Inside Sales Representative (Hybrid) Lombard, Illinois

People Passion Purpose
Everything School Specialty offers is designed for one purpose – to help students succeed. We believe every student can flourish in an environment where they feel safe and inspired to explore and grow.
We’re determined to positively impact the future, one child at a time. We need to talk if you share our passion:
Transforming more than classrooms.®
Benefits
School Specialty offers Medical, Dental, & Vision plans (Effective Day 1), Wellness programs, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, 401 (k), PTO, Promise Hours dedicated to volunteering, Education Reimbursement, Paid Holidays, Fall & Winter Flexible Hours, Employee Discounts and much more!
Business Development Representative (Inside Sales Representative)-SchoolKidz
As an Inside Sales Rep, you will work primarily with email correspondence to the parent groups affiliated with the schools, while also using the phone to reach and support customers in your assigned regions. Primary role is to work with parent groups and commit to run a spring/summer school supply kit sale. This effort includes working with a regional Customer Success Coordinator providing quotes, product updates and build-the-sale efforts while mentoring schools that are new to a/our program. Held to weekly and annual goals by supporting assigned territory.
The base salary range for this role is $45K-$65K annually (base plus commission) and will be a hybrid position in Lombard, IL.
Summary of Primary Responsibilities

• Develop relationships in an assigned region, to promote, market, and sell category-focused products and kits driving opportunities with new and existing customers.
• Coordinate necessary steps including but not limited to, product updates, sale statistics, and any related customer support following signed contract.
• Work directly with customer/school to assess, describe solutions, define products, create quotes and make modifications to school supply list quotes.
• Respond to incoming calls and emails in a timely fashion in order to maintain needed key performance indicators and run a successful school supply parent sale.
• Build individual school revenue by communicating information to customers such as, discounts, product updates, deadlines, delivery of products, etc.
• Thoroughly document and update account activity utilizing our SKCRM as well as Salesforce to track all customer communications pertinent to an effective sale.
• Work with other team members, Program Manager, and marketing teams to create new program ideas and marketing strategies based on customer feedback and customer facing programs to enhance the school supply sale(s).
• Continue to embrace and support change as we learn different ways of selling and learning new systems.
• Responsible for building relationships with customers to retain year over year business while also building relationships with SchoolKidz regional sales rep.

Minimum Experience Requirements

• Two-year degree in business related field preferred; years of relevant experience considered in lieu of degree.
• External: 2 + years of sales experience (Inside sales preferred) or a minimum of 18 months of SS internal experience.
• Basic Microsoft Suite Skills (Word, Excel & Outlook)

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• CRM Experience strongly preferred
• High-level of customer service acumen
• Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills maintaining attention to detail
• Possess a high level of professionalism, ethics, confidence and a commitment to a team approach
• Engaging and goal-oriented personality able to work independently
• Strong professional, verbal communication skills, and proven business writing skills for heavy client correspondence
• Must be able to adapt the selling approach to parent organization volunteers and charitable organization representatives, while also possessing persuasive ability and the business acumen to interact with school administrators.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines and exceed sales quota
• Problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Ability to overcome objections and effectively deal with customer rejection

Disclaimers
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

• School Specialty, LLC. is a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
• We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at Opportunities@SchoolSpecialty.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.