Company: International Living Future Institute
Title: Business Development Manager – Education Sector

Salary: TBD, Full-time
Location: Seattle, WA or Remote, USA

POSITION DETAILS

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) seeks an experienced Business Development Manager to serve as the education sector lead; to head up efforts to grow the use and adoption of ILFI programs at universities, colleges, and pre K-12 schools. The Business Development Manager – Education Sector will cultivate strategic relationships, focused on creating long-term value for ILFI’s clients, sponsors, and partners, and ensure sustainable business growth and sales opportunities for ILFI’s products and services. The Business Development Manager – Education Sector will be able to write and speak in public persuasively about ILFI’s mission, vision, and programs, and will be responsible for generating sales and partnership opportunities by developing and qualifying leads, representing ILFI at public-facing conferences and events, and presenting directly to potential customers, consultants, and stakeholders. The Business Development Manager – Education Sector will coordinate with the Director of Business Development, and collaborate closely with Sales, and Program teams at ILFI.

A successful candidate will have significant experience in business development in the architecture / engineering / construction or related field, with an emphasis on green building, campus planning, design and construction or operations for higher education, K-12 and other education providers.

BACKGROUND

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI)’s mission is to catalyze the transformation toward communities that are culturally rich, socially just and ecologically restorative. The organization believes providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. More than a decade ago, the International Living Future Institute issued a challenge: use the built environment to create a revolutionary transformation towards true sustainability. Since then, ILFI has continued to grow our visionary programs, challenging architects, engineers, designers, manufacturers, contractors, and communities to change the course of climate change and share in building a living future through educating, setting standards, research and creating innovative tools. The International Living Future Institute is a dynamic, growing organization aspiring to be a leader with a formidable reputation for integrity, action and measurable results. ILFI offers a collaborative, team-oriented and mission-driven workplace. ILFI has offices in Seattle, WA and Pittsburgh, PA as well as additional remote staff across the country and in Canada. ILFI also operates globally with affiliate entities in Australia and Europe.

THE INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We believe that our staff should reflect the diversity of the communities in which we live in order to achieve a living future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. We are committed to hiring and advancing staff that represent voices from traditionally underrepresented populations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Grow Leads and Opportunities:

Collaborate with the Director of Business Development to create a strategy, goals and objectives for lead generation, assessment, and formation of key relationships and opportunities in the education sector

Identify new client prospects for ILFI support services (fee for service contracts), and scope projects with the support of the technical Support Services Department and close those contracts

Develop and cultivate a pipeline of ILFI prospects, managing the process from developing presentations and decks to initial and follow-up meetings to creating proposals to negotiating and closing agreements.

Maintain records of conversations, meetings, leads, opportunities, and partnerships using Salesforce CRM platform, and generate monthly reports to keep senior leadership up to date

Prepare and collaborate on creation of materials to be presented to prospects, including proposals and appropriate correspondence

Contact prospects by telephone, letter, email and networking events; make cold calls as necessary. Follow up with face-to-face meetings, when appropriate

Make formal presentations to senior managers at organizations about the use of ILFI programs, and partnership opportunities.

Grow Sector Specific Relationships and Awareness:

Identify and manage opportunities to present ILFI’s programs at leading events and conferences unique to planning, design, and construction within the education sector

Write and develop content to highlight ILFI’s programs in ILFI media channels, and 3rd party education sector specific media channels.

Develop and maintain organizational relationships within the education sector

Develop the strategy for ILFI led education sector stakeholder cohort(s) in collaboration with the Director of Business Development

Manage, convene, and facilitate sector specific stakeholder meetings to increase ILFI product and service leads and opportunities.

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

Familiarize yourself with ILFI’s programs, goals and events.

Adhere to ILFI’s Vision and Mission, and maintain proficient knowledge of its strategy and programs.

Collaborate with the Events, Education, Communications, Sales, and Program teams to scope and deliver on partnership agreements, and fee for service contracts.

Develop internal relationships with ILFI Events, Education, Communications, Sales, and Program teams.

Develop and maintain external relationships with existing ILFI stakeholders in the sector.

Follow and assess sector trends, needs, and developments, and make recommendations to the Marketing Division to increase ILFI program awareness and adoption

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Earn and maintain Living Future Accreditation, and be able to communicate the value proposition of ILFI products and services

Develop and maintain deep knowledge of the Living Building Challenge, Living Community Challenge, Zero Energy, Zero Carbon, and Core Green Building programs, and develop and maintain familiarity with all other ILFI programs

Join a professional development organization focused on education sector planning, design, and construction

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

Bachelor’s degree

5+ years of professional experience in business development, marketing and sales, sustainability, architecture or planning

Comfortable managing deadlines, prioritizing work in a fast-paced environment, and producing quality results with great attention to detail.

Excellent negotiation, writing, organizational, and communication skills.

Strong people skills

Deep understanding of the sales process and a strong general sales acumen, as well as superior relationship development and account management skills.

Affinity for basic office computer programs with the ability to learn new software applications (hardware and software will be Mac based and experience with Apple products is preferred)

Desired:

Understanding of ILFI programs, green building, campus planning, design and construction, or operations for higher education, k-12, and other education providers

A strong passion for, and commitment to ILFI’s mission as a whole.

This position is US based in Seattle WA, or US based remote. Compensation is commensurate with experience, and is supplemented by ILFI’s generous benefits package that includes employer paid health, dental, vision, and employee life insurance, a 6% 403(b) retirement match, three weeks of paid annual leave, paid sick leave, holiday pay and paid time to volunteer in your community.