Sense Education, an educational technology startup, is dedicated to creating AI-driven tools for scalable, fast, fair, and pedagogically rich assessments, both formative and summative. We are seeking a Director of Business Development to help bring this vision to life.About the RoleWe are seeking a highly motivated and entrepreneurial

Business Development Director

to drive adoption of our AI-driven feedback solutions. Guiding universities through a fundamental shift in methodologies vs selling a replacement tool. As one of the first members of our go-to-market team, you will play a critical role in shaping our strategy, building relationships with forward-thinking institutions and position Sense Education as a trusted partner in innovation.ResponsibilitiesResearch and define the Total Addressable Market (TAM), as well as which segments represent the highest opportunity for growth.Identify and segment target universities based on key criteria; analyze courses, departments, and programs that would benefit most from our solutions.Stay informed about industry trends, policy changes, and emerging technologies in higher education to refine market focus.Decision-Maker Mapping:Identify key stakeholders and decision-makers at target institutions, including university administrators, department heads, faculty, and IT teams.Research their roles, priorities, and potential influence on purchasing decisions.Develop a consultative multi-faceted sales approach for an innovative new behavior by understanding the unique needs of each university and mapping our solutions to their challenges.Conduct in-depth discovery calls and meetings to uncover pain points such as student engagement, learning outcomes, operational efficiency, and budget constraints.Build and maintain a robust pipeline through outbound efforts, networking, and attending industry events.Lead meetings, presentations, and product demos to articulate the value of our solutions.Partnership Development:Explore opportunities for strategic collaborations, pilots, and co-development initiatives with universities and education-focused organizations and corporations.Negotiate contracts and partnership agreements to achieve mutual value.Strategy, Market Insights & Performance Metric:Work closely with leadership to refine the go-to-market strategy and identify high-priority segments in higher education.Share market and customer feedback to inform product development and prioritize features based on user needs.Set, track performance outcomes and achieve measurable quarterly sales and growth targets.Who You Are5+ years in business development, sales, or partnerships—ideally in edtech, SaaS, or education-related fields.Experience selling to universities, with knowledge of academic procurement and long sales cycles.Strong consultative sales skills, relationship-building expertise, and ability to influence decision-makers.Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for education and AI-driven solutions.Proficiency with CRM tools (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce).Seniority level

DirectorEmployment type

Full-timeJob function

Business Development and SalesIndustries

E-learning

#J-18808-Ljbffr