Application Guide
How to Apply for Manager of Sales Development
at OnYourMark Education
🏢 About OnYourMark Education
OnYourMark Education is a high-dosage virtual tutoring service that partners with schools to deliver individualized literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading. What sets them apart is their proven impact: a Stanford University randomized controlled trial showed their K-5 virtual tutoring significantly boosts reading skills, with students gaining 24 extra days of learning in letter sounds (K) and 51 extra days in decoding (1st grade). Working here means joining a mission-driven team dedicated to eradicating educational inequity by ensuring all children become thriving readers.
About This Role
As the Manager of Sales Development, you will build and lead a team of SDRs responsible for generating and qualifying leads to bring OnYourMark's tutoring services to more schools. You'll develop outreach strategies, coach your team on effective messaging, and collaborate closely with sales and marketing to drive pipeline growth. This role is pivotal in scaling the company's reach, directly enabling more students to access evidence-based literacy instruction.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a team stand-up to review goals and priorities, followed by coaching sessions with individual SDRs to refine their outreach scripts and strategies. You'll spend time analyzing pipeline data, collaborating with marketing on campaign messaging, and possibly joining calls with school leaders to support your team. You'll also dedicate time to your own professional development, staying informed about literacy education trends to better equip your team.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who OnYourMark Education Is Looking For
- Proven experience in sales development or inside sales, with at least 2 years in a leadership or coaching role, preferably in education technology or a mission-driven organization.
- Strong understanding of the K-12 education landscape and the challenges schools face in literacy instruction; familiarity with the science of reading is a plus.
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze metrics, optimize outreach campaigns, and report on team performance to senior leadership.
- Excellent communication and coaching skills, with a track record of developing SDRs into successful sales professionals.
📝 Tips for Applying to OnYourMark Education
Highlight any experience you have in education or edtech sales, especially if you've sold to schools or districts. OnYourMark values candidates who understand the unique sales cycle in K-12.
Demonstrate your commitment to the mission by referencing the science of reading or the Stanford study in your application. Show that you've done your homework on their impact.
Quantify your achievements in previous sales development roles, such as pipeline generated, conversion rates, or team performance improvements. Use numbers to show your effectiveness.
Emphasize your ability to coach and develop a remote team. Since the role is remote, provide examples of how you've successfully managed and motivated SDRs in a virtual environment.
Tailor your resume and cover letter to include keywords from the job description, such as 'high-dosage virtual tutoring,' 'science of reading,' and 'randomized controlled trial.' This shows alignment with their specific language and priorities.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
Your cover letter should focus on: 1) Your passion for educational equity and how OnYourMark's mission resonates with your personal or professional experience. 2) Your specific experience in building and leading sales development teams, including metrics that demonstrate your success. 3) Your understanding of the K-12 education market and how you would approach outreach to schools. 4) Your ability to thrive in a remote, mission-driven environment and collaborate cross-functionally to drive results.
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read the Stanford University National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) study on OnYourMark's tutoring efficacy to understand the evidence base and be able to speak to it in interviews.
- → Explore OnYourMark's website, especially their 'About Us' and 'Impact' sections, to learn about their tutoring model, partner schools, and the science of reading principles they follow.
- → Research the current state of literacy education in the US, including challenges like learning loss and the shift toward evidence-based reading instruction, to contextualize your sales approach.
- → Look up key team members on LinkedIn, especially those in sales or leadership, to understand their backgrounds and potentially reference shared connections or experiences.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Avoid generic outreach strategies that don't account for the unique decision-making processes in schools. Demonstrating a one-size-fits-all sales approach will signal a lack of understanding of the education market.
- Don't neglect to mention the mission. OnYourMark is deeply mission-driven, and candidates who focus solely on sales metrics without connecting to the broader impact may be seen as a poor cultural fit.
- Avoid overpromising or using aggressive sales tactics. In education, relationship-building and trust are crucial, so emphasizing a consultative approach is key.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to OnYourMark Education!