Education Territory Manager - North Central
Location: Remote (resides in IL, MN, WI, or IA)
About the Role:
The Education Territory Manager is responsible for executing sales strategies, driving revenue growth and profitability for Gumdrop and Brenthaven in the education market, as well as leading a small inside sales team.
Key Responsibilities:
Territory Strategy & Pipeline Development
- Build and execute a territory plan that targets school districts, education service districts (ESDs), resellers, and state-level buying groups
- Develop a healthy pipeline by driving outbound prospecting, responding quickly to inbound leads, and coordinating with channel partners
- Identify refresh cycles, funding windows, and device adoption trends (Chromebooks, iPads, Windows devices) to prioritize high-propensity accounts
- Map out the triangle offense for each of these strategic SDs
Direct District Engagement
- Lead all district-facing sales efforts: discovery calls, needs assessments, product demos, pricing discussions, and proposal delivery
- Build strong relationships with District Tech Directors, CIOs, IT staff, curriculum leads, and procurement teams
- Provide consultative guidance on protective cases, accessories, deployment planning, warranties, and lifecycle management
Channel Partner Management
- Work collaboratively with reseller partners to drive joint pipeline creation and close deals
- Conduct partner trainings, support deal registrations, align on pricing strategy, and share competitive intel
- Ensure partners have accurate product data, samples, inventory forecasts, and promotional materials
Deal Execution & Forecasting
- Own the full sales cycle from lead creation through close
- Prepare quotes, proposals, and RFP responses with accuracy and urgency
- Maintain weekly forecast accuracy and always keep CRM data clean, current, and complete
- Coordinate with operations on pricing, inventory, shipping timelines, and deployment requirements
Territory Relationship Building
- Build trusted, long-lasting relationships with district leaders, reseller reps, state education groups, and key influencers
- Attend regional conferences, technology fairs, ESD events, and district summits to grow brand presence and generate opportunities
- Serve as the face of the company across the territory-approachable, reliable, responsive, and customer-obsessed
Market Intelligence & Competitive Awareness
- Track competitor products, pricing changes, and channel programs
- Identify new device trends (touchscreen adoption, iPad rollouts, rugged case requirements) to inform product planning
- Report feedback from the field to Product, Marketing, and Leadership to guide roadmap and demand forecasting
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Product, Marketing, and Operations to improve samples, messaging, demand planning, and customer experience
- Work alongside with the Sales Enablement person to drive cohesive campaigns, outbound sequences, and district touch points
- Provide input to Marketing for district success stories, case studies, and content that will help accelerate future wins
Customer Experience & Post-Sale Support
- Ensure schools have exceptional service during and after the sale: tracking, deployment assistance, issue escalation, warranty understanding
- Proactively check in with districts post-deployment to secure renewals, refresh opportunities, and long-term loyalty
- Represent the company's values every step of the way
Performance Management & Results
- Consistently hit or exceed quarterly and annual revenue goals for EDU
- Achieve KPIs: pipeline creation, deal velocity, win rate, partner engagement, and forecast accuracy
- Maintain strong discipline around time management, territory planning, weekly activity levels, and follow-through
Additional Responsibilities
- Assist with special projects as needed
- Support cross-functional teams on ad hoc assignments
Qualifications:
- 5-10 years' experience leading a remote inside sales team, with a strong track record of achieving and exceeding targets
- At least 5 years of experience selling successfully into the education market, with deep understanding of its unique customer dynamics in K12 Hardware Technology Resellers and Distributors
- Comfortability and confidence presenting to executive leaders and influencing strategic business decisions
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of inspiring and connecting with diverse audiences
- Highly organized, skilled in territory mapping, pipeline reviews, and performance management discussions
- Strong data literacy, with experience analyzing reports
- Adept in different sales strategies and methodologies
- Familiar with Salesforce or similar CRM tools to track sales progress and streamline processes.
- Energetic road warrior, highly motivated to drive results in diverse markets
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 60% to engage with customers, partners, and team members in person
Competencies:
- A collaborative, results-driven mindset with a proven ability to meet and exceed revenue goals
- Demonstrated success in sales leadership, driving team performance and business growth
- Proactive execution of company priorities with strong ownership and accountability
- The ability to build and nurture relationships across teams, customers, and partners, both internally and externally
- Exceptional planning, analytical, and reporting skills, with a knack for turning data into actionable insights
- A keen eye for detail and outstanding organizational skills that ensure accuracy and consistency in every task
Success Indicators:
- Consistently meets quarterly and annual goals
- Grows year-over-year revenue across assigned states
- Expands footprint within top target districts
- Strong CRM accuracy and predictable forecasting
- Positive customer and partner feedback
