Fast Facts

Join hand2mind as a Sales Development Specialist, where you'll support our sales team by generating leads and conducting outreach campaigns in a dynamic, educational environment.

Responsibilities: Identify and qualify leads, conduct outbound outreach, maintain CRM data, and support the sales team with market research and product knowledge.

Skills: Strong communication skills, proficiency in Microsoft Office, and a passion for sales and outreach.

Qualifications: 0–2 years of experience in sales or customer service and a preferred Bachelor's degree.

Location: Vernon Hills, IL

Compensation: $24 - $28 / Hourly

About hand2mind:

We bring learning to life! Trusted by teachers for more than 55+ years, hand2mind creates engaging, classroom-tested materials that empower children to learn by doing. We are a 150-person strong, family-owned company that's been voted one of the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years. In addition to building high-quality, hands-on learning materials for the classroom like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we also develop educational toys for the home that make learning math, reading, social-emotional learning, and STEM fun and interactive. As a company, we are committed to our employee’s personal and professional development. That’s why we offer a competitive benefits package, a supportive culture, and a variety of training and development opportunities. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you’ll come join our award-winning team today!

Team & Position Description:

The Sales Development Specialist plays a foundational role in supporting the school sales team by identifying and qualifying leads, conducting outreach campaigns, and assisting with sales development activities. This entry-level position is ideal for individuals looking to grow their career in educational sales, with a focus on learning the business, building product knowledge, and developing core sales skills.

 What you’ll do day to day: 

• Support lead generation efforts through outbound calling, emailing, and follow-up on marketing campaigns.
• Assist in building and maintaining accurate contact data in the CRM system.
• Collaborate with Sales teams to ensure smooth handoff of qualified leads.
• Conduct basic market research to identify potential prospects and gather competitive intelligence.
• Learn and apply product knowledge to support sales conversations and inbound inquiries.
• Maintain accurate records of outreach activity and opportunities in the CRM.

What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):

• Generate a consistent volume of qualified leads through daily outbound activity, maintaining a minimum of 60 touches per day across phone, email, and LinkedIn.
• Maintain 100% CRM accuracy by logging all outreach activity, contact updates, and lead status changes within 24 hours of engagement.
• Achieve a minimum 20% SQL-to-Discovery Ready conversion rate, aligned with GTM qualification criteria and Tier 1 prioritization.
• Generate a pipeline in which at least 35% of SQLs meet Tier 1 criteria, supporting GTM motions and pipeline targets.
• Collaborate effectively with assigned Education Sales Consultants (ESCs) to ensure timely and high-quality handoff of qualified leads, with a satisfaction rating of 90%+ on lead quality and communication.

Requirements/Ideal Attributes:

• 0–2 years of experience in sales, customer service, or marketing.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Energized by outbound calling and email outreach.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Eager to learn and grow in a sales career.
• Team-oriented and collaborative.
• Organized and detail oriented.

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.

Compensation Range: $24.44 – $28.85 per hour – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here). 

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