The Sales Manager at the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College will be the primary owner of revenue growth for our organization. They will have a deep connection and commitment to expanding our entrepreneurial community bringing new members and clients into our space in service of our mission. They will be responsible for supporting our long-term financial sustainability by building annual recurring revenue and sponsorships to ensure we can continue to offer our resources to our community for free or highly subsidized. 

Top candidates believe they are innovators and experimenters. They embody an entrepreneurial spirit and growth mindset, enjoying the process of testing, learning and iterating to recruit and expand the Hurt Hub@Davidson community. They embrace and live the Davidson Honor Code acting with integrity, transparency, and ethics. They will not be afraid to take risks and move quickly, while also having an unwavering focus on diversity, inclusion, equity, and developing a sense of belonging for all who enter the Hurt Hub. They must also be excellent communicators, have had great success in cultivating relationships with clients, and can manage a sales cycle with an acute attention to detail. Most importantly, top candidates will be fully committed to collaborating with the Hurt Hub Leadership team and working with innovators of all ages and stages in our community as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

This role directly reports to the W. Spencer Mitchem Director of the Hurt Hub@Davidson.

Responsibilities:

Co-working Membership & Events:

• Proactively identify and source new leads in collaboration with our marketing manager and Hurt Hub Leadership Team.

• Perform exceptional prospective new member tours and meetings by employing a consultative sales approach to understand and empathize with their needs, informing them of membership options and conveying the unique value proposition of the Hurt Hub community. Build a dependable, consistent, and transparent pipeline of new revenue across memberships, events, and sponsorships.

• Handle inquiries, negotiate contracts, and close event space sales with clients. Once the contract is agreed upon, coordinate the handoff between the client and Operations team to handle all logistics, collaboration with external vendors (e.g. catering), and day-of needs.

• Diligently track all sales activities monthly, quarterly, and annually, maintaining precise CRM records and providing accurate pipeline forecasting to facilitate informed decision-making. Keep an updated record of all co-working space members, including contact information, membership status, and relevant notes. Share information with others on the Hurt Hub leadership team as appropriate to identify potential mentors, speakers, Gig-Hub clients, or other ways that members can get involved that add value for them and in service of our mission.

• Guide new members through the registration process through our self-service portal and ensure a smooth handoff to our Operations team.

• Develop strategies to retain current members and events clients by providing excellent customer service and ensuring an exceptional daily experience in partnership with the Community Experience team. Gather feedback from members upon their exit and clients after events to assess satisfaction and improve services.

• Partner with Operations to develop a standard outreach process ahead of contract renewals and identify opportunities to cross-sell / upsell. Monitor and control expenses related to membership and event sales working closely with the Operations Manager to develop annual budgets and quarterly reviews.

Corporate Sponsorships:

• Identify potential corporate sponsors that align with the vision, values, and mission of the Hurt Hub. Develop an annual calendar and process for applying to appropriate sponsorships.

• Prepare compelling sponsorship proposals, including clear objectives, budgets, and expected outcomes in collaboration with the Hurt Hub’s Director. 

• Cultivate relationships with corporate representatives to establish strategic funding partnerships and opportunities in collaboration with the cross-campus corporate sponsorship team.

• Implement acknowledgment and recognition programs for sponsors, including branding opportunities and event participation (e.g. as a judge for a pitch competition), in collaboration with the Marketing manager and others on the Hurt Hub Leadership team. 

• In collaboration with the Operations Manager, oversee the allocation and use of funds from sponsorships, ensuring they are achieving ROI goals for the sponsor and for the Hurt Hub. Measure and communicate the impact of sponsorships on the Hurt Hub’s mission and community to establish stories that support our outward communications including our Annual Report.

Sales Reporting and Analytics:

• Establish and maintain a digital sales funnel tool to inform conversion rates at each step of the funnel and to accurately guide financial forecasts for the Operations Manager. Collaborate with the Hurt Hub leadership team on the roll out of a new CRM software in FY24 to track interactions with members and event clients, ensuring we follow best practices in the implementation of the platform and subsequent operations.

• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to membership and event sales, such as conversion rates, occupancy & product utilization rates, and revenue growth. 

Marketing and Promotion: 

• Collaborate with the marketing team to create promotional materials and campaigns that attract members, event clients, and sponsors with an eye towards experimentation and multivariate testing. 

• Partner with the Marketing team to maintain the Hurt Hub’s co-working and events online presence, including the website, self-service portal, and social media profiles.

• Become a domain expert on industry trends and competitors to proactively adjust pricing and offerings which position the Hurt Hub as a market leader.

Team Collaboration:

Work closely with everyone on the Hurt Hub leadership team to ensure we are progressing against our Objectives and Key Results in service of our mission, vision, and values.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Must enjoy and get energy from engaging with others and developing new relationships

• Must have a positive and can-do attitude, always willing to experiment and try new things aligning to the cultural spirit of the Hurt Hub

• A minimum of 5 years of proven B2B sales experience, with a track record of success

• Experience working in a fast-paced startup, or similar, environment

• Self-starter with tenacity, comfortable working independently and multitasking to meet deadlines

• Proficient in consultative sales and CRM software platforms; has had exposure to methodologies such as the Challenger Sale

• Possess the strategic skills of a business development officer with the tenacity of a sales account executive showcasing problem-solving abilities and a genuine commitment to solving client issues, naturally leading to offered services

Working at Davidson College

Located in Davidson, North Carolina, and established in 1837, Davidson College is one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges. Davidson takes pride in creating a deep sense of community, which starts with talented, diverse, and thoughtful employees that make Davidson into a second home for our students. 

Whether you love living in a big city, a small town, or something in between, our surrounding cities and towns have something that is just right for everyone. Nature lovers, rejoice! North Carolina is rich in varying landscapes, including Lake Norman, which houses our very own Lake Campus.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Davidson

At Davidson College, we believe the college grows stronger by recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff committed to building an inclusive community.

In order to achieve and sustain educational excellence, we seek to hire talented faculty and staff across the intersections of diverse races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, political perspectives, abilities, cultures, and national origins.

Information about how to submit an application can be found at https://employment.davidson.edu