Manager of Membership Sales & Growth

Job Description

Job Description

About this role

We're looking for a highly motivated, hands-on sales manager who's equally energized by closing new deals and building lasting member relationships. As the Manager of Membership & Growth, you will be the primary membership revenue driver for Ocean State Labs, Powered by Portal, owning the full sales cycle from first outreach to signed agreement. You'll work closely with the Executive Director and Lab Operations team to keep members thriving and deliver a seamless experience from first conversation to long-term partnership.

In this role, you won't just fill space, you'll be the face of Ocean State Labs, championing the community and helping innovators understand the full value of what we offer: world-class lab facilities, a thriving ecosystem of peers and mentors, access to a suite of commercialization resources, and a team genuinely invested in their success. If you're a proven closer with deep roots in life sciences, pharma, med device, or other related fields and you're ready to lead membership growth for one of the most exciting innovation hubs in the region, this role was built for you.

This is a FULL-TIME role. This role offers a dependable routine from Monday through Friday. While we primarily stick to our standard business hours, our team does need to have flexibility and occasionally extends the day and week to meet the evolving needs of our growing business.

What you'll do

• Own the full membership sales cycle from strategic prospecting and pipeline development to tailored proposals, lab tours, negotiation, and close.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of science-driven startups.
• Build and steward relationships with VCs, accelerators, universities, ecosystem partners, and other channel partners for potential new members.
• Support member growth: understanding their evolving needs, identifying expansion opportunities, and ensuring long-term retention.
• Partner with Executive Director andLab Operations to deliver seamless onboarding and day-to-day member support.
• Maintain CRM discipline (pipeline accuracy, forecasting, reporting).
• Represent Portal at key industry events across theRhode Island and greater New England Ecosystem.

What we're looking for

• 2+ years in sales, business development, membership growth ideally in life sciences, pharma, med device, lab services, or innovation/incubator environments.
• A track record of closing complex, consultative deals.
• An existing network in the Rhode Island or greater New England startup and life sciences ecosystem is a meaningful advantage.
• Candidates with industry biotech/pharma exposure is a plus. A science degree and/or bench experience is also great as this position involves engaging with members on lab operations, equipment needs, and technical workflows.
• Strong communicator equally effective in cold outreach, pitches, or a personalized lab tour.
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar) and a disciplined approach to pipeline management.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent experience.

Why Portal:

• You'll be the face of one of the most exciting innovation communities not a cog in a large sales org.
• Competitive compensation with meaningful upside tied to your performance.
• A collaborative team that's genuinely invested in member and employee success.
• Direct access to leadership and a real seat at the table as we grow