Business Development Associate - Education

Hanover Research; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly commissions

Performance bonuses

PTO 18+ days

401K matching

Health & dental

Holidays

Volunteer days

Job summary

Hanover Research is hiring a Business Development Associate to prospect and schedule conversations with education leaders in K-12 and higher education markets. The role involves heavy outreach via phone and email, coordination with internal staff, and helping a Development Director reach annual goals.

You will engage with senior education leaders, build messaging, and leverage AI and sales tools to drive new business in a hybrid/DC area or remote setting.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree, preferred, or relevant experience; all majors are accepted.
• 0 - 2 years of work experience; leadership, professional, or internship experience valued.
• Comfortable with cold calling.
• Strong interest in sales, business development, or client-facing work.

Responsibilities

• Identify potential new clients aligned with Hanover’s capabilities.
• Craft targeted messaging to senior leaders based on history and goals.
• Make 50+ calls and 15+ emails per day to secure initial meetings.
• Support the sales process by maintaining a territory and assisting the Development Director.

Skills

Communication skills

Coaching mindset

Time management

Resilience

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree or relevant experience

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

ClearSlide

ZoomInfo

Job description

Hybrid (DC Area) or Remote opportunity

The Role

Business Development Associate is responsible for prospecting research, scheduling and coordinating conversations with education leaders, and ultimately building new relationships within the K-12 and Higher Education markets. Business Development Associates perform phone and email outreach to schedule initial meetings with senior education leaders. The position requires exceptional communication, critical thinking, and strong organizational skills to manage the outreach process, coordinate with internal staff, and demonstrate Hanover’s value. The role is a great opportunity for someone interested in collaborating with a team, managing a sales territory, and learning how education leaders leverage research and grant development support to achieve their strategic goals to support student success.

Core Responsibilities

• Identify Potential New Clients - Identify potential new clients whose roles align with Hanover’s capabilities
• Build Targeted Messaging - Craft custom strategic messages to senior leaders based on their history with Hanover, individual focus areas, and institution’s strategic goals
• Manage Outreach Strategy – Make 50+ calls and send 15+ emails per day to secure initial meetings and support the process of generating new business
• Support the Sales Process - Build organizational skills as you maintain a territory and help an assigned Development Director achieve annual goals

Skills

• Delivers clear, professional, and grammatically accurate communication across phone, email, and virtual interactions
• Actively seeks coaching, implements feedback, and adjusts quickly to new information, processes, and priorities
• Effectively prioritizes work, manages time, and follows through on commitments with minimal direction
• Demonstrates a strong work ethic and ability to perform in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment while overcoming rejection
• Manages multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy, consistency, and follow-through

Growth Opportunities

• Comprehensive Training – Complete a structured onboarding program led by dedicated educations management specialists to build knowledge of Hanover's solutions, outreach process, and sales best practices.
• Ongoing Coaching & Support – Receive continuous coaching from managers, peers, and an assigned Director to strengthen outreach strategy, sales skills, and organizational proficiency.
• Rapid Career Advancement – High-performing Business Development Associates have the opportunity to advance to the Senior Development Associate role within their first 6–12 months upon meeting eligibility criteria.
• Senior Associate Academy – Upon promotion, participate in Hanover's Senior Associate Academy, featuring targeted training and development designed to prepare associates for more senior opportunities across the organization.

Leveraging AI & Modern Sales Tech

• AI-powered tools for prospect research, messaging, and personalization
• Sales engagement platforms (Salesforce, Hubspot, Clearslide, ZoomInfo, etc.) to support efficient dial tactics and effective outreach messaging

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree, preferred, or relevant experience; all majors are accepted
• 0 - 2 years of work experience; previous leadership, professional, or internship experience
• Comfortable with cold calling
• Strong interest in sales, business development, or client-facing work

Location

VA, DC, MD area highly preferred for Hybrid Environment (Office in Arlington, VA)

Remote option available

Compensation

The On Target Earning (OTE) range for this role is $68,000 per year, which comprises a base salary of $50,000 and a variable uncapped commission structure of $18,000 when goal is 100% attained. Base Salary can increase to $55,000 within the first 6-12 months of employment if individual goal is consistently attained and a promotion to Senior Development Associate is earned. Additional promotion opportunities become available following success as a Senior Development Associate, with compensation increases tied to achieving established performance metrics.

Benefits

• A base salary + monthly commissions + individual and team performance bonuses
• Teamwide incentives to earn additional bonuses and time off
• Award-winning training program on markets, research methodologies and sales skills
• Starting at 18+ days Paid Time Off
• 14 observed holidays, including Juneteenth, Indigenous People Day and personal floating days
• 401(K) employer matching programs
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits package
• Annual company-wide day of service and monthly events partnering with local organizations such as KidPower, Martha’s Kitchen, DC SPCA
• Community service opportunities

About Hanover

Hanover Research provides high-quality research & analytics through a cost-effective subscription model that helps corporate, higher education, and K-12 executives make informed decisions, identify and seize opportunities, and heighten their effectiveness. To learn more about Hanover Research, visit www.hanoverresearch.com.

Hanover Values

• Business Building – We build our business quickly and intelligently and we help our clients do thesame
• Thought Leadership and Innovation – We strive constantly to deliver better information in a betterway
• Service – To our clients and our community, service is our guidingprinciple
• Leadership and Mentorship – Our talent is our greatest asset, and we hope to help our people be theirbest
• Firm Citizenship – We are optimists who believe there are endless possibilities for our company andourselves

Hanover Research provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, familial status, genetic information, or status with regard to public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission, any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. You can learn more on ourEqual Employment Page.