Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

OpenStax (an initiative of Rice University) is the world’s largest non-profit publisher of open educational resources (OER) and a provider of interactive, research-informed learning technologies for high school and college. We are also the lead organization for the nation’s seminal education research infrastructure, SafeInsights.  Our mission is to provide amazing learning experiences for every student and instructor. We do this by offering free access to high-quality digital teaching and learning resources that support the teaching and learning journey. Since 2012, OpenStax has created a library of more than 70 free and openly licensed college textbooks that have served millions of students across the globe, resulting in $2.98 billion in student savings. Currently, we are creating interactive, research-informed learning experiences that support heightened student engagement in the learning process. OpenStax seeks to become an organization that continuously strives to learn, reflect, and make actionable better policies and practices for diversity, equity, and inclusivity at work and in education.

This position is a key OpenStax team member who helps drive the adoption of our curriculum and recruit K-12 school districts in Texas as partners in our research initiatives. The responsibilities include managing high priority B2B relationship development and sales with K-12 school district partners, recruiting new districts and working with each district so that they take full advantage of partnership benefits. 

You will join a team who is driving change at a pivotal phase of our evolution as we deliver high quality educational content ranging from textbooks to simulations and videos to exercises to full courses, and give educators and learners the support they need in core college and high school disciplines.

Ideal Candidate Statement: 

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in sales, a deep understanding of the Texas K-12 education landscape, and experience building and maintaining relationships with public school districts. Additionally, the candidate will have knowledge of educational technology products and sales and experience building and leading successful go-to-market strategies.

Workplace Requirements: 

Fully remote: This position is fully remote within the State of Texas, permitting all tasks to be completed from any location within the state. Working hours will remain central standard time. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. Duties of the position require heavy travel across the state to conduct meetings and presentations at districts and schools.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.

Minimum Requirements: 

Bachelor's degree 2+ years related experience in educational sales

Skills: 

Ability to effectively communicate both written and verbal  Familiarity with business development databases  Presentation skills  Basic financial analysis skills  Attention to detail

Preferences:

Ability to use Salesforce (or similar CRM platforms), Google Docs, and Slack Experience with B2B sales with K-12 school districts Understanding of key trends, policy changes, and market dynamics within the Texas K-12 education landscape Experience creating high-quality communication materials (digital, print, and graphic design) Resides in Houston, TX

Essential Functions:

Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to recruit and convert K-12 districts to adopt our curriculum (with an emphasis on Texas) Maintain an active pipeline of prospects in order to manage and nurture high priority B2B relationships and sales with K-12 school district partners Utilize Salesforce to track sales activities, generate reports, and analyze trends to guide strategy. Analyzes data, item and network requirements of prospective client and draws up plans  designed specifically for potential adoptions Quotes prices for services outlined in plans, revises or expands plans and/or proposals to meet customer needs Periodically confers with customers and other district personnel to verify satisfaction with service or to resolve complaints Represent organization at local, state and national conferences and events Assists in conversion process and continued service to the customer where necessary Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

Ownership of the sales funnel from prospecting through to closing; maintaining a robust pipeline of opportunities Ability to influence organizational strategy based on sales trends Lead market research and analysis efforts Lead the development of sales-focused marketing and communication materials Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and research, to refine and grow outreach and engagement activities and to align sales efforts with organizational goals Guide organization to use the results in strategic marketing direction, product segmentation and customer targeting

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview 

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity at all levels and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and the full inclusion of all qualified persons in the workplace. This commitment includes providing reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. For applicants with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.