Job Title: Business Development Manager- Education
Location: Minneapolis
Status: Full Time / Exempt
Department: Sales
Reports To: Sales Director
We9re looking for a high-energy, self-driven
Education Business Development Manager who is passionate about building relationships and driving growth within the K-12 education market. This person will be responsible for developing new business with public and private schools, school districts, and other K-12 education organizations throughout the Twin Cities market.
If you9re a natural relationship builder who loves opening doors, uncovering opportunities, and turning conversations into lasting partnerships, you9ll fit right in. We9re looking for someone who understands how to navigate complex sales environments, connect with school and district decision-makers, and deliver solutions that support the needs of educators and their students.
What You9ll DoAs the Education Business Development Manager, you9ll play a key role in expanding Innovative Office Solutions9 presence in the K-12 education market. You9ll identify new opportunities, develop strategic relationships, and connect schools and districts with products and services that meet their evolving needs.
Your work will include:
Business Development & Strategic Sales- Develop and execute a strategic sales plan focused on growing revenue and market share within the K-12 education market.
- Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities with public and private schools, school districts, charter schools, and other education organizations.
- Build and manage a strong sales pipeline through proactive outreach, networking, referrals, industry events, and targeted prospecting.
- Establish relationships with key education decision-makers, including superintendents, district administrators, business managers, principals, curriculum leaders, purchasing departments, and school operations teams.
- Understand school and district priorities, purchasing processes, budget cycles, and procurement requirements to effectively navigate the education sales cycle.
- Lead sales conversations, presentations, and product demonstrations that uncover customer needs and position Innovative Office Solutions as a trusted partner.
- Develop tailored proposals and recommendations that align with each school9s or district9s goals, challenges, and budget.
- Promote Innovative Office Solutions9 full suite of products and services, identifying opportunities to introduce additional solutions and expand customer relationships.
- Monitor competitive activity, market trends, district initiatives, and funding opportunities to identify new avenues for growth.
Relationship Management & Account Growth- Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with school and district stakeholders to drive customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth.
- Serve as a trusted resource to education customers by understanding their needs and connecting them with the right internal teams and category experts.
- Develop account strategies for existing education customers, identifying opportunities to expand partnerships and increase product and service adoption.
- Conduct regular customer check-ins, business reviews, and follow-up activities to strengthen relationships and uncover new opportunities.
- Coordinate with internal teams to streamline ordering processes, address service issues, and ensure a positive customer experience.
- Resolve customer concerns promptly and professionally, taking ownership of follow-through and relationship development.
- Stay engaged with education communities and participate in relevant conferences, networking opportunities, and community initiatives that strengthen our presence in the market.
Sales Performance & Collaboration- Collaborate with the Sales Director to establish annual and quarterly sales plans, revenue targets, and strategic priorities for the education market.
- Consistently meet or exceed new business development, sales activity, revenue, and account growth goals.
- Maintain accurate prospect, pipeline, opportunity, and account information in CRM tools.
- Complete required dashboard activities, including new customer development, customer engagement, tours, business reviews, and opportunity tracking, as applicable.
- Track and analyze sales performance, customer activity, and pipeline progress to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Use sales reports, financial insights, and market intelligence to prioritize accounts, strengthen sales strategies, and maximize results.
- Partner with internal sales teams, category experts, and operational departments to deliver coordinated, best-in-class solutions to education customers.
- Continuously build knowledge of education market trends, school purchasing practices, and Innovative Office Solutions9 products and services.
What We9re Looking ForYou9re a relationship-driven sales professional with a hunter mentality. You enjoy opening doors, building credibility with decision-makers, and developing opportunities into long-term customer partnerships. You9re motivated by results, comfortable navigating complex sales cycles, and excited by the opportunity to grow a business within the K-12 education market.
The ideal candidate brings:
- A proven track record of prospecting, developing, and closing new business, preferably in B2B sales, education sales, or a related industry.
- Experience selling to K-12 schools, public or private school districts, or other education organizations strongly preferred.
- The ability to build relationships with decision-makers and influence purchasing decisions across multiple levels of an organization.
- Strong consultative selling skills, including the ability to ask thoughtful questions, identify customer needs, and present tailored solutions.
- An understanding of school and district purchasing processes, budget cycles, procurement practices, and the dynamics of selling into education environments, or the ability to learn quickly.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to engage school leaders, administrators, and purchasing teams.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage a sales pipeline, multiple accounts, and longer sales cycles.
- Proficiency in CRM platforms, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook, or the initiative to learn new tools quickly.
- A data-driven, results-oriented mindset with the ability to track performance, forecast opportunities, and consistently work toward sales goals.
- A competitive spirit, resilience, and the self-motivation to pursue new opportunities and overcome obstacles.
- A collaborative approach and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and building lasting partnerships.
- A passion for professional growth, financial success, and making a meaningful impact through customer relationships.
If you9re ready to build partnerships, pursue new opportunities, and help grow our presence in K-12 education, we9d love to hear from you! 
