Director, Mission Business Development (Remote)

About SANS

SANS Institute (SANS) launched in 1989 as a cooperative for information security thought leadership, it is SANS' ongoing mission to empower cyber security professionals with the practical skills and knowledge they need to make our world a safer place. We fuel this effort with high quality training, certifications, scholarship academies, degree programs, cyber ranges, and resources to meet the needs of every cyber professional. Our data, research, and the top minds in cybersecurity collectively ensure that individuals and organizations have the actionable education and support they need.

Join the SANS Team

At SANS, our culture is defined by Mission, Brand, People. Our goal is to hire people who understand the importance of continuing to fight against the cyber security threats (Mission) while delivering the highest quality training (Brand) to our students. We want employees whose personal values align well with our culture of fairness, honesty, customer focus, and pragmatic approach (People).

Summary of Position

We are seeking a Director, Business Development to join our team within the Mission & Partnerships business unit. The primary goal of this position is to identify, qualify, and close new business and build long-term relationships with organizations focused on growing the cybersecurity skills pipeline and closing the talent gap (the "Mission"). This individual will work with non-profit organizations, state & local governments, corporations, and philanthropic foundations to secure funding and revenue for cyber reskilling and upskilling academies as well as other mission-focused programs.

These programs often have a focus on growing the cyber workforce. This individual will work with private sector companies and both federal and state/local government to fund these programs. The Director may work individually or in coordination with SANS Sales teams on securing funding for these efforts. We are looking for an individual with experience in identifying opportunities, pitching sponsorships and proposals, and generating revenue to grow a business.

The ideal candidate has integrity, tenacity, humility, and desires to pursue excellence. The right individual would also be a self-starter who is adaptable, has excellent communication skills, can be relied on, is detailed oriented, and can work well individually or as part of a team. This is a remote position, so the right individual would need to be comfortable working in a home office setting. The position will require future travel to support business meetings, conferences, and large customer opportunities, with an estimate of 25%.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and identify funders and prospective sponsors to engage. Focus on organizations with a mission to grow the cyber workforce and support underrepresented communities.

• Conduct outreach, calls, and meetings with partners, customers, and prospects. Manage and build new relationships and raise awareness of SANS Mission and programs such as Academies.

• Build business development plan to engage assigned prospects, identify new ones, and achieve revenue generation goals.

• Ability to differentiate SANS offerings against those of competition to SANS' advantage.

• Close business development opportunities to achieve 100%+ revenue target attainment.

• Collaborate with SANS Sales to grow sponsorships and secure revenue for mission programs.

• Work with Marketing teams to build collateral to promote Mission Programs. Effectively collaborate on campaigns to deliver revenue targets.

• Write proposals to funders in the public, philanthropic, and private sectors.

• Conduct presentations to pitch potential sponsors and brief key stakeholders.

• Follow and understand the latest trends and developments in cybersecurity, especially regarding talent development.

• Identify and pursue opportunities for relationship development with funders and sponsors.

• Participate in meetings to learn about organizations' pain points in cybersecurity hiring and talent development.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5-7 years' experience in strategic business development, sponsorship/fundraising, and identifying and winning business.

• Four-year college degree from an accredited institution

• Must have successful experience with revenue generation for partnerships or workforce development programs.

• Experience working with government organizations, non-profits, and in pursuing funding from the private sector and Government.

• Track record of 100%+ revenue target achievement

• Proficiency in presenting solutions and understanding of how solutions fit to solve large organizational or workforce challenges

• Self-motivated, tenacious, and resilient in delivering business and projected results

• Ability to network and communicate at all levels, both internally and externally

• Passion for SANS mission to close the cybersecurity skills shortage

• Ability to troubleshoot and problem-solve independently, quickly, and effectively.

• Skilled with business tools such as Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Slack, and Smartsheet.

• Experience working in remote environment required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in IT/cybersecurity industry, with a focus on training, workforce development, or education

• Global experience a plus

Reporting Relationships

• This position reports to the Director of Mission Programs & Partnerships and has no direct reports.

Work Environment

• Remote work environment with partner organizations and events spread across all North America time zones. Travel required up to 25% of the time.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SANS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact SANS Human Resources.

California residents for SANS privacy notice for California job applicants

The base salary range for this position is between $80,000 and $100,000. Base salary ranges may vary by geographic location and relevant experience, education, certifications, and years of experience. There is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis.

In addition, SANS provides the following benefits:

Medical

Dental

Vision

Short-Term Disability

401(k) with company match

Employee Assistance Program

Supplemental Life Insurance and AD&D

Paid Time Off

Company Paid Holidays

Volunteer Paid Time Off

Department

Missions

Employment Type

US Employee | Full-Time

Minimum Experience

Manager/Supervisor

Compensation

$80,000 - $100,000