First for a reason:
At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.
Transporting children to and from school is one of most vital services a company can provide. First Student, the largest student transportation company, sells contracts for home-to-school (HTS) transportation, Vans, Electric Vehicles, and transportation consulting services. The purpose of this role is to provide inside sales, market research, and prospecting support to the Business Development organization. The person filling this role will work in collaboration with the home to school Directors of Business Development (DBD’s) and be responsible for researching and vetting new leads for the DBD’s or BDM’s to pursue. Additionally, this role will assist with vetting RFP’s released through sources such as GovWin, GovSpend, Bid net, and others to determine if they should be pursued.
Major Responsibilities
- Act as first responder to leads generated on the First Student website by contacting the lead, asking questions, and providing insight about First Student to the prospect to determine if it is a valid lead or opportunity to be pursued by the appropriate sales professional.
- Provide assistance with market research on school districts, contacts, and market intelligence for key accounts that are being pursued
- Vet new RFP’s being released by contacting the districts, reviewing websites, and understanding if they are viable to pursue during bid season
- Partner with field team members in identifying opportunities and presenting to prospects. Build strong relationships with internal team members who will aid in developing leads and sales campaigns to drive pipeline growth.
- Understand and keep the team apprised of market dynamics, unmet needs and opportunities to deliver greater value to customers and shorten sales cycle. Provide input on any areas of improvement for the company’s reputation or ability to increase revenue.
- Partner with marketing on developing campaigns/materials to educate designated markets, drive new leads and peak interest in areas where First Student has no presence.
- Gathers market, prospect and customer intelligence. Stays abreast of changes in the transportation market which could open business opportunities.
Minimum Education or Certifications Required
- Bachelor’s Degree from a 4-year accredited college or University
Minimum Experience or Skills Required
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in inside sales
- Comfortable cold calling prospects
- Excellent stakeholder engagement capability, able to engage with people at all levels, challenge in the face of resistance and achieve momentum despite competing priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks, set priorities and successfully deliver on commitments.
- Expertise with sophisticated sales techniques and methodologies such as Challenger and Miller Heiman.
- Highest standards of ethical behavior consistent with the heritage of the corporation.
- Proven ability to clearly and effectively communicate in person and in writing to all levels of organization and external customers.
- Exhibits organizational collaboration, the ability to partner across organizational lines and work cooperatively within and outside one’s own organization. Supports key decisions and promotes a spirit of teamwork to demonstrate a unified commitment to the customer.
- Relevant experience in the successful management of major and complex business change programs.
- Good business acumen and financial acumen.
- Good communication skills, particularly strong listening and verbal communication skills.
- Effective at persuasion, influencing, negotiation, and closing opportunities to proceed along the sales cycle.
- Good interpersonal, teamwork and collaboration skills
Pay ranges from $80,000 - $85,000 DOE.
In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.
