Advanced Specialist

Description:

This position is being created to help expand the GED-I program to new countries or areas, and to help manage relationships with GED Authorized Partners (GAPs) and key government and university stakeholders in some existing markets. The primary areas of geographic focus are Asia and the Middle East, with some potential work in northern Africa. This role will also collaborate and coordinate with Pearson products and services including Pearson Vocational Qualifications and Pearson Test of English.
 

Key Responsibilities:

The role will work very closely with the GED-I Business Development Manager, Program Manager, and Marketing lead to develop and execute business strategy to achieve annual business key performance indicators and revenue targets. We have a mix of more mature countries/markets, some new countries and target countries/areas that we are seeking to enter and grow in. The GED-I team works very closely together and coordinates closely. This role will be a core contributor to this team and will have a direct impact on its success.

The ideal candidate will be someone who cares about the impact that education can have on the lives of learners and their families, and then be able to quickly learn about and communicate the value of the GED-I program in that landscape. This role will communicate with potential GAPs, existing GAPs, universities, local government representatives, and when ready, potentially with Ministry of Education and higher education government representatives. They will also help craft content and collect stories about GED learners and graduates to share with marketing, to increase the visibility and reputation of the program.

Because of this, we are looking for someone with familiarity with the international education market, and who has great communication and presentation skills. The person in this role will also value the importance of customers service and continually building relationships. This person will often be the key touchpoint between the organization and GED Testing Service.

As part of Pearson we also collaborate with other units such as Pearson VUE, on whose testing network the GED tests are delivered, and other units/product such as Pearson Test of English and Credly credentialing solution and BTEC, which are part of our Pearson Workforce Skills division.
 

Additional R esponsibilities:

• Develop an annual business development plan alongside the GED-I team, with quarterly key performance indicators to track progress toward goals.
• Monitor weekly progress dashboards.
• Prospect for, reach out to, and with assistance of the B.D. Manager to recruit new GAPs.
• Research and understand applicable education and university policies in GED-I countries.
• Assist in occasionally preparing strategy and communications and/or documents for use with MOEs and government representatives.
• Provide input to the team about areas for process or operational improvement, as the program continues to grow and mature.
• Regularly track business development activities alongside key Pearson units where cross-selling and coordinating deals are beneficial.


 

International Travel is Required for this role.
 

Qualifications

• 5 years relevant work experience in the education sector – preferably in business development, program management or strategic partnerships
• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in marketing, communications or business, as the position works regularly with university leaders.
• Knowledgeable about international education (e.g. higher-secondary and/or university systems)
• Excellent English-language verbal communication skills– can communicate effectively and fluently in one-on-one meetings or when presenting to small groups
• Excellent written communication skills – can produce copy ranging from a PowerPoint presentation to informal emails to one-pagers
• Excellent analytical skills – able to create, read, analyze, and act upon data and dashboards.
• Experience troubleshooting problems, finding and implementing solutions.
• Excellent project planning and organization skills - can manage multiple relationships, projects and deadlines effectively.
• Strong customer service experience and focus.
• Have a solid work ethic. Must have drive and passion for his/her work, have persistence, can work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be proficient in working with Microsoft product suite, specifically: Word, Excel and PowerPoint.