Sales Manager - SLED

Vari, originally known as VariDesk®, started the standing desk revolution. Now in its 13th year, Vari’s mission is to create workspaces that elevate people. With millions of fans and a complete line of over 400 office furniture products in the market today, Vari is continuing to simplify and disrupt the office furniture industry by pioneering a direct B2C and B2B business model, reimagining how workspaces are defined, designed, and delivered.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Sales Manager to lead and develop our State, Local, & Education (SLED) sales team. This team is responsible for driving revenue growth across State Government, Local Government, K-12 Education, Higher Education, and Non-Profit Organizations nationwide. The ideal candidate is an experienced sales leader with a proven track record of developing successful sales professionals while possessing knowledge of the SLED and/or nonprofit marketplace, including procurement processes, cooperative and contract purchasing, RFP/RFQ management, funding cycles, and target audience messaging.

The SLED Manager will be responsible for driving sales performance, developing and executing sales strategies, mentoring and coaching the sales team, and partnering cross-functionally to execute initiatives that accelerate growth within the public sector.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership

• Lead and coach a team of 6-8 sales professionals across various roles and tenure
• Foster a positive and collaborative team environment.
• Conduct regular one-on-one coaching focused on pipeline strategy, opportunity management, sales skills and career development.
• Lead by example through customer engagement, strategic account planning, and high-level sales and/or deal strategy/support.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop top sales talent.

Strategy Development

• Partner with the Sr. Director of Sales to develop sales strategies that drive revenue growth across State Government, Local Government, Higher Education, K-12, and Non-Profit Markets.
• Coach and support the team through complex sales cycles involving multiple stakeholders, procurement requirements, and competitive bid opportunities.
• Guide book of business organization, account prioritization, and pipeline development to maximize growth.
• Analyze sales performance, market trends, and customer insights to refine sales strategies and improve results.

SLED & Nonprofit Market Expertise

• Serve as the team’s subject matter expert on SLED and nonprofit purchasing.

Coach sales representatives on:

• Government procurement processes
• Cooperative purchasing contracts and compliant purchasing vehicles
• RFP, RFQ, and bid opportunities
• Budget cycles and fiscal year planning
• Public funding sources and grants
• Stakeholder mapping and consensus-driven sales

Maintain a strong understanding of market trends, legislative changes, and purchasing behaviors impacting public sector customers.

Performance & Pipeline Management

• Monitor individual and team performance through regular business reviews and KPI tracking
• Provide timely coaching, feedback, and development plans to improve performance.
• Develop and present monthly business reviews highlighting business performance, opportunities, and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee team pipeline management and ensure consistent opportunity progression, healthy pipeline coverage and data accuracy.
• Prepare and submit accurate monthly forecast for business unit.

Strategic Partnerships

• Maintain relationships with our external partners across several strategic cooperatives and contracts.
• Coordinate monthly or quarterly touch base meetings to maximize relationships and spend potential. Identify areas of additional opportunity.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Minimum 2+ years of successful B2B sales leadership experience. Inside & outside sales experience preferred.
• Direct experience selling to State/Local Government, Education and/or Nonprofit organizations is required.
• Strong understanding of public sector procurement, cooperative purchasing contracts, budget cycles, and competitive bidding processes.
• Demonstrated success leading quota-carrying sales teams in a consultative sales environment.
• Proven track record of coaching sales professionals to achieve and exceed revenue goals.
• Advanced selling & negotiation skills.
• Salesforce or CRM tool experience required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with Marketing and Sales Operations.
• Results oriented, self-motivated, and passionate about developing people and building winning teams.

Why Vari:

• Short-term and long-term incentive plan
• 401k and profit-sharing plan
• On-site gym, spa-like locker room
• Enhanced paternity, maternity, and adoption programs
• Personal and volunteer time off
• Team building events on and off-site
• Mentoring and career development
• Education reimbursement
• Wellness program and insurance premium discounts
• At-home work set-up