Sales Development Specialist
Regular Full-Time
hand2mind, Vernon Hills, IL, US
Salary Range:
$24.44 To $28.85 Hourly
About hand2mind:
We bring learning to life! Trusted by teachers for more than 55+ years, hand2mind creates engaging, classroom-tested materials that empower children to learn by doing. We are a 150-person strong, family-owned company that's been voted one of the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years. In addition to building high-quality, hands-on learning materials for the classroom like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we also develop educational toys for the home that make learning math, reading, social-emotional learning, and STEM fun and interactive. As a company, we are committed to our employee’s personal and professional development. That’s why we offer a competitive benefits package, a supportive culture, and a variety of training and development opportunities. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you’ll come join our award-winning team today!
Team & Position Description:
The Sales Development Specialist plays a foundational role in supporting the school sales team by identifying and qualifying leads, conducting outreach campaigns, and assisting with sales development activities. This entry-level position is ideal for individuals looking to grow their career in educational sales, with a focus on learning the business, building product knowledge, and developing core sales skills.
What you’ll do day to day:
- Support lead generation efforts through outbound calling, emailing, and follow-up on marketing campaigns.
- Assist in building and maintaining accurate contact data in the CRM system.
- Collaborate with Sales teams to ensure smooth handoff of qualified leads.
- Conduct basic market research to identify potential prospects and gather competitive intelligence.
- Learn and apply product knowledge to support sales conversations and inbound inquiries.
- Maintain accurate records of outreach activity and opportunities in the CRM.
What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):
- Generate a consistent volume of qualified leads through daily outbound activity, maintaining a minimum of 60 touches per day across phone, email, and LinkedIn.
- Maintain 100% CRM accuracy by logging all outreach activity, contact updates, and lead status changes within 24 hours of engagement.
- Achieve a minimum 20% SQL-to-Discovery Ready conversion rate, aligned with GTM qualification criteria and Tier 1 prioritization.
- Generate a pipeline in which at least 35% of SQLs meet Tier 1 criteria, supporting GTM motions and pipeline targets.
- Collaborate effectively with assigned Education Sales Consultants (ESCs) to ensure timely and high-quality handoff of qualified leads, with a satisfaction rating of 90%+ on lead quality and communication.
Requirements/Ideal Attributes:
- 0–2 years of experience in sales, customer service, or marketing.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- Energized by outbound calling and email outreach.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
- Eager to learn and grow in a sales career.
- Team-oriented and collaborative.
- Organized and detail oriented.
We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.
Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.
Compensation Range: $24.44 – $28.85 per hour – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).