About hand2mind:
We bring learning to life! Trusted by teachers for more than 55+ years, hand2mind creates engaging, classroom-tested materials that empower children to learn by doing. We are a 150-person strong, family-owned company that’s been voted one of the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years. In addition to building high-quality, hands-on learning materials for the classroom like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we also develop educational toys for the home that make learning math, reading, social-emotional learning, and STEM fun and interactive. As a company, we are committed to our employee’s personal and professional development. That’s why we offer a competitive benefits package, a supportive culture, and a variety of training and development opportunities. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you’ll come join our award-winning team today!
Team & Position Description:
We are currently seeking a Director of Educational Policy to join our Sales team! This role is designed for a nationally recognized education leader with deep expertise in curriculum, instruction and policy—someone who can elevate hand2mind’s visibility and impact across state and national education networks. You’ll work closely with district leaders, policymakers, and internal teams to ensure our hands-on solutions are aligned with emerging policy priorities and funding opportunities. The ideal candidate will combine policy expertise with strategic selling skills to drive revenue growth through policy-aligned opportunities.
What you’ll do day to day:
- Serve as hand2mind’s policy leader, building relationships with state education leaders and national organizations.
- Track and interpret key state and federal education policies, identifying opportunities for alignment and growth.
- Support strategic sales presentations with policy expertise and thought leadership.
- Represent hand2mind at events, delivering keynote-style presentations and engaging with decision-makers.
- Collaborate with marketing and product teams to ensure our messaging and offerings reflect current policy trends.
- Guide state education department leaders who are charged with developing the implementation plan for all policy-driven for instructional changes aligned to evidence-based practice (e.g., hands-on manipulatives, reduced screen time, implementation supports).
What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):
- Identify and interpret all major policy shifts annually that create strategic sales opportunities for hand2mind.
- Support 30+ strategic sales engagements per year with policy-aligned messaging that contributes to deal advancement or closure.
- Achieve impact through weekly direct engagement with state and district leaders and policy-driven solution selling.
- Deliver quarterly policy briefings to internal teams that inform sales, marketing, and product development.
- Contribute to product and campaign initiatives annually that reflect emerging policy priorities and drive measurable engagement.
Requirements/Ideal Attributes:
- A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree in education, Public Policy, or a related field is preferred.
- Leadership experience in a national education organization (e.g., NCTM) or equivalent.
- Demonstrated experience working closely with legislators, governors’ education advisors, state education agencies, and educational associations.
- An in-depth understanding of the legislative and policy development processes within state education authorities.
- Strong communication competencies to effectively convey tailored messages to diverse stakeholders.
- Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
- Strong collaboration and teamwork skills.
- Willingness to travel as needed for engagements and events.
We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.
Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.
Compensation Range: $120,000 – $130,000 annual salary – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).
