Inside Sales - Performing Arts - Heritage Festivals and Bowl Games

WorldStrides; Charlottesville (VA); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Travel opportunities

Flexible schedule

ERGs and wellness resources

Parental and leave benefits

Job summary

WorldStrides is seeking a Performing Arts Sales Specialist to generate new accounts for domestic performing events and grow existing ones. You’ll work with Band, Choir, and Orchestra Directors from schools and community groups to promote and sell school trips.

Reporting to the Performing Arts Sales Director, you’ll set strategy for defined areas and collaborate with Account Managers and Event Coordinators to meet targets and ensure successful trips.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 2–5 years of direct and/or telesales experience preferred.
• Excellent negotiation, conversion, and closing skills.
• Excellent communication skills with adults and youth.
• Must be able to travel and work seasonal peaks.
• Experience with music is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Achieve annual sales goals by developing new and existing clients.
• Develop a database of qualified leads via referrals, calls, email, and networking.
• Follow the proven sales process and convert leads to sales.
• Prepare action plans to identify targets and priorities.
• Maintain profitability and grow a book of business.
• Maintain daily/weekly pipeline and activity reports.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure successful trips.
• Prepare proposals that meet group requirements and budgets.
• Host meetings with parents, students, and administrators.
• Ensure itineraries and budgets are updated as needed.
• Provide marketing feedback and product knowledge to clients.
• Participate in sales meetings, company trainings, and events.
• Represent WorldStrides professionally at all times.
• Assist in hosting large music events for students.

Skills

Sales experience

Negotiation

Closing skills

Communication

Travel

Music experience (preferred)

Timely follow-up

Phone sales

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Company Introduction

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.

Company Introduction

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.

Job Description

The Performing Arts Sales Specialist is responsible for generating new accounts to participate in WorldStrides domestic performing events. These accounts are developed via telephone and occasionally in-person meetings. In addition to establishing new accounts, the Sales Specialist is responsible for the growth and rebooking of their existing accounts.

The Sales Specialist specializes in working with Band, Choir, and Orchestra Directors from schools and community groups.

Reporting to the Performing Arts Sales Director, the Performing Arts Sales Specialist is responsible for promoting and selling WorldStrides school trips to achieve established sales targets. The Performing Arts Sales Specialist works with the Sales Director to identify market opportunities and set sales strategy for defined areas, territories, or targeted accounts. This role partners closely with Account Managers and Event Coordinators to ensure the customer needs are met and the trip is a success.

An ideal candidate is familiar with performing arts, a passion for creating memorable travel experiences for students, and a business acumen that drives them to reach sales targets.

Responsibilities

• Achieve annual sales goals through the development of new and existing clients.
• Develop a database of qualified leads through referrals, phone calls, cold calling, email, and networking.
• Follow the proven sales process, follow up on leads from the website and lead generation team, and convert leads to sales.
• Prepare action plans and schedules to identify specific targets and prioritize activities.
• Maintain and grow profitability/margins across a book of business.
• Maintain daily and weekly pipeline and activity reports.
• Create a close working relationship with internal stakeholders and other functional areas to ensure successful trips, satisfied customers, and achievement of sales retention goals.
• Complete customer needs assessments to prepare and present proposals that meet group requirements.
• Host meetings with parent, student, and administrative groups.
• Ensure revisions to itineraries and trip budgets are made as required.
• Work with marketing to provide feedback on marketing materials.
• Maintain product knowledge, offering expertise and guidance to new and existing clients.
• Participate in regular sales meetings, company meetings, and training sessions.
• Represent WorldStrides in a positive, ethical, and professional manner.
• Assist in hosting and coordinating large music events for students.

Qualifications

• Demonstrates competitive spirit with a track record of winning.
• Goal-focused, self-sufficient individual who takes initiative to grow sales.
• Attainment of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• 2-5 years of direct and/or telesales experience preferred.
• Excellent negotiation, conversion, and closing skills.
• Experience in music is preferred but not required.
• Excellent communication skills – ability to work effectively with adults and youth.
• Ability to travel.
• Exceptional work ethic, with a willingness to work additional hours during seasonal peaks as well as some weekends and evenings.
• Exceptional computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Advanced Excel, PowerPoint).

Work Perks

• Comprehensive health benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, accident, critical illness, disability insurance, FSA/HSA options with employer HSA contributions, and a generous 401(k) match.
• Generous paid time off including 11 paid company holidays, 25 PTO days the first year (prorated), 1 paid volunteer day, 4 mental health days, and bereavement
• Professional development support, including up to $5,250 annually for tuition reimbursement and up to $1,000 for certifications annually
• Opportunities for paid and discounted travel
• Flexible work schedule providing on-site, remote, and hybrid office opportunities
• Encouraged participation in a wide variety of Employee Resource Groups
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness resources, including fitness centers at select locations
• Paid parental, caregiver, and disability leave
• Team Member Discount Program
• Engaging, collaborative, and fun work environment

The salary range listed for this position represents WorldStrides’ good-faith estimate of the base compensation for the role at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills and qualifications, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. The range does not include other forms of compensation or benefits that may be offered as part of the total rewards package.

Compensation Range: $40,000 USD - $45,000 USD

WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, WorldStrides is committed to building a diverse workforce, supported by an environment that promotes inclusion and belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

WorldStrides will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, J-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire. Select seasonal roles may consider students on J-1 or F-1 visas.