Vice President of Sales, Higher Education

Job description

At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers. We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome. And that's where you come in: Join Instructure as the Vice President of Sales, Higher Education, leading our Higher Education business across North America and propelling revenue growth through new customer acquisition, account expansion, and strategic partnerships. As a key member of the Growth Leadership Team reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, you’ll drive predictable bookings performance, nurture high-performing sales leaders, and shape go-to-market strategies to reinforce Instructure’s leadership in the higher education sector. This executive role partners cross-functionally to accelerate growth, improve customer outcomes, and advance the future of education. What You Will Be Doing Revenue Growth & Business Performance • Own annual and quarterly bookings, recurring revenue, pipeline, and forecast commitments for the Higher Education business • Develop and execute go-to-market strategy for public, private, community college, and system-level institutions • Drive new customer acquisition while expanding existing strategic accounts across the Instructure portfolio • Deliver consistent forecast accuracy through disciplined pipeline inspection and operational rigor • Identify new growth opportunities, market trends, and competitive strategies to accelerate business performance Sales Leadership & Talent Development • Lead, coach, and develop Regional Vice Presidents, Directors, and front-line sales leaders • Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, coaching, and execution • Recruit and retain top enterprise sales talent and develop emerging organizational leaders • Establish clear operating rhythms, performance expectations, and leadership development plans • Foster an inclusive, customer-focused culture that empowers teams for exceptional results Customer & Market Leadership • Build executive relationships with presidents, provosts, CIOs, instructional leaders, and procurement executives • Serve as executive sponsor for strategic customers and high-impact opportunities • Represent Instructure at industry conferences, executive forums, and customer events • Partner with institutional leaders to understand market changes and inform long-term strategy Cross-Functional Partnership • Partner with Customer Experience to maximize renewals, expansion, and customer success • Collaborate with Marketing to amplify demand generation and market awareness • Work with Product, Solutions Engineering, Finance, and Revenue Operations to align strategy and execution • Contribute to pipeline reviews, forecast calls, and executive business planning Operational Excellence • Drive disciplined execution in forecasting, territory planning, pipeline management, and sales productivity • Ensure consistent adoption of sales methodology, CRM, and best operational practices • Use data and analytics to improve performance, resource allocation, and organizational effectiveness • Continuously evaluate and refine processes and organizational structure for scalable growth What You Will Need to Know/Have • 12+ years of enterprise SaaS sales experience with progressive leadership responsibility • Proven success leading large enterprise sales organizations through second-line leaders • Experience selling complex software solutions into Higher Education institutions • Demonstrated ability to achieve and exceed revenue and growth targets • Strong executive presence and experience engaging C-suite leaders and executive buyers • Expertise in enterprise forecasting, pipeline management, and operational excellence • Skilled in coaching, talent development, and organizational leadership • Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred • Willingness to travel as needed to support customers, teams, and industry events What Sets You Apart • Strategic leader balancing vision with operational execution • Customer-first mindset with a passion for educational outcomes • Data-driven decision maker who thrives in high-growth environments • Collaborative executive with strong cross-functional partnerships • Inspirational leader who develops high-performing teams • Experienced in navigating long enterprise sales cycles and executive negotiations • Passionate about education technology and institutional transformation Get in on all the awesome at Instructure! We offer competitive, meaningful benefits in every country where we operate. While they vary by location, here's a general idea of what you can expect: - Competitive compensation, plus all full-time employees participate in our ownership program - because everyone should have a stake in our success. - Flexible work culture. Our remote, hybrid and in-office collaboration spaces vary by role, team and location. - Generous time off, including local holidays and our annual “Dim the Lights” period in late December, when teams are encouraged to step back and recharge based on departmental needs. - Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support - Learning and development resources, including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement, to support your growth - The technology and tools you need to do your best work - Motivosity employee recognition program - A culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection We believe in hiring great people and treating them right. The more diverse we are, the better our ideas and outcomes. Instructure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws in every country where we operate. All employees must pass a background check as part of the hiring process. To help protect our teams and systems, we’ve implemented identity verification measures. Candidates may be asked to verify their legal name, current physical location, and provide a valid contact number and residential address, in accordance with local data privacy laws. Any attempt to misrepresent personal or professional information will result in disqualification.