.

• Lead recruiting efforts associated with the launch of School Leader Networks.

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Director of District Partnership Engagement candidate will possess these skills and abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or Education, or a related field

• At least 8-10 years of combined educational and sales experience of business development, partnership management, and/or sales within the Education sector

• At least three years of technical selling experience in an educational space to school districts

• Knowledge of the K-12 market and existing and emerging competitors in the field (Project Based Learning a benefit)

• Experience as a teacher (school or district leader preferred)

• Experience in selling and/or developing and implementing professional learning services

• Outstanding consultative selling abilities and excellent interpersonal skills with customers at all levels of organizations

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities, with a keen eye for identifying business opportunities

• Outstanding organizational skills, with high attention to detail, and exceptional focus on accuracy and accountability

• Ability to work collaboratively with staff to create a results-driven, team oriented environment and adapt to the needs of the organization and employees

• Competence with Word, Excel, Google Apps.

• Familiar experience using Salesforce

• Proven ability to establish and cultivate strong, strategic relationships with high-level decision-makers in the K12 education sector, including superintendents, chief academic officers, and technology officers. A track record of understanding their unique challenges, needs, and priorities to tailor effective sales pitches and solutions.

• Comprehensive understanding of the K12 education market, including awareness of current trends, challenges, and opportunities. Ability to articulate how educational products and services align with the goals and initiatives of school districts, demonstrating a deep appreciation for the complexities of the academic environment.

• A track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets in the education sector, with a focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as revenue growth, market share expansion, and customer retention. Proven ability to develop and execute sales strategies that result in successful closures and long-term partnerships with K12 decision-makers.

Key Attributes

• A deep passion for equitable access for Black and Brown students to high quality education, and a desire to help to move our racial equity agenda forward

• A growth mindset and understanding that failure is an opportunity to learn and grow

• A belief that collaboration creates synergy, efficiency, and richer solutions

• A commitment to working at the highest possible standard in service of our internal and external partners and to the field of education

• Strong work ethic and a passion for PBLWorks' vision, mission, and commitment to working collaboratively with a management team of senior professionals

Location

The job may be fully remote. PBLWorks' offices are located in Marin County, California, one hour north of San Francisco. Travel is expected domestically approximately 40% of the time, including to the home office in Novato, California.

Compensation and Benefits

The Director of District Partner Engagement is a full-time exempt position with full health benefits (including medical, vision, and dental), generous retirement contributions of 6-12%, life, and disability insurance, and a cell phone stipend.

The target salary for this role is $133,500. The starting salary range is $133,500-$140,500

Additional Requirements

PBLWorks participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. We will only use E-Verify once a newly hired employee has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

The health of our staff and our partners is of paramount importance. As such, PBLWorks follows all current local, state, and federal guidance regarding vaccinations. PBLWorks currently requires the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines for all employees facilitating PBLWorks services and strongly recommends full vaccination for all employees (regardless of work location). Accommodations or exceptions can be requested for medical or religious reasons.

As a company, we celebrate and embrace diversity. We actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in every hiring process. PBLWorks is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act).