Region: Washington, DC; Maryland; Virginia
Team: Business Development
Time Commitment: Part-Time | 25–30 hours per week
Work Style: Remote with significant field-based work; routine evenings and some weekends required
Role Overview
The Sales & Business Development Client Partner is responsible for growing Little Ruth Children’s Collection partnerships across elementary schools, libraries, and organized education programs across Washington, DC, Maryland (entire state), and Virginia (entire state).
This role is designed for a mid-career education sales professional who understands school and program buying environments and is energized by being out in schools and programs building trusted, repeat relationships. The focus of the role is on longer-term partnerships and repeat engagements, not one-off visits.
You will represent Little Ruth’s portfolio and guide schools and programs toward offerings that best fit their students, schedules, and budgets. This position focuses exclusively on school- and program-based partners.
Who You Work With
You will work with organizations that serve students in grades K–3, including:
- Public elementary schools
- Charter, independent, and parochial schools
- Libraries
- Afterschool programs
- Summer camps
- Nonprofit education programs
You will regularly engage with teachers, librarians, principals, program directors, district staff, and parent organizations, with an understanding that funding sources and decision-making processes vary by context.
What You Sell
You will sell Little Ruth offerings designed for schools and education programs, including:
- Author visits and Story Labs (core offerings delivered as integrated literacy programming)
- Activity kits for classroom, grade-level, or school-wide use
- Early readers, often bundled with companion print materials and activity kits
- Multi-site or repeat engagements across schools, districts, or education programs
- Picture books, typically purchased selectively depending on school type, budget, and instructional goals
- Curriculum and teaching guides, provided as supporting materials and typically included as part of broader engagements
Key Responsibilities
Prospecting & Pipeline Development
- Conduct consistent outreach through calls, emails, in-person visits, and events
- Build and maintain a strong pipeline of schools, libraries, and education programs
- Secure meetings with principals, assistant principals, librarians, curriculum leaders, program directors, district staff, and PTA leaders
- Represent Little Ruth with confidence, warmth, and clear product knowledge
Sales Execution & Relationship Management
- Present Little Ruth offerings clearly and thoughtfully to schools and programs
- Tailor solutions to each partner’s instructional goals, student population, schedule, and funding environment
- Manage relationships across public, private, parochial, and charter settings
- Convert initial engagements into paid Story Lab packages and Activity Kit implementations
- Close new business and expand partnerships through repeat visits, additional grades, or multi-site engagements
Collaboration & Reporting
- Participate in weekly or bi-weekly real-time working sessions with leadership
- Provide clear updates on outreach activity, scheduled meetings, pipeline status, and closed business
- Collaborate to refine messaging, pitches, and partnership approaches as the work evolves
Events & Community Engagement
- Attend evening PTA meetings, literacy nights, and school community events
- Represent Little Ruth at local and national education conferences and tradeshows
- Support school-based programming, pilot launches, and author visits as needed
Experience & Qualifications
- At least 5 years of experience in K–3 or elementary education sales, partnerships, or business development
- Proven experience selling books, curriculum, instructional materials, educational programs, or services
- A strong existing network across DC, Maryland, and Virginia school systems
- Experience working in startup or early-stage growth environments
- Comfortable engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including:
- Teachers
- Principals and assistant principals
- Librarians
- Curriculum directors
- Superintendents and district staff
- PTA leaders
- Front office staff
- Confident with consistent outreach, follow-up, and in-person school visits
- Strong communication skills, excellent follow-through, and attention to detail
- Highly organized, self-directed, and motivated by goals and outcomes
- Comfortable working remotely while managing an active, field-based schedule
This role is intended for an experienced, mid-career professional and is not entry-level.
Time & Travel Expectations
- Part-time commitment of 25–30 hours per week
- Approximately 50% local travel across DC, Maryland, and Virginia
- 20% travel related to tradeshows and conferences
- 20% occasional overnight travel outside the region
- 10% administrative and planning time
- Reliable transportation required
Salary & Compensation
Base Pay
$3,200–$3,500 per month, depending on experience
(approximately $38,400–$42,000 annually at the base level)
Base pay supports time spent prospecting, traveling locally, preparing for meetings, conducting outreach, relationship-building, follow-up, and administrative work associated with sales activity.
Commission
In addition to base pay, this role includes performance-based commission earned on completed sales of Little Ruth offerings, including author visits and Story Labs, activity kits, early readers, picture books, and repeat or multi-site engagements.
The Client Partner is expected to be consistently active and maintain a healthy pipeline, earning approximately $900–$1,200 in monthly commission, based on a mix of school and education program partnerships. Consistent performance in this role typically includes generating approximately $6,000–$8,000 in monthly sales across school, library, and education program partnerships, including Story Labs, author visits, and related offerings.
Commission is earned on completed sales transactions and is an expected, integral component of total compensation for this role.
Who You Are
You are warm, confident, persuasive, and mission-driven. You know how to talk to educators, understand school and program environments, and create opportunities where others see barriers. You are energized by being in schools and programs, comfortable working independently, and motivated to build meaningful partnerships in a growing organization.
You think strategically, execute consistently, and are excited to help Little Ruth grow, and you’re ready to grow with us.
How to Apply
To apply, please email info@littleruth.com with the Sales & Business Development Client Partner in the subject line.
Your email should include:
- A brief cover letter introducing yourself and your interest in the role
- Your resume
All submissions are reviewed by Dee and members of the Partnership and Business Development teams. We appreciate the time and care you put into your application, and we take time to review each submission. We will be in touch if there is a strong alignment.