Sales Operations Specialist

Job Title

Van Andel Institute (VAI), a world-class biomedical research institute, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is dedicated to improving human health. We are pioneers in the fight against cancer, Parkinson's, and other diseases. We are committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and educators.

Job Description

Manage inbound field trip inquiries and transactional sales from initial inquiry through booking.

Build relationships with teachers and identify opportunities to connect with principals and school administrators for future partnerships.

Conduct follow-up outreach to increase bookings and maximize customer engagement.

Manage sales CRM system, establish data quality standards, audit records, develop reporting dashboards, and recommend process improvements.

Own sales pipeline administration, ensuring data integrity, identifying trends, and recommending workflow improvements to increase sales effectiveness.

Evaluate market opportunities and recommend target schools, districts, educators and outreach priorities.

Analyze competitive activity, customer trends, and booking data to provide recommendations that influence sales strategy.

Provide input and recommendations to sales leadership, and utilize their direction to develop territory strategies, sales forecasts, customer engagement plans, and operational priorities, and assist with outbound prospecting campaigns as needed.

Manage coordination of event scheduling and rescheduling with school partners as well as all logistics to facilitate events sold (e.g., student participant lists, attendance tracking, and customer communications.)

Attend and give productive input to sales team during outside sales calls to ensure understanding and drive sales.

Serve as key member of sales team and generally supporting the team as needed.

Approve routine expenditures within established limits.

All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent required, and 2+ years of customer service, inside sales, or sales support experience. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong organizational and project management abilities. Significant experience working with CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar). Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail. Comfortable making outbound calls and building customer relationships. Demonstrated skills including being highly organized, customer-focused, proactive, and enjoys balancing sales, project management, event coordination, and administrative responsibilities.

About Van Andel Institute

Established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1996 by the Van Andel family, VAI is now home to nearly 500 scientists, educators and support staff, who work with national and international collaborators to foster discovery. The Institute's scientists study the origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translate their findings into breakthrough prevention and treatment strategies. Our educators develop inquiry-based approaches for K12 education to help students and teachers prepare the next generation of problem-solvers, while our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology.

VAI is committed to excellence through broad participation and diverse perspectives. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences who share our passion for innovation and collaboration.

Van Andel Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Employer.

As Van Andel Institute is a drug free employer, all prospective new employees undergo a urinalysis/drug test as part of our pre-employment process. This is a 7-panel drug screen and it includes testing for Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates, PCP, Barbiturates, and Benzodiazepines.

About Grand Rapids, MI

Van Andel Institute is in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan in the center of the Medical Mile. A remarkable combination of a cosmopolitan atmosphere and small-town warmth, Grand Rapids is known for its philanthropic and sustainability-driven community. It's fun affordable and family-friendly.

Located on the banks of the Grand River, Grand Rapids offers all the big-city excitement you'd expect from a million-resident metropolis, featuring hundreds of restaurants and nightspots, theaters, museums, sports and concerts. The safe and clean downtown is surrounded by an eclectic mix of walkable neighborhoods and natural areas.