Vice President of Business Development

Do you want to work for a fast-growing company where employees share in business success through an Employee Stock Ownership Program? Are you energized by building national account strategies, winning complex multi-stakeholder deals, and leading a hunter-oriented business development team? Do you thrive in roles where you can shape market strategy, expand enterprise relationships, and unlock extensive, untapped revenue potential?

About the company

School Outfitters is a Cincinnati-based, 100% employee-owned company transforming how learning environments are designed, furnished, and supported across the United States. Recognized as a Cincinnati Top Workplace for 14 consecutive years, the company has grown into a national leader serving early childhood programs, K-12 schools, higher education, and specialized learning environments. With a mission-driven culture and a reputation for exceptional customer service, School Outfitters partners with 97% of the nation’s top 1,000 school districts. For leaders seeking a growth-oriented environment where ownership mentality, customer obsession, and strategic expansion intersect, School Outfitters offers a rare and exciting opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Account Growth
  • Develop and execute growth strategies for top national and regional accounts.
  • Build executive-level relationships with key stakeholders.
  • Identify multi-location and enterprise expansion opportunities.
  • Increase wallet share within existing strategic accounts.
• Business Development Leadership
  • Build and lead a hunter-oriented business development program.
  • Create target account strategies and annual penetration plans.
  • Expand market presence across high-potential verticals.
  • Establish strategic partnerships and new growth channels.
• Customer Engagement & Field Leadership
  • Lead customer visit strategy and execution.
  • Participate in executive business reviews and strategic planning sessions.
  • Travel nationally (about 70%) to strengthen relationships with high-value prospects and customers.
• Team Leadership
  • Lead a team of 7 Business Development and Project Management positions.
  • Build CRM discipline (HubSpot or related) and ensure data integrity.
  • Coach team members on enterprise selling and account expansion.
• Strategic Pipeline Development
  • Ensure consistent prospecting and business development activity.
  • Monitor opportunity progression and large-deal strategy.
  • Drive growth within target accounts and key market segments.
• Market Intelligence
  • Track industry trends, competitive activity, and emerging customer needs.
  • Recommend strategic initiatives that support long-term revenue expansion.

Requirements

• 10+ years in business development, strategic sales, or commercial leadership with proven revenue growth results.
• 5+ years leading high-performing sales or business development teams.
• Demonstrated success winning and managing strategic accounts of $1M+ annually.
• Experience selling into complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong CRM discipline (HubSpot or Salesforce).
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• Willingness to travel - up to 70% nationally.
• Experience developing scalable sales processes and enterprise pipelines.

Skills

• Executive-level consultative seller with strong emotional intelligence.
• Hunter mentality with disciplined follow-through.
• Exceptional relationship builder and active listener.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and highly communicative.
• Comfortable being both an individual contributor and team leader.
• Strategic thinker who can translate customer needs into growth initiatives.
• Collaborative, non-territorial, and able to partner seamlessly with Sales and Marketing.

Benefits

• Lead a strategically important growth function in a rapidly expanding company.
• Build a national account strategy from the ground up and see an immediate impact on business revenue.
• Work with a collaborative executive team that values innovation, strategy, and customer relationships.
• Earn equity through a robust ESOP program with long-term wealth-building potential.
• Competitive compensation package with a senior-level base + commission structure.

Role is based in Cincinnati. Onsite presence is essential when not traveling due to the highly interactive and collaborative nature of the role.