Job Title: Business Development Manager
Location: Remote (U.S.-based)
Reports To: Chief Revenue Officer
Employment Type: Full-Time
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Compensation:
$65,000 + Commission
Who We Are
LanguageBird® is an accredited online language school providing personalized language learning experiences to learners around the world. Through one-to-one instruction and partnerships with schools and organizations, we help learners build language skills through meaningful human connection, flexibility, and learning experiences designed around their goals.
As LanguageBird continues to grow, we’re expanding our reach and building partnerships that help more schools and learners experience what LanguageBird has to offer.
Our company core values are Growth Mindset, Relationships, Ownership & Outcomes, Work with Intention & Momentum, Team Energy & Positivity, and Human Connection. They guide how we work, make decisions, and show up for our learners, partners, and one another. We look for team members who embrace these values and bring them to life in their work each day.
About the Role
LanguageBird is seeking a Business Development Manager to develop and grow referral and outbound channels that connect prospective learners and parents/guardians with LanguageBird's personalized language learning programs.
This role is responsible for leading our Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) recognition program and affiliate partner program, building meaningful relationships with advisors and organizations that influence enrollment decisions, and developing outbound opportunities that generate new learner interest and enrollments.
Working closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and cross-functional teams, the Business Development Manager will help expand LanguageBird's reach through strategic partnerships, relationship development, and new market opportunities. This position offers significant ownership of referral programs and the opportunity to shape how these channels grow over time.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and develop LanguageBird's IEC recognition and affiliate partner programs, including program structure, partner engagement, and ongoing improvements
- Build and maintain strong relationships with IECs, affiliate organizations, and other referral partners through proactive outreach and consistent communication
- Identify and develop new referral partnerships and affiliate opportunities that align with LanguageBird's target audiences and growth objectives
- Represent LanguageBird at industry conferences, events, and regional meetings to strengthen relationships and expand referral opportunities
- Develop and execute personalized outbound outreach strategies targeting prospective learners, previous inquiries, and new audience segments
- Research and identify new markets, lead sources, and partnership opportunities that support referral and outbound channel growth
- Manage partner recognition activities, engagement tracking, and referral program reporting
- Maintain accurate partner, prospect, and pipeline information in HubSpot, including relationship history, activity, and next steps
- Monitor referral and outbound channel performance, using data and market insights to recommend improvements and guide priorities
- Work closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and cross-functional teams to support revenue growth and continuously strengthen business development strategies
Required Qualifications
- Three or more years of experience in business development, channel sales, partnership management, or a closely related role
- Demonstrated experience building or managing referral, affiliate, or partner programs with measurable outcomes
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills, particularly with professional audiences such as advisors, counselors, and organizational partners
- Experience with outbound prospecting and pipeline development using a consultative, research-driven approach
- Proficiency with HubSpot or a comparable CRM for pipeline and relationship management
- Ability to represent an organization professionally and credibly at conferences, events, and partner meetings
- Strong organizational skills, initiative, and accountability, with the ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in a remote environment
- Must be able to travel by air and motor vehicle to attend conferences, industry events, and partner meetings as required
- Must reside in and be eligible to work in the United States
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with or marketing to IECs or the broader college counseling community
- Familiarity with education-related conferences, particularly IECA or HECA, and their guidelines around referral and affiliate relationships
- Background in education, educational technology, or a premium consumer services brand
- Experience developing outbound strategies for businesses with longer customer consideration cycles
- Experience designing or developing tiered partner or referral programs from the ground up
Compensation & Benefits
- Compensation: $65,000 +
commission
- Benefits: Medical, PTO, 401 (k) with matching, remote work setup, growth opportunities, mission-driven team
Skills Required
- Three or more years of experience in business development, channel sales, partnership management, or a closely related role
- Experience building or managing referral, affiliate, or partner programs with measurable outcomes
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills with advisors, counselors, and organizational partners
- Experience with outbound prospecting and pipeline development using a consultative, research-driven approach
- Proficiency with HubSpot or a comparable CRM
- Ability to represent an organization professionally at conferences, events, and partner meetings
- Strong organizational skills, initiative, accountability, independence, and ability to manage competing priorities remotely
- Ability to travel by air and motor vehicle for conferences, industry events, and partner meetings
- Residence in and eligibility to work in the United States
- Experience working with or marketing to independent educational consultants or the college counseling community
- Familiarity with education-related conferences, including IECA or HECA, and referral and affiliate relationship guidelines
- Background in education, educational technology, or a premium consumer services brand
- Experience developing outbound strategies for businesses with longer customer consideration cycles
- Experience designing or developing tiered partner or referral programs from the ground up
What We Do
LanguageBird is an online language school specializing in live, one-to-one language instruction taught by native-level instructors. We are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and Cognia as well as approved by the University of California and NCAA. Our programs include: ✔️ Middle School ✔️ High School ✔️ Tutoring, Test Prep, or Conversational Lessons ✔️ Global Seal of Biliteracy LanguageBird offers personalized, one-to-one, textbook-free, student-centered courses, based on the communicative approach and project-based learning. Our curriculum standards are aligned with 21st-century learning skills, NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements, and the World Readiness Standards’ five “C” goal areas (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities) which stress the application of learning languages beyond instructional settings. We help students save time, get ahead, make up, or take courses their high school does not offer. LanguageBird also works with school districts and schools to provide more opportunities for students to take foreign languages they cannot offer or offer more flexibility in student schedules. LanguageBird currently offers 15 languages in levels 1-6+: ASL, Arabic, ESL, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Students may begin any level course, any time, year-round. Open enrollment. www.languagebird.com [email protected] 844-700-BIRD
