Sales Manager – Education Products & Growth Strategy

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Sales Manager to lead a high-performing sales team while driving business growth, market expansion, and product development initiatives within the education sector.

This leadership role is ideal for a results-oriented professional who excels at coaching teams, developing sales strategies, identifying new market opportunities, and collaborating with executive leadership to support long-term organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of sales professionals to achieve and exceed performance objectives.
  
• Establish sales goals, performance metrics, and accountability standards.
  
• Foster a collaborative, customer-focused, and results-driven sales culture.
  
• Provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback.
  

Business Development & Growth Strategy

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to drive revenue growth across K-12 and higher education markets.
  
• Identify new business opportunities, customer segments, and revenue channels.
  
• Expand market presence through strategic account development and relationship management.
  
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with school administrators, educators, distributors, and key decision-makers.
  

Product Strategy & Innovation

• Collaborate with leadership to identify opportunities for new products and services.
  
• Assist in developing and executing go-to-market strategies for new offerings.
  
• Provide market insights and customer feedback to support product development and continuous improvement.
  

Performance & Analytics

• Monitor sales performance through forecasting, reporting, and data analysis.
  
• Evaluate market trends, competitive activity, and customer needs to guide strategic decision-making.
  
• Recommend process improvements that enhance sales effectiveness and operational efficiency.
  

Requirements

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and developing successful sales teams.
  
• Strong background in sales management, business development, or strategic account management.
  
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute growth strategies that deliver measurable results.
  
• Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, and interpersonal skills.
  
• Strong analytical and strategic planning abilities.
  
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
  
• Experience within education, publishing, instructional products, or a related industry is preferred but not required.
  

Must Have

8–15+ years of B2B sales experience, preferably selling into K–12 education, higher education, government, SaaS/EdTech, educational products, office products, publishing, or similar consultative markets.

Experience leading teams of 10–20+ sales representatives across multiple territories.

Strong experience in:

Sales coaching and performance management

Territory planning and forecasting

Sales analytics and KPI reporting (Excel proficiency)

Product launches and sales enablement

Cross-functional collaboration with marketing and product teams

Willing to be primarily onsite in Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana or relocate.

Target Industries

EdTech

Educational publishing

School supplies and educational products

Curriculum and assessment companies

Learning technology

Office products selling into schools

Government/public sector sales

B2B SaaS serving education

Printing/promotional products for schools

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $120,000–$150,000 annually, commensurate with experience
  
• Bonus: Eligible to participate in the company's Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) incentive program, which is tied to overall company performance and subject to a vesting schedule (approximately 20% vested in the first year under the current plan; subject to change).
  
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  
• 401(k) with Company Match
  
• PTO: 206 hours (5 weeks) on Day 1, with rollover.
  
• Great Company Culture and Core Values
  

Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) Bonus Structure

The Sales Manager will be expected to participate on the company's Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), which provides eligibility for an additional bonus program tied primarily to overall company performance.

Group-based bonus: The SPC bonus is primarily based on company performance and is distributed equally among SPC members. While individual performance may be considered, the primary driver of the bonus is overall company results.

Vesting schedule: New SPC members participate under a vesting schedule. Under the current plan, members are expected to receive approximately 20% of the full SPC bonus during their first year, with the vested percentage increasing annually until reaching 100% vesting, at which point the full bonus is payable.