Vice President of Business Development
School Outfitters | Cincinnati, OH (Hybrid + Travel)
Is This Role for You?
Are you a competitive, results-driven leader who thrives on winning bigโand building teams that do the same? Do you enjoy breaking into large, complex accounts, developing executive-level relationships, and turning opportunity into measurable growth?
At School Outfitters, weโre looking for a strategic sales leader who is energized by growth, motivated by results, and driven to expand our presence with high-value customers across the country.
About the Role
As our Vice President of Business Development, you will play a critical role in driving new revenue growth within our largest and highest-potential accounts. Youโll lead a proactive business development team, develop strategic account plans, and build executive-level relationships that position School Outfitters for long-term success.
This is a highly visible, customer-facing role focused on expanding enterprise-level partnerships and capturing significant growth opportunities particularly within accounts with $1M+ annual potential.
What Youโll DoDrive Strategic Account Growth
- Develop and execute growth strategies for top national and regional accounts
- Build and maintain executive-level customer relationships
- Lead account planning, growth reviews, and expansion strategies
- Identify enterprise and multi-location opportunities
- Increase share of wallet within existing strategic customers
Lead Business Development Strategy
- Build and lead a proactive business development program
- Develop target account strategies and prospecting initiatives
- Create and execute annual account penetration plans
- Expand presence within key verticals and customer segments
- Establish strategic partnerships that accelerate growth
Engage Customers amp; Lead in the Field
- Lead customer visit strategy and execution
- Participate in executive business reviews and planning sessions
- Travel regularly to engage customers and drive opportunity development
- Strengthen relationships with high-value prospects and customers
Build and Develop a High-Performing Team
- Lead and coach Business Development Representatives
- Set clear expectations and accountability standards
- Conduct CRM (HubSpot) reviews and opportunity strategy sessions
- Coach team members on enterprise selling and account expansion
- Partner closely with Sales and Marketing leadership on key accounts
Drive Pipeline amp; Execution
- Ensure consistent prospecting and business development activity
- Monitor opportunity progression and large deal strategy
- Maintain strong CRM discipline and pipeline visibility
- Support seamless handoff to inside sales for execution
Bring Market Insight to Leadership
- Monitor industry trends, competition, and market opportunities
- Identify emerging customer needs and growth areas
- Recommend strategic initiatives that support revenue expansion
What You Bring
- 10+ years of business development, strategic sales, or commercial leadership experience with a proven track record of driving revenue growth.
- 5+ years leading and developing high-performing sales and business development teams and consistent quota attainment at the team level.
- Demonstrated success winning, growing, and managing strategic accounts with annual revenue of $1M+.
- Familiarity with CRM tools (HubSpot); ability to learn new platforms quickly
- Proven ability to develop and execute growth strategies that generate measurable business results.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to build relationships, negotiate effectively, and influence decision-makers.
- Experience building scalable sales processes, driving accountability, and improving team performance.
- Ability to identify market opportunities and translate customer needs into growth initiatives.
- Willingness to travel extensively approximately 70%
- Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.
What Youโll Own
- Own and execute the long-term business development strategy aligned to company growth objectives
- Identify and pursue new markets, partnerships, and revenue channels
- Build and strengthen executive-level relationships with key customers and stakeholders
- Lead and develop a high-performing business development function
- Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Operations to align growth initiatives
- Analyze customer trends and competitive positioning to inform decision-making
How Youโll Make an Impact
- Drive measurable revenue growth and expand market share
- Establish strategic partnerships that create new opportunities
- Strengthen School Outfittersโ position as a trusted partner in education
- Build scalable processes to support sustainable growth
What Youโll Gain
- Direct ownership of growth strategy and business performance
- Exposure to executive leadership and strategic decision-making
- The opportunity to build and scale a function with impact
- A stake in an employee-owned company where your contributions matter
About Us
At School Outfitters, we help educators create engaging learning environments that support student success. As a leading national supplier of educational furniture and equipment, we combine eCommerce, design expertise, and customer service to deliver meaningful outcomes for schools and communities.
We are a 100% employee-owned company, and we believe our people, systems, and culture are what differentiate us.
Our team is driven by a shared mindset: Believe in people, enjoy the journey, relentlessly search for better, play to win, and Live the Golden Rule.
If youโre looking for a role where your leadership directly impacts growth, customers, and long-term valueโyouโll find it here.
Compensation, Benefits amp; Work Environment
- Competitive base + performance-based incentives
- ESOP participation (employee ownership)
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Hybrid work environment (role-dependent flexibility)
Apply Today
If youโre ready to lead growth, expand partnerships, and make a meaningful impact on education and business performance, weโd love to hear from you.
Apply today to start the conversation.
School Outfitters is an equal opportunity employer. EEO โ Disabled / Veterans.