Sales Development Representative

Rice University • Houston, TX

13d • $50,000 - $57,000 • 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. This member of the OpenStax Sales team manages and qualifies leads from all sources, identifies instructors’ needs, and transfers qualified opportunities to Educational Resources Consultants. The role also provides demonstrations of OpenStax Assignable to individual instructors and maintains accurate Salesforce records. The work supports timely, helpful responses to interested instructors and helps learners access high-quality, affordable educational resources.

OpenStax is a Rice University initiative and a nonprofit publisher of open educational resources and interactive, research-informed learning technologies for high school and college students. Its mission is to make an amazing education accessible to all. The organization is expanding from an open educational resource provider into a broader learning platform supporting teaching and student success.

This is a desk-based, computer-intensive position performed remotely from a home office anywhere in the United States, with working hours on Central Time. Reliable high-speed internet and a suitable, distraction-free workspace are required. The role includes frequent phone and video calls during regular business hours and occasional travel to support conferences, webinars, and other outreach events. The proposed annual hiring range is $50,000–$57,000. This is an exempt salaried position and is not eligible for overtime.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree; additional related experience above and beyond the required experience may be substituted year-for-year in lieu of the degree.
• 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 skills over time.
• Ability to independently create and execute sales plans and manage 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.

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.
• Assess customer needs by verifying and qualifying leads from all sources against a defined qualification checklist.
• Recommend appropriate products and services, matching instructors with OpenStax resources that fit their courses.
• Educate prospective and current clients about products and services, including demonstrating OpenStax Assignable to individual instructors.
• Respond promptly to new leads in accordance with team response-time targets.
• Transfer qualified opportunities to the appropriate Educational Resources Consultant with clear documentation, and return leads that are 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.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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