Advanced Specialist, Sales

Pearson; Pakistan; On-site; PKR 16,699,137 - 22,265,516; Full time

Job summary

Pearson is seeking an Advanced Specialist in Sales to expand the GED® International (GED-I) program across new markets, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and northern Africa. This role involves strategic partnerships and managing relationships with GED Authorized Partners and government stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree and at least 5 years of experience in business development within the education sector. Strong communication, analytical, and project management skills are essential. International travel is required.

Qualifications

• 5 years relevant work experience in the education sector, preferably in business development.
• Knowledgeable about international education systems.
• Excellent English-language verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop an annual business development plan with quarterly key performance indicators.
• Monitor weekly progress dashboards.
• Prospect for and recruit new GED Authorized Partners.

Skills

Business development

Communication skills

Project planning

Customer service

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or business

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Job Title: Advanced Specialist, Sales

Location: Pakistan (Hybrid)

Job Summary

The GED® International (GED-I) program has seen significant growth over the past five years and is quickly becoming a recognized global program that provides a higher-secondary/Grade 12 level credential, allowing students to enter university and/or other education programs. Over the past several years we have experienced very strong growth and expansion, and with the growing visibility and acceptance of the GED credential we anticipate an exciting period of even more growth in the years ahead.

This position is being created to help expand the GED-I program to new countries or areas, and to help manage relationships with GED Authorized Partners (GAPs) and key government and university stakeholders in some existing markets. The primary areas of geographic focus are Asia and the Middle East, with some potential work in northern Africa. This role will also collaborate and coordinate with Pearson products and services including Pearson Vocational Qualifications and Pearson Test of English.

Key Responsibilities

The role will work very closely with the GED-I Business Development Manager, Program Manager, and Marketing lead to develop and execute business strategy to achieve annual business key performance indicators and revenue targets. We have a mix of more mature countries/markets, some new countries and target countries/areas that we are seeking to enter and grow in. The GED-I team works very closely together and coordinates closely. This role will be a core contributor to this team and will have a direct impact on its success.

The ideal candidate will be someone who cares about the impact that education can have on the lives of learners and their families, and then be able to quickly learn about and communicate the value of the GED-I program in that landscape. This role will communicate with potential GAPs, existing GAPs, universities, local government representatives, and when ready, potentially with Ministry of Education and higher education government representatives. They will also help craft content and collect stories about GED learners and graduates to share with marketing, to increase the visibility and reputation of the program.

Because of this, we are looking for someone with familiarity with the international education market, and who has great communication and presentation skills. The person in this role will also value the importance of customers service and continually building relationships. This person will often be the key touchpoint between the organization and GED Testing Service.

As part of Pearson we also collaborate with other units such as Pearson VUE, on whose testing network the GED tests are delivered, and other units/product such as Pearson Test of English and Credly credentialing solution and BTEC, which are part of our Pearson Workforce Skills division.

Additional Responsibilities

• Develop an annual business development plan alongside the GED-I team, with quarterly key performance indicators to track progress toward goals.
• Monitor weekly progress dashboards.
• Prospect for, reach out to, and with assistance of the B.D. Manager to recruit new GAPs.
• Research and understand applicable education and university policies in GED-I countries.
• Assist in occasionally preparing strategy and communications and/or documents for use with MOEs and government representatives.
• Provide input to the team about areas for process or operational improvement, as the program continues to grow and mature.
• Regularly track business development activities alongside key Pearson units where cross-selling and coordinating deals are beneficial.

International Travel is Required for this role.

Qualifications

• 5 years relevant work experience in the education sector – preferably in business development, program management or strategic partnerships.
• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in marketing, communications or business, as the position works regularly with university leaders.
• Knowledgeable about international education (e.g. higher-secondary and/or university systems).
• Excellent English-language verbal communication skills– can communicate effectively and fluently in one‑on‑one meetings or when presenting to small groups.
• Excellent written communication skills – can produce copy ranging from a PowerPoint presentation to informal emails to one-pagers.
• Excellent analytical skills – able to create, read, analyze, and act upon data and dashboards.
• Experience troubleshooting problems, finding and implementing solutions.
• Excellent project planning and organization skills – can manage multiple relationships, projects and deadlines effectively.
• Strong customer service experience and focus.
• Have a solid work ethic. Must have drive and passion for his/her work, have persistence, can work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be proficient in working with Microsoft product suite, specifically: Word, Excel and PowerPoint.