Head of EMEA Education Sales

About the team

OpenAI’s mission is to build safe artificial general intelligence (AGI) which benefits all of humanity. This long-term undertaking brings the world’s best scientists, engineers, and business professionals into one lab together to accomplish this.

In pursuit of this mission, our Go To Market (GTM) team is responsible for helping customers learn how to leverage and deploy our highly capable AI products across their business. The team is made of Sales, Solutions, Support, Marketing, and Partnership professionals that work together to create valuable solutions that will help bring AI to as many users as possible.

The Head of EMEA Education Sales will be responsible for building and leading OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu sales presence across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, including hiring, coaching, and developing a new team of Account Directors (ADs). You will own regional go-to-market strategy and execution—driving customer acquisition, expansion, and successful deployments with universities, higher education systems, and school districts across EMEA.

The ideal candidate will possess not only comprehensive sales experience but also a robust understanding of AI technologies. This leader will have the capability to maneuver within a complex technological environment while also appreciating the intricacies of selling a wall-to-wall application. Their responsibilities span from customer acquisition, key account management, and sales strategy, to education sales and beyond.

This leader will also need to be a proven leader who can effectively collaborate cross-functionally with product, marketing, sales engineering and customer success, while guiding and mentoring a sales team towards achieving business objectives.

This is an EMEA-based role with a preference for office location in London, Dublin, Munich, or Paris. We operate a hybrid work model (3 days in-office per week where an office is available) and offer relocation assistance to new employees in eligible locations. This role requires regular travel across EMEA and collaboration across multiple time zones.

• Understanding of
  
  Education:
  
  Higher Education systems, including variation across countries, public-sector procurement models, and ministry- or system-level decision-making. Experience navigating complex, multi-stakeholder education environments is strongly preferred. Passion for improving educational outcomes.
• Leadership and Strategy:
  The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leading a diverse team of sales professionals across various competencies. They should exhibit expertise in formulating and executing strategic sales plans with a clear understanding of metrics and results. This role requires a forward-thinking strategist capable of driving growth and customer satisfaction in a dynamic and competitive market.
• Sales Expertise:
  With extensive experience across multiple sales domains, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to design, plan, and execute multifaceted sales campaigns. A history of successful customer acquisition, key account management, and enterprise engagement strategies is a must. The candidate should be a visionary, anticipating market shifts and understanding best practices in both traditional and digital sales environments.
• Understanding of AI and Technology:
  Experience working in a technology organization or with technical products is critical. A deep understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies is preferred. The candidate must be comfortable navigating and explaining complex technical landscapes, including the potential benefits and opportunities these technologies present for businesses and consumers.
• Strong Product Sense:
  The candidate should have a natural ability to understand product complexities and customer needs. They should be able to foresee market trends, comprehend how a product will be received, and translate intricate product features into compelling messages that resonate with customers. The ideal candidate will work closely with product managers, ensuring sales strategies align with and enhance…