K-12 Sales Executive

Mindjoy exists to create a world where young people have empowering experiences to build skills essential for the future. We believe all young people deserve meaningful opportunities to thrive in harmony with technology. The rate of change in an AI-driven world is fast, and we're looking to find pirates to help us navigate the changing seas and make something wonderful in the world. If this sounds like your kind of fun, keep reading.

We're backed by P1 Ventures, One Day Yes, FireId and formidable operators like Amjad Masad, Alex Maccaw and Chase Adams.

About the role

As our K-12 Partnerships manager, you will own new revenue from K-12 organisations, turning early traction into a repeatable GTM motion. You will run full-cycle partnerships across prospecting, discovery, solution design, pilot structuring, success and expansion of accounts. Success in K-12 demands understanding the unique rhythm of school calendars, budget cycles, and the complex web of stakeholders from classroom teachers to heads of department to school leaders.

We're looking for someone who can thrive with diverse stakeholder ecosystems: engaging classroom champions, IT leaders, and school leadership. Your success will be measured by revenue growth with 3x pipeline coverage, building accurate forecasts, and your ability to expand from pilot classrooms to school-wide adoption within 90-120 days.

Beyond sales execution, you'll think strategically about market positioning and work closely with our Product team to ensure Mindjoy becomes the solution partner of choice for K-12 institutions. You'll bring creative energy to brainstorming, planning, and executing targeted campaigns and customer success plans that drive both adoption and advocacy in the education community.

You'll be a good fit if

You're a Charismatic Connector - You thrive at education events, can approach teachers and school leaders naturally, and hold engaging conversations that build genuine relationships. You're comfortable and confident representing Mindjoy in-person at conferences, school visits, and professional learning sessions.

You're a Demo + Champion Builder - You're skilled at running compelling Mindjoy demos in school environments and have a knack for identifying and securing 5-6 teacher or staff champions within each school who will advocate for our platform. You have the presence to handle both high-stakes sales presentations with education leaders and hands-on educator training sessions.

You're a Hungry + Organized Closer - You have relentless drive to grind, follow through, and push deals across the finish line. You're outcome-oriented, focused not just on meetings but on signed agreements and successful implementations. You want to win, have the discipline to manage multiple opportunities in parallel, and are motivated by being part of a competitive culture that helps schools succeed.

You're Mission-Driven - You genuinely care about learning and helping teachers and students thrive. You can obsess over our product and how we integrate to make teaching and learning amazing for educators and students in the age of AI. You're aligned with Mindjoy's purpose and excited about building a world-class partnerships organization from the ground up.

Annual salary range: R400,000 - R650,000, OTE (on target earning) R600k–R850k annually

Should I apply?

Yes, especially if you care about unlocking better learning with technology, bringing clarity to chaos, love experimenting with cutting-edge tools alongside a no-ego team, and get energised by building relationships that drive revenue and impact. If you're eager to deliver results, expand accounts systematically, and keep morale high while doing it, we want to hear from you - even if you don't tick every single box.

Here are some good reasons:

Competitive Commission Structures
You care deeply about learning and impact for K-12 students
You want to work with cutting-edge AI technologies and a team pushing the limits
All founding team members receive ESOP
Be part of the founding team and shape culture and trajectory of the partnerships function
You want to build a global K-12 partnerships engine

What You'll Do

Strategize on growth, partnerships, and market positioning. Put your ideas into action to achieve revenue growth and build Mindjoy's presence in K-12 markets (in South Africa and Internationally).
Network with prospects, partners, and decision-makers across schools, from classroom teachers to heads of department to school leadership teams.
Master the Mindjoy platform to deliver compelling sales demos, answer technical questions, and articulate our AI-powered learning vision.
Develop and qualify leads through targeted outbound, referrals, and inbound channels to build a robust pipeline of K-12 opportunities.
Conduct webinars, meetings, product demos and presentations with school administrators, curriculum leaders, and key decision-makers.
Represent Mindjoy at education conferences, industry events, professional learning sessions, and customer showcases.
Negotiate pilot terms, handle objections, and close deals while structuring agreements that enable successful expansion.
Build and manage relationships with new and existing school accounts, ensuring high satisfaction and driving advocacy.
Collaborate closely with the product team to ensure Mindjoy becomes the solution partner of choice, feeding market insights back into product development.
Design and execute creative campaigns and customer success plans that drive both adoption and referrals within the education community.
Obtain referrals and build a pipeline designed for sustainable growth from pilot classrooms to school-wide implementations.

Required skills and expertise

Deep understanding of K-12 environments - you know how schools work, from classroom dynamics to administrative decision-making processes
Track record of building relationships and closing deals with K-12 schools, ranging from pilot programs to school-wide implementations
Natural optimism and resilience - you see opportunities where others see obstacles and bounce back quickly from setbacks
Skilled relationship builder who can map teacher champions, department heads, and school leadership to drive consensus
Comfortable presenting and demonstrating educational technology to diverse audiences, from individual teachers to school leadership teams
Data-driven approach - comfortable building forecasts, tracking pipeline metrics, and measuring success through clear KPIs
Self-starter mentality with the ability to work independently while thriving in a startup environment
Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal, with ability to adapt your message to different stakeholders
Comfortable with modern sales tools (CRM/HubSpot, basic automations) and willing to learn new technologies

Bonus points

Built a partnerships or sales function from the ground up in K-12
Deep network across K-12 districts, schools, and educational ecosystem players
Fluent in Winning by Design / SPICED or similar consultative frameworks
Confident facilitator of teacher workshops, admin demos, and board presentations
Thrives in sub-15-person startups and loves wearing multiple hats
Passion for AI-powered learning and/or background in K-12 education, curriculum design, or classroom teaching