State Initiatives Specialist

Summary

Join Solution Tree as a State Initiative Specialist and contribute to scaling our educational resources nationwide. You will facilitate the six state phases, strengthening partnerships with state agencies and organizations. This role involves researching educational trends, identifying partnership opportunities, and designing proposals for grants and RFPs. You will also support the implementation of state-level projects, collaborate with internal and external teams, and represent Solution Tree at various events. The ideal candidate possesses a deep commitment to education and has experience in the education field, preferably with state agencies or in educational sales. This position requires strong communication, analytical, and technical writing skills.

Requirements

• MUST be currently employed by Solution Tree
• BA required; degree in education or policy preferred
• 5+ years of experience in the education field (e.g., teaching, administration, professional development and/or policy); experience at a state agency and/or in educational sales preferred
• Ability to research educational trends and needs within and across states to inform conversations or proposals with state clients
• Ability and willingness to acquire knowledge of Solution Tree and Marzano Resources products and services to support informed conversations with clients or writing proposals for state initiatives
• Ability to excel in social environments with key state-level stakeholders/clients
• Ability to prioritize and manage workload while adhering to critical project timelines and quality standards in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently, as a team, and across teams/departments to support effective implementation of State Initiative tasks
• Superior communication, collaboration, organization, and problem-solving skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong technical writing skills
• Detail-orientated, with ability to see the “big picture” and plan accordingly

Responsibilities

• Maintain deep commitment to education, educators, and students, as well as Solution Tree’s vision: Transform education worldwide to ensure learning for all
• Acquire deep knowledge and understanding of Solution Tree and Marzano Resources products and services
• Build, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with external stakeholders at state agencies and state professional organizations
• Support the research of educational trends within and across states
• Support the research of partnership opportunities (e.g,. grants and RFPs)
• Support the research of state and national legislation and policies that may impact (positively or negatively) partnerships at the state level
• Utilize tools, such as SalesLoft/SalesForce to secure new state level interest and partnerships
• Apply knowledge of educational trends, educator needs, company products and services to design plans for proposals, grants, or RFPs
• Support the drafting of technical documents (e.g., RFPs, grant proposals, client proposals, etc.)
• Present proposals to external partners, such as state agency representatives, to secure contracts
• Support the design, planning, and implementation of new state level projects collaboratively with other company teams/departments, as well as associates and external state-level partners
• Brainstorm ways to improve the design and implementation of existing state level projects collaboratively with other company teams/departments, as well as associates and external state-level partners
• Support the design and use of new project management processes for numerous complex projects, including a detailed workflow for the complex state-level work that identifies key roles and responsibilities for tasks occurring internally and externally
• Maintain (or improve) existing databases documenting status and impact of state-level projects
• Represent Solution Tree and Marzano Resources and support state agency representatives at company events (e.g., Summits, Institutes)
• Help continuous improvement efforts at the team, department, and organization level
• Participate in meetings with and support the efforts of the broader department (i.e., Business Development)
• Perform all other duties as assigned by supervisors

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in SalesLoft/SalesForce (preferred)

Benefits

• Employee Discounts
• Paid Vacation and Holidays (including generous personal time to celebrate holidays not listed on the company calendar)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401k Retirement Plan with Employer match
• Health Insurance Plans (medical, dental, vision)
• HSA and Flexible Spending Accounts (ie. childcare and many more)
• Employer-paid Short-Term Disability (STD) and Basic Life Insurance. Optional Long-Term Disability (LTD) and additional coverage for Life and AD&D
• Compliance with FMLA and state-specific leave laws for necessary time off