Sales Development Representative

About the role

The role combines consultative discovery, partnership with Account Executives, and ownership of opportunities from first contact through handoff. Successful candidates are intrinsically motivated, organized, and thrive in a collaborative, continuous-learning environment.

Sales roles connect a company's product with the customers who need it. Representatives research accounts, run demos, handle objections, and close deals. The work is quota driven and moves quickly. Strong sellers combine listening skills with product knowledge and steady follow through. Sales roles reward consistent activity and honest qualification of deals. Most companies use a defined sales process, and reps are trained on it before being left on their own.

Key facts

What you'll do

Collaboration with a dedicated Account Executive aligns on territory strategy, coordinates outreach, and books introductory meetings that advance opportunities.

AI tools are leveraged to drive greater efficiency and productivity in daily workflows.

Requirements

The posting states a minimum of 3 years of experience. The posting states a pay range of $55000 to $80000.

Three or more years in K-12 education or one or more years of inside sales experience, with a record of engaging prospects to secure qualified meetings.

Preferred availability in Pacific or Central time zones or flexibility to align hours based on business and customer needs.

The capacity to serve as a strategic thought partner to Account Executives by continuously researching regions and managing hundreds of school accounts across designated states.

Demonstrated intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and daily refinement of approach through feedback and mastery of Newsela's full product suite.

High intrinsic drive, excellent time management, and proactive ownership of daily responsibilities in a remote setting.

Familiarity with sales platforms such as Salesloft and/or Outreach.io used in education technology environments.

Strong communication skills to empathize with K-12 buyer challenges and translate them into compelling value propositions.

Creativity in a fast-paced environment and collaborative execution with team members to ensure flawless coordination.

Legal authorization to work in the United States is required for this position.

Practical notes

This fully remote position offers flexibility with an expectation to align with business and customer demands. Typical interview steps

Sales hiring often includes a role play, a discovery call simulation, and a presentation. Candidates may be asked to pitch a product to a panel or handle a tough objection. Behavioral questions focus on past quota attainment and deal history. Energy and preparation matter. Interviewers often simulate the job in the interview itself, so be ready to run a short discovery call or demo. Practicing your own sales pitch out loud helps.

Good to know

Roles in education technology often blend consultative sales with product mastery.

Daily routines combine outbound activity, data tracking, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Success in this role depends on consistent preparation, continuous learning, and structured outreach.

Tools commonly used in this field include CRM platforms, sales engagement systems, and AI-assisted productivity applications.

Questions to ask

Good questions to ask the employer in the interview: what does success look like in the first six months, how is the team structured, what is the current biggest challenge, and how are decisions made. Asking about growth paths and the review process is also well received. Employers expect questions, and good ones show preparation.

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.