Founding Market Lead, Illinois

Innovamat is transforming K–8 math education across the U.S. and beyond. We’re a fast-growing educational organization with 350+ teammates across 10 countries, building a new generation of math education grounded in research, teacher empowerment, and real classroom impact. Our curriculum, intervention programs, and adaptive technology are trusted by 27,000+ teachers in 2,600+ schools worldwide. We operate with a startup mindset—moving fast, taking ownership, and experimenting constantly to create meaningful impact for teachers and students.

About the role

We’re looking for a Founding Market Lead to launch and scale the Illinois region—one of our most strategic U.S. markets. This is not a traditional sales role. You’ll operate as the owner of the region, responsible for building pipeline, closing flagship partnerships, and laying the foundation for a high-performing team. You’ll start as a hands-on builder and evolve into a leader, hiring and developing the team that will scale the region.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow the Illinois territory: Build Innovamat’s presence by identifying priority districts, shaping a focused strategy, and creating momentum in the market.
• Lead district partnerships end-to-end—from outbound outreach and first conversations to pilots and closing long-term agreements.
• Operate with full ownership of the Illinois market, managing revenue, partnerships, and local strategy while collaborating closely with the GM.
• Drive performance and outcomes with accountability, treating the territory as your business.
• Build and lead a high-performing regional team (AEs, Math Success Managers, etc.) as we scale, setting the bar for performance and culture.
• Generate pipeline through strategic outreach, networking, conferences, and presence in the education ecosystem.
• Engage district leaders in consultative conversations about their math challenges and introduce Innovamat’s research-backed approach.
• Collaborate with Math Success, Strategy, and Marketing teams to deliver compelling demos, pilots, and proposals.
• Refine the go-to-market motion by identifying patterns, improving messaging, and helping build the playbook for scaling district partnerships.
• Represent Innovamat at conferences, events, and district meetings to build credibility and brand presence.

Requirements

• Entrepreneurial spirit: You create momentum from scratch and have built, shipped, or taken ownership of something meaningful.
• Experience in fast-paced environments with a track record of grit, resilience, and performance (e.g., investment banking, consulting, private equity, engineering, operations, tech, or early-stage startups).
• Founder mentality: You operate beyond your role, improving systems, processes, and outcomes for the broader team.
• Operator mindset: You combine strategy with execution, defining the plan and making it happen.
• Closing ability: Experience owning the full sales cycle or delivering results in high-performance environments.
• Team builder: Excited to hire, develop, and lead a team, setting a high bar for performance and culture.
• Resilience: Energized by opening doors and navigating complex, multi-stakeholder decision processes.
• Relationship intelligence: Build trust with senior stakeholders and understand institutional decision-making.
• Learning mindset: Excited to deeply understand math education and how districts adopt new solutions.
• Based in Chicago with willingness to travel ~50%.

What Makes You Stand Out

• You’ve helped launch or scale something from 0→1.
• You take ownership beyond your job description.
• You naturally improve systems, strategy, and execution.
• You’re curious about education, learning science, and systemic change.
• You thrive in high-impact, high-responsibility environments.

Benefits

• Compensation: OTE $170K, with uncapped earning potential.
• 401(k) match: 5% company match.
• Comprehensive health benefits: Medical, dental, and vision—100% premium coverage for you.
• Work alongside exceptional people: Collaborate with leading educators, mathematicians, and researchers.
• High-trust, collaborative team culture valuing ownership, candor, and teamwork.
• Meaningful ownership and visibility as an early member of the U.S. expansion.
• Cross-functional exposure: Work closely with Growth, Strategy, Marketing, and Math Success teams.
• Mission-driven work: Be part of a systemic shift in education, transforming how students experience math.
• 22+ days of PTO, plus an additional week off during our company-wide holiday shutdown.
• Regular team meetups, team-building activities, and an annual summer company offsite.