Job Description
DESCRIPTION:
When you join Kokua, you become part of a high-impact team solving one of the most urgent challenges in education — lost learning time due to teacher absences — with a solution that works. We are experiencing rapid growth and expanding nationally, with a clear and growing need for our services in public charter schools.
As an Account Executive, you’ll be responsible for winning new school partners and expanding into new territory.
WHAT YOU DO EACH DAY:
- Create and execute sales plans, set, and achieve sales goals, and secure new school partnerships.
- Lead the full sales conversation and negotiation, from prospecting through to the transition of new clients to the operations team.
- Develop excellent relationships with customers where you are credible and trusted.
- Drive new territory expansion in collaboration with cross-functional partners.
- Develop sales forecasts and collect, evaluate, and provide market, customer, and competitor intelligence.
- Prepare proposals and respond to RFPs.
- Travel as needed, approximately 25%
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Mission-first mindset You don’t need to be sold on why this work matters. You understand the problem Kokua solves, believe in the model, and can speak to it authentically with school leaders. Candidates with direct experience in charter schools — as an educator, operator, or partner — bring something to this role that’s hard to replicate.
Determined, relationship-first seller You know how to open doors and you’re persistent without being pushy. You do your homework, find the right entry points, and build relationships that convert on a timeline that respects how schools actually operate.
Drive and ownership You set a number and you go get it. You manage your pipeline with discipline, stay organized under pressure, and take full accountability for your territory and results.
Communication and credibility You can walk into a room with a decision maker and earn their trust quickly. You listen well, ask good questions, and know how to craft a compelling case for why Kokua is the right partner for their schools.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 5+ years of experience in education sales, including 3+ years focused on enterprise or multi-site partnerships
- Demonstrated ability to prospect independently and build a pipeline from the ground up
- Track record of hitting or exceeding goals with a high degree of self-direction
- Familiarity with the charter school landscape and K–12 decision-making structures; direct charter school experience is a strong plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability and willingness to travel approximately 25%
WHAT WE OFFER:
- Base salary: $70,000 - 90,000
- Uncapped commission with estimated OTE of $40,000 – $60,000+
- Full health, dental, and vision benefits
- PTO plus company-wide breaks (one week in the summer, two weeks in December)
- Excellent training and onboarding
- Limitless career growth in a rapidly scaling national organization
About Kokua
Teacher absences result in lost learning time for students, particularly in under-resourced schools. At Kokua, we’re building a growing network of substitute teachers dedicated to maximizing learning time with students.
Kokua began in Chicago in 2011 and has since grown across the country. We are a diverse and mission-driven culture, focused on finding positive role models who will empower their students to explore their full potential. Join a dynamic, results-driven team looking to make a lasting impact for future generations.
