Expression of Interest: School Sales Representative
Job description
About the role
Newsela's suite of products delivers engaging reading content to classrooms, and this fully remote role aims to impact student outcomes by expanding adoption nationwide. In this position, you own the full sales cycle, acting as the primary point of contact for education decision-makers from initial discovery to final implementation. The role requires a consultative approach where you diagnose classroom needs and align them with the specific features of Newsela's platform. You will be responsible for researching target accounts, building a compelling value proposition, and overcoming objections with data and evidence. Success in this role depends on your ability to build trust quickly and maintain disciplined follow-through in a fast-paced environment. Sales performance is driven by consistent activity, accurate forecasting, and a deep understanding of how products solve real instructional problems. This is a quota-driven position where your daily actions directly determine the level of student engagement you help create.
Key facts
What you'll do
You will own a defined territory and manage the end-to-end sales lifecycle to drive new business adoption in classrooms nationwide.
You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to support revenue targets and accelerate Newsela's growth across the national sales organization.
You will manage pipeline, forecasting, and full-lifecycle sales execution, handling activities from initial outreach to closing complex deals.
You will research accounts and identify key stakeholders to tailor messaging around instructional priorities and student needs.
You will run virtual and in-person product demos that highlight the impact of Newsela on reading engagement and learning outcomes.
You will handle objections related to budget, implementation, and integration with existing curriculum and assessment tools.
You will build a sustainable, high-volume pipeline using a transactional sales approach that ensures consistent booking and conversion.
You will leverage self-driven performance in a fast-paced environment to move deals quickly through the sales funnel.
You will utilize experience with AI tools to improve efficiency and productivity in sales workflows and reporting.
You will maintain strict adherence to legal requirements, ensuring authorization to work in the United States is verified throughout the hiring process.
Requirements
The posting states a bachelor's degree requirement. You must possess a minimum of 1+ years of experience achieving or exceeding quotas while selling SaaS products, with K-12 EdTech experience strongly preferred.
You must have a background in education, such as former teaching experience, or a solid grasp of pedagogy to connect classroom challenges to Newsela's solutions.
You must navigate multiple stakeholders skillfully to engineer the right solution for each customer and decision-making process.
You must employ a high-volume, transactional sales approach to build a sustainable book of business over time.
You must thrive as a self-driven performer in a fast-paced environment that moves sales quickly to closure without sacrificing quality.
You must have documented experience using AI tools to improve efficiency and productivity in sales workflows.
You must hold legal authorization to work in the United States, with no sponsorship available for this role.
You must meet the academic standards outlined You must comply with the experience thresholds detailed in the official job description to ensure eligibility for consideration.
Good to know
Roles in education technology often combine quota attainment with product knowledge and stakeholder management.
Sales positions in remote-first organizations may rely on company-provided tools for communication and forecasting.
Experience with AI tools is recognized as a driver of efficiency in modern sales environments.
Comprehensive benefits commonly include medical coverage, retirement plans, and professional development allowances.
Remote work policies frequently include home office stipends and flexible time-off structures.
Questions to ask
Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.
Career growth
Sales careers can move from SDR or associate to account executive, senior AE, manager, and director roles. Some sellers move into partnerships, account management, or revenue operations. Compensation typically mixes a base with commission tied to results. High performers in sales typically move into larger accounts, team leadership, or sales operations. Quota history and references carry the most weight in promotion.