K-12 EdTech Sales Director Role - $150K+ OTE

SmartLab; United States; Remote; USD 135,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Life insurance

Paid time off

Disability insurance

Job summary

SmartLab, a K-12 EdTech leader, seeks a Director of Sales (East) to drive regional growth with a player-coach approach. You’ll carry a personal quota while coaching a team of Growth Partners and Regional Sales Managers, expanding our footprint in the Eastern US.

The role blends field leadership with cross-functional collaboration, requiring 5+ years in EdTech sales leadership, strong CRM discipline, and travel up to 50%. Base salary is $135k–$150k with uncapped commissions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years leading and scaling sales teams in K-12 EdTech.
• Proven track record of closing net new business.
• Proficient with Salesforce or HubSpot.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Direct, coach, and mentor a team of Regional Sales Managers and Growth Partners to achieve regional revenue targets.
• Maintain direct quota ownership while coaching and developing the team.
• Develop data-driven territory plans to win new K-12 accounts and expand existing relationships.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, Academics, and Customer Care to align messaging and campaigns.
• Forecast accuracy and pipeline management using CRM tools.

Skills

K-12 EdTech sales

Leadership & coaching

Strategic account planning

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Education, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

K-12 EdTech Sales Director Role - $150K+ OTE — Remote

This is a senior individual contributor + people manager hybrid role — a "player-coach" structure that is increasingly common in EdTech sales organizations at the growth stage. It's a strong move for someone transitioning from Regional Sales Manager to a VP of Sales path.

Compensation analysis: The $135,000–$150,000 base is competitive for a Director-level sales role in EdTech, sitting slightly below enterprise SaaS Director benchmarks ($160K–$190K) but appropriate for the K-12 vertical. The uncapped commission and team bonuses can meaningfully close that gap for strong performers.

• Player-coach sales leadership — managing quota while developing a team is a highly transferable skill valued at VP+ levels.
• K-12 district sales cycles, procurement, and funding literacy (E-rate, Title I, state grants) — a niche but defensible expertise.
• Cross-functional influence: aligning product, marketing, and customer success around field intelligence.

Green flags: The emphasis on data-driven territory planning, CRM discipline (Salesforce + HubSpot), and market intelligence signals a mature sales organization rather than a scrappy early-stage startup. Cross-functional collaboration with Product and Academics suggests the company invests in customer feedback loops.

Watch for: The 50% travel requirement is high and can contribute to burnout. Clarify team size and whether the individual quota is realistic alongside management responsibilities before accepting.

SmartLab is looking for a Director of Sales (East) to lead our regional growth strategy across the Eastern US, and to build a team that grows with it. This is a player-coach role: you'll carry your own quota while directly coaching, developing, and empowering a team of Growth Partners. You'll drive revenue and expand our reach in the K-12 education market, working closely with school and district leaders who are shaping the future of STEM education for their students.

We're looking for someone who works well independently and brings fresh thinking to sales and partnerships — someone who sees an opportunity or a stuck deal and already has three ways to approach it. You'll build genuine relationships, mentor your team toward their best work, and help create a culture rooted in accountability, strategy, and continuous growth. The ideal candidate lives in the southeastern United States.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct, coach, and mentor a team of Regional Sales Managers and Growth Partners to achieve and exceed regional revenue targets.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, pipeline inspections, and targeted training on closing techniques, product knowledge, and value-based selling.
• Build a culture of accountability, urgency, and continuous professional development.

Strategic Execution & Quota Ownership

• Develop and execute data-driven territory plans to win new K-12 accounts and expand existing relationships across the region.
• Maintain direct quota ownership by prospecting, negotiating, and closing high-value deals with key district decision makers and educational partners.
• Manage pipeline health and forecast accuracy using Salesforce, HubSpot, and related CRM/sales enablement tools.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, Academics, and Customer Care teams to align messaging, optimize campaign effectiveness, and streamline customer onboarding.
• Analyze competitive activity, K-12 market trends, and district funding cycles to refine go-to-market strategies and support new product launches.
• Serve as an internal advocate for customer needs to influence product roadmap and service delivery improvements.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Education, or related field required.
• 5+ years of demonstrated success leading, coaching, and scaling high-performing sales teams in K-12 education products, education technology, curriculum, or similar.
• Proven ability to manage a complex sales cycle while simultaneously carrying and achieving an individual contributor sales quota with consistency in closing net new business.
• High proficiency with CRM and sales enablement platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar).
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% for district visits, conferences, and team events.
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental, Vision & Ancillaries)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off and a generous holiday schedule (14 days per year)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Base salary range: $135,000–$150,000 annually plus uncapped commission and bonuses on team achievements

Is the Director of Sales (East) role fully remote? The role is field-remote with no required daily office, but candidates must be based in the southeastern United States and should expect up to 50% travel for district visits, conferences, and team events. What is the salary and total compensation for this role? The base salary ranges from $135,000 to $150,000 annually, plus uncapped commission on personal sales and bonuses tied to team achievements. Does the Director carry their own sales quota in addition to managing a team? Yes — this is explicitly a player-coach role where the Director maintains a personal quota while also coaching and developing a team of Regional Sales Managers and Growth Partners. What experience is required to apply for this position? SmartLab requires 5+ years of experience leading and scaling sales teams in K-12 education, EdTech, or curriculum, along with a proven track record of closing net new business and proficiency with Salesforce or HubSpot. What market does SmartLab operate in? SmartLab operates in the K-12 education market, focusing on STEM education products and solutions sold to school districts and educational partners across the United States.

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