Business Development Specialist

Business Development And Partnerships LeadMyndBridge is a workforce development organization that partners with schools, districts, employers, and government agencies to prepare students for careers. We deliver career-readiness and industry-certification programs — in grades 9 through 12 and beyond — that combine hands-on training, nationally recognized credentials, and one-on-one case management to move students from the classroom into real jobs. We bring our programs directly into schools and community partners, and we work with employers to build the talent pipelines they need.The Business Development & Partnerships Lead is the independent contractor who makes that shift happen commercially.You will own our institutional pipeline end to end: finding the right buyers, building trusted relationships, and closing the contracts that fund our mission. This is our first dedicated revenue engagement — you will build the sales function, not inherit one. You will work directly with the CEO, who leads our anchor relationships, and alongside a marketing team that generates demand. Your work is to turn interest into signed partnerships, and to keep those partners renewing and growing.Scope Of WorkPipeline & prospectingBuild and maintain the institutional target list — CTE directors, principals, and district leaders on the school side; HR and talent leaders on the employer side; workforce boards and program officers on the government side.Run structured outreach (email, LinkedIn, calls, and in-person briefings) to fill the pipeline with qualified discovery conversations.Represent MyndBridge at briefings, lunch-and-learns, and sector events, and convert attendees into pipeline.ClosingRun the full sales cycle: discovery, tailored proposal, procurement, and signed agreement, for both schools and employers.Schools & districts: push-in, after-school, and destination-site programs.Employers: apprenticeship sponsorship, direct-hire placement, and incumbent-worker upskilling, using MyndBridge's deal calculator to price each opportunity.Navigate institutional procurement — RFPs, vendor-approval processes, and budget cycles — understanding that district deals can run several months to over a year.Relationships & renewalsDeepen existing community and institutional partnerships into formal, recurring relationships.Support the CEO on anchor and flagship deals, including the healthcare partnership pathway.Own account renewals and expansion — turn a first cohort into more grades, more schools, and multi-year commitments.Operating disciplineOwn the CRM and deal desk — keep the pipeline clean, current, and forecastable.Coordinate across marketing, programs, operations and compliance, and finance.Hit clear quarterly targets for signed contracts and revenue, as defined in the engagement agreement.Engagement MilestonesFirst 30 days: Learn the programs and pricing; stand up the CRM and target list; begin outreach; join the CEO on the anchor conversation.First 30–90 days: A full, active pipeline; first discovery calls converted to proposals; at least one school or employer deal in late-stage negotiation.First 12 months: A signed portfolio of school and employer partnerships; a repeatable, documented sales process; and a pipeline that supports next year's growth.How Performance Is MeasuredNew signed contracts — count and dollar value — each quarter, against target.Revenue closed versus target.Qualified pipeline created and advanced by stage.Conversion rates from discovery to proposal to close, and sales-cycle time.Partner renewals and expansions.Who You AreRequiredA track record closing complex, relationship-based, longer-cycle deals — in B2B or B2G sales, ideally in education, workforce, EdTech, staffing, healthcare, or a related field.Comfort selling to institutions and navigating procurement, RFPs, and multiple stakeholders.A genuine closer: you build trust, ask for the business, and follow through.Self-directed and resourceful — you thrive building from scratch in a lean environment, and are comfortable operating independently as a contractor.Excellent written and verbal communication; credible in front of senior decision-makers.CRM-fluent and disciplined about pipeline hygiene.Able to operate as an independent contractor: you set your own hours and methods, supply your own equipment, and are responsible for your own taxes and insurance.PreferredExisting relationships with school districts, CTE programs, workforce boards, or health-system talent teams in the NY metro area.Familiarity with workforce and education funding — WIOA, CTE, apprenticeship, and grant-funded programs.Experience in a mission-driven or nonprofit organization.