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Role Description

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to make learning limitless – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world-class higher education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading online learning platform, 2U powers thousands of higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with our college, university, and corporate partners, we are helping accelerate careers and transform lives.

We are looking for a senior Business Development individual contributor who will own the full sales cycle from first conversation to signed contract. This is not a support role. You will be the primary relationship holder with Presidents, Provosts, and Deans, acting as a strategic thought partner who helps them connect 2U's capabilities to their most pressing institutional priorities.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

• Own the Full Sales Lifecycle
• Drive new university partnerships from prospecting and discovery through negotiation and close.
• Develop and execute a territory strategy targeting high-value institutional prospects.
• Lead complex contract negotiations involving multi-year, multi-stakeholder agreements and nuanced financial structures (e.g., revenue share, fee-for-service).
• Maintain disciplined pipeline management and accurate forecasting within Salesforce.
• Act as the internal "general manager" for each deal, coordinating across Product, Finance, Legal, Marketing, and Learning Design to assemble the right solution and move it through internal approvals.
• Proactively surface and resolve roadblocks, competing priorities, and process gaps. Influence without authority to keep deals on track.
• Serve as the voice of the partner internally, ensuring proposals reflect both market reality and institutional need.
• Build & Accelerate Pipeline Through Technology
• Leverage modern sales technology and intelligence tools (e.g., Salesforce, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, Outreach, AI-enabled research tools) to identify prospects, map decision-making structures, and scale outreach.
• Use data to prioritize targets, personalize engagement, and continuously improve conversion at every stage of the funnel.
• Serve as a Strategic Thought Partner to University Leaders
• Engage directly with Presidents, Provosts, Deans, and other senior academic leaders to deeply understand their strategic vision, enrollment challenges, and digital transformation goals.
• Translate institutional priorities into tailored partnership concepts that align 2U's portfolio—degree programs, executive education, and professional certificates—with the university's strengths and market opportunities.
• Bring market intelligence, competitive insight, and a point of view to every conversation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of enterprise sales or strategic business development experience with a consistent track record of meeting or exceeding revenue targets in a complex, consultative selling environment.
• Proven C-suite selling experience.
• Experience managing long, complex sales cycles (6–18+ months) with multiple stakeholders, competing interests, and sophisticated deal structures.
• Sales technology fluency.
• Cross-functional leadership skills.
• Bachelor's degree.

Requirements

• Experience selling into higher education, academic medicine, or other complex institutional environments.
• Familiarity with the economics of online program management, revenue share models, or education partnerships.
• MBA or relevant advanced degree.
• Executive Presence.
• Strategic Problem Solver.
• Intellectually Curious.
• Modern Seller.
• Resilient and Self-Directed.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance, disability, and 401(k) employer match.
• Free snacks and drinks in-office.
• Generous paid holidays and leave policies, including unlimited PTO.
• Additional time off benefits include: volunteer days, parental leave, and a company-wide winter break.
• The anticipated base salary range for this role is ($170,000-$180,000), with potential bonus eligibility.