Sales Development Representative

Rice University • Houston, TX

12d • Remote

About The Position

The Sales Development Representative within OpenStax at Rice University is the first point of contact for instructors, teachers, and institutions interested in OpenStax. As part of the OpenStax Sales team, the role manages and qualifies leads from all sources, learns about instructors’ needs, and hands qualified opportunities to Educational Resources Consultants. The representative also demonstrates OpenStax Assignable to individual instructors and maintains accurate records in Salesforce. The role helps ensure interested instructors receive timely, helpful responses and supports broader access to affordable educational resources.

This is a fully remote, desk-based, computer-intensive position that may be performed from any location within the United States. Work hours remain on Central Time. The role involves frequent phone and video calls with instructors during regular business hours, and occasional travel may be required for conferences, webinars, and other outreach events. Reliable high-speed internet and a suitable, distraction-free home-office workspace are required. Work arrangements may be subject to change under Rice policy, and this position is not classified as Essential.

The proposed annual hiring range is $50,000–$57,000. The position is exempt (salaried) under the FLSA and is not eligible for overtime. Rice University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format.

OpenStax, an initiative of Rice University, is a nonprofit publisher of open educational resources and a provider of interactive, research-informed learning technologies for high school and college students. Its mission is to make an amazing education accessible to all. OpenStax has published free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbooks since 2012, and is expanding its impact through digital courseware, institutional partnerships, and K–12 education.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree; additional related experience above and beyond the required experience may substitute on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
• At least one year of experience in sales, sales development, customer service, or a related customer-facing role.
• Proficiency in sales, with the ability to learn and refine sales skills over time.
• Ability to act independently in creating and executing sales plans and managing customer service issues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and a friendly, professional manner when communicating with customers in person or by phone.
• Strong customer-service and relationship-management skills, including the ability to build relationships with clients who may remain customers for multiple years.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of client data.
• Strong work ethic and self-motivation.
• Ability to manage a steady volume of leads, prioritize effectively, and follow a defined process with strong attention to detail.
• Comfort learning new software tools and products, including CRM systems.
• Reliable high-speed internet access and a suitable, distraction-free home-office workspace.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in inside sales, sales development, customer support, or a similar customer-facing role.
• Experience with Salesforce, Pardot, or another CRM and marketing automation platform.
• Experience in education, educational technology, or publishing, including familiarity with how K–12 schools or colleges select instructional materials.
• Familiarity with open educational resources.
• Experience delivering product demonstrations by video conference.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with new and existing clients, including instructors, teachers, and institutions interested in OpenStax.
• Conduct sales calls and meetings, including virtual meetings by phone and video conference.
• Verify and qualify leads from all sources against a defined qualification checklist and assess customer needs.
• Recommend products and services that fit each instructor’s course and needs.
• Educate prospective and current clients about products and services, including demonstrating OpenStax Assignable to individual instructors.
• Respond to new leads promptly in accordance with team response-time targets.
• Transfer qualified opportunities to the appropriate Educational Resources Consultant with clear documentation, and return leads not yet ready to Marketing for further nurturing.
• Maintain accurate lead and contact records, statuses, and handoffs in Salesforce.
• Work with Customer Experience to verify instructor status and route questions to the appropriate team.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Data Intelligence to improve lead routing, scoring, and qualification criteria, and identify patterns in incoming leads.
• Help document and refine the lead qualification checklist and related standard operating procedures.
• Report on lead volume, response times, and handoff quality.
• Participate in team meetings and training related to OpenStax educational materials and products.
• Support webinars, conferences, and other outreach events as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level