Strategic Partnerships Director

Discovery Education Talent Team

3d•$119,600 - $132,900•Remote

About The Position

We are looking for a highly skilled Statewide and Strategic Partnerships Director to join our Statewide and Strategic Partnerships Team. The Statewide and Strategic Partnerships Director is responsible for the sales, sales management, and account management efforts for Discovery Education (DE) across accounts in a regional territory. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional product and industry knowledge to effectively position DE products and services as must-have educational solutions for classrooms to contacts at varying professional levels. Works with the VP, Strategic Partnerships and Executive Leadership team to achieve annual sales objectives while ensuring profitable growth aligned with DE business objectives. At Discovery Education, we are fulfilling our mission of preparing learners for tomorrow by creating innovative classrooms connected to today's world. Serving more than 4.5 million educators and 45 million students, available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the UK, and more than 140 countries around the globe; we are on a journey to transform teaching and learning though innovative partnerships with school districts, states, ministries of education, and other like-minded organizations. We have built an award-winning and highly reputable organization because of talented and driven people who work together to accelerate student achievement by tapping into students' natural curiosity and desire to learn by capturing their minds and imagination through the fascination of Discovery. Why Join Discovery Education? Discovery Education believes empowering each team member is vital to cultivating high performing, highly engaged teams. Being a part of our team means we partner together to achieve mutual goals. To this end, Discovery Education offers a robust and comprehensive insurance package. You can find a complete listing on our Career Page. This opportunity is perfect for people interested in joining a high-performing, collaborative team, who enjoy a dynamic industry, and are excited about high-impact, project-based work.

Requirements

Possess strong sales acumen
Passion for coaching, training, developing, and motivating team
Demonstrable track record of revenue goal/quota achievement
Strong interpersonal, presentation, organizational and verbal/written communication skills
Attention to detail and the ability to manage a diverse workload
Ability to work in a fast-paced team-oriented environment
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products
Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of skills, training and experience
5-10 years of EdTech or education sales and account management experience with a proven track record of strategic planning, territory management, consultative sales, and exceptional client relations with districts enrolling < 20,000 students
Candidate must be willing to travel (60-70%)
Legal right to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

Education industry experience preferred
Experience teaching or in school administration preferred

Responsibilities

Achieve assigned personal and territory sales objectives
Maintain, share and track customer information on an on-going basis through customer files, Salesforce (CRM tool), shared drives and web 2.0 applications
Using a top-down, consultative sales approach, work with team members to build effective strategies, maintain & strengthen relationships with all key decision makers and key influencers within territory
Understand goals and objectives for all accounts within assigned territory and have a thorough understanding of where sales opportunities exist (i.e. demographics, education trends, funding, other key external influences) and possess an in-depth knowledge of each account and what drives their success
Develop proactive approach to territory management, anticipating impact on DE products resulting from competition, industry trends, etc
Cultivate, nurture, and develop relationships with key national and state organizations to further Discovery Education’s mission, promote brand awareness, and open doors to new opportunities
Represent Discovery Education and the Statewide and Strategic Partnerships team as a thought leader and facilitator, actively engaging with local, regional, and nationally recognized professional organizations for leaders in public education
Negotiate proposals and contracts that ensure profitable growth aligned with DE business objectives
Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, written/verbal communication, organizational, follow-up, consultative sales and presentation skills
Demonstrate ability when necessary to have difficult conversations with clients
Travel approximately 60-70% of time (with seasonal variations)
Manage high outbound call volume whether traveling or in the office
Demonstrate exceptional DE product knowledge to be successful in increasingly competitive environment
Thoroughly understand deals/rates for all DE products as well as the overall goals and strategic vision of Discovery Education
Maintain an understanding of industry trends, current events, product and technology developments by reading professional publications, researching all available resources prospect/product resources and participating in professional organizations
Understand new technologies and industry trends and be able to speak to how they impact customers and Discovery Education
Partner with company personnel (i.e. RVP, SVP, Partner Success, Marketing, Account Services, Legal, Finance, etc.) to develop strategies to ensure that personal and territory sales goals are met
Build a culture of sharing best practices, teamwork, performance, and resilience within the assigned territory
Train, develop, coach, motivate and inspire team to maximize their potential with an adaptable and flexible style
Understand what behaviors drive performance and select top talent, including in new markets
Ensure proper implementation of new accounts
Build value with customers by implementing strategies to ensure usage of DE products and services
Properly merchandise key activities in territory to decision makers
Maximize sales opportunities
Communicate workload focus to team on a regular basis (daily, weekly, etc.)
Proactively share information with departments that you’ve learned in the field to support other reps/regions meeting their objectives
Adhere to budget by managing travel, sales and account management expenses