Sales Director: Build High-Impact, People-First Team

EF Education First; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four weeks paid vacation

Robust professional growth opportunities

Market-leading health coverage

401(k) with 25% company match

Wellness benefits including yearly fitness reimbursement

EF product discounts

Flexible work from home policy

Job summary

An international educational organization based in Boston seeks a Director of Sales to lead and inspire a dynamic team. The role involves engaging with customers, coaching talent, and developing long-term strategic plans for market growth. Ideal candidates will possess strong leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and over 5 years of experience in sales management. Enjoy competitive compensation and a vibrant workplace culture focused on professional growth and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years experience managing a sales team with proven results.
• At least 5 years experience with consistent year over year growth.
• Strong ability to coach and develop team members.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a high-performing team.
• Shape the long-term vision for the market.
• Coach and develop talent within the team.
• Engage directly with customers to grow key accounts.
• Recruit and hire top talent for the team.

Skills

Leadership

Emotional intelligence

Positive team dynamics

Strategic thinking

Communication

Job description

Do you know how to set a clear direction, energize a team, and turn ambition into results? At EF, we believe that travel changes lives — and as Director of Sales, you’ll lead a team that brings that belief to life for thousands of travelers across the country.

Based in our vibrant Boston office, you’ll lead a team of Tour Consultants in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where people, performance, and culture all matter deeply. This role is about more than driving sales. It’s about building a strong, motivated team, creating clarity and momentum, and leading with the passion and energy that gets everyone moving in the same direction.

From day one, you’ll take ownership of a market and a team. You’ll set the tone, align people around clear goals, coach performance, and create the kind of environment where people feel inspired, accountable, and excited to win together.

What you’ll do:

Set direction and create alignment

Lead your team with clarity and purpose. You’ll define priorities, translate goals into action, and make sure everyone understands where the team is headed and what it will take to succeed. In a fast-moving environment, you know how to create focus, build momentum, and keep people moving in the same direction.

Build a high-performing, motivated team

Lead a team of 8–12 Tour Consultants and create an environment where people are engaged, supported, and challenged to grow. You’ll foster a strong team dynamic, reinforce a culture of accountability and collaboration, and help individuals and the team perform at a high level.

Influence with passion and energy

Bring the kind of leadership presence that motivates others. You know how to rally people around a goal, create belief, and inspire action through authenticity, conviction, and strong communication. Your energy is contagious, and your team feels it.

Drive execution and deliver results

Own performance in your market and ensure strong follow-through against goals. You’ll use data, sound judgment, and a hands-on leadership style to monitor progress, remove obstacles, and keep the team focused on what matters most. You know that strong execution is what ultimately drives growth.

Coach and develop talent

Help people grow into stronger sales professionals and future leaders. Through coaching, feedback, role-playing, pipeline reviews, and in-the-moment development, you’ll raise the bar for performance while investing in each individual’s success.

Engage directly with customers

Support your team in growing key accounts, navigating important conversations, and expanding EF’s market presence. You’ll model strong relationship-building, customer focus, and commercial judgment in a way that strengthens both immediate and long-term results.

Recruit and hire top talent

Partner closely with recruiting to identify, attract, and hire exceptional talent who will contribute to performance, culture, and long-term team success.

Who you are

• You are a strong people leader who knows how to set direction, create alignment, and bring people with you
• You know how to motivate and influence others through passion, energy, and clarity
• You build teams that are both high-performing and highly engaged
• You are execution-oriented and know how to turn goals into action and action into results
• You are a coach at heart and care deeply about helping people grow
• You thrive in entrepreneurial environments and know how to bring structure, pace, and momentum without losing the human side of leadership
• You create accountability while building trust
• You are a clear communicator who can simplify priorities, reinforce expectations, and keep teams focused
• You lead with authenticity, optimism, and high standards
• You are collaborative and confident — someone who can make decisions, partner across teams, and help others succeed

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experience managing a sales team with demonstrated results
• At least 5 years of sales experience with a strong track record of performance and year-over-year growth
• Proven ability to lead teams, develop talent, and drive consistent execution
• Experience working in a fast-paced, metrics-driven, and people-centered environment

Compensation:

Base salary starts at $100,000 and may be higher depending on experience and qualifications, with bonus potential tied to goal achievement.

Why you’ll love working here: Perks, Benefits, and more!

This is the most fun, high caliber place you’ll ever work. Ask any employee why they love EF (whether they’ve been here 10 minutes or 10 years) and they’ll probably tell you the same thing: it’s the people. When you work at EF, you join a purpose-driven, international and energetic community that thrives on continuous learning, fearless innovation and mutual support.

In addition, you can expect:

Commitment to professional growth: robust monthly calendar of trainings and workshops

Four weeks paid vacation your first year, ten paid holidays, and two floating holidays

Exciting business travel opportunities

25% company match on your 401(k) contributions

Market-leading medical, dental and vision coverage, along with options for life and disability insurance, accident and hospital insurance, legal and pet insurance

Dependent care, healthcare and commuter Flex Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Access to fertility care and family-building support

Wellness benefits including a yearly fitness reimbursement

Frequent social and learning events, including access to our employee-run resource groups

Robust Employee Assistance Program

Tenure-based sabbatical eligibility

EF Product Discounts (discounts on travel, international language schools, Au Pair program and more)

Discounts at local venues and businesses

Amazing offices designed to match the caliber of the people who work there, plus the flexibility of working from home one day a week.

About EF Education First

Some companies are in the Business of Technology.

Others are in the Business of Finance….Sports…Or Soft Drinks.

At EF, we're in a different kind of Business.

One that's a little less tangible, and a lot more important.

Because our Business, what we make, makes everything else possible.

We're in the Business of Understanding.

For over half a century we’ve been the leader in international educational programs and experiences designed to foster such understanding. Through Language, Cultural Exchange, Academic Studies, and Educational Travel, we create the kinds of immersive experiences that challenge biases, open minds, and pave the way for a more understanding world.

You’ll find our 115 offices located in some of the world’s greatest cities, and filled with smart, driven people who push each other to be better every day. And yes, we have technology, we have finance, we even have sports with our own professional cycling team. But it’s what we do with it – Building greater understanding, breaking down barriers, and creating a better world…that makes all the difference.