State, Local, and Education (SLED) Business Development Manager

State, Local, and Education (SLED) Business Development Manager – Job Posting

About Public Knowledge (PK) At Public Knowledge®, we help government clients solve tough problems and thrive in complex environments. We support systems, programs, people, project management, learning, and more. While we work across many industries, most of our work is in Health and Medicaid, Child Welfare, and Child Support. Since 2020, PK has been part of the GLI® Group, which means we have the financial backing and infrastructure of a large company. You can learn more about us at www.pubknow.com. At Public Knowledge®, our core values are Inclusion, Teamwork, and Impact. These values show up every day through our ways of working within our teams and with our clients.

Inclusion – We recognize the fundamental value and strength of all individuals. Our teams create safe spaces for open, inclusive, and diverse participation of all peers, clients and ideas; building high levels of trust and belonging.

Teamwork – We do more than just work together. We respect, trust, and care for each other. This collaboration and belonging extends to our clients as much as our colleagues.

Impact – We approach every engagement with our energy focused on identifying the right goals, outcomes, and strategies. We believe we each have a personal responsibility to make a positive impact on our projects and our world. Inclusion is a core value of Public Knowledge®. We value and seek to create a more diverse workforce. We encourage women, minorities, veterans, people with disabilities, people with different sexual orientations, people with lived expertise, and other diverse people to apply. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive workplace that highlights the diversity in all of us and our experiences.

Position Overview We are hiring a strategic and experienced State, Local, Education (SLED) Business Development Manager to expand our footprint across the Midwest region. This role combines business development, relationship management, and capture strategy to win contracts in the State, Local, and Education (SLED) sectors. You’ll work closely with internal teams, government agencies, and business partners to identify opportunities, develop win strategies, and lead proposal efforts from start to finish.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the full capture lifecycle from opportunity identification to contract award.
• Develop competitive win strategies and compelling value propositions.
• Build and maintain relationships with government stakeholders, contracting officers, and channel partners.
• Deliver persuasive sales presentations and negotiate business deals.
• Oversee proposal development to ensure timely, compliant, and competitive submissions.
• Identify and mitigate risks throughout the capture process.
• Maintain accurate CRM records (HubSpot) and generate reports.
• Stay informed on industry trends, regulations, legislative and agency priorities.
• Represent PK at trade shows, conferences and prospecting meetings.
• Forecast client activity and set performance goals.
• Support strategic planning and implementation to meet company goals.
• Ensure professional, courteous, and timely support for prospects.
• Maintain strong understanding of PK’s industries, service lines and client needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

• Deep understanding of state and local agency operations, especially in the Midwest and Colorado.
• At least 5 years of experience selling professional services in the SLED space.
• Proven success managing complex proposals and building lasting client relationships.
• Strong organizational, analytical, research, and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both written and verbal.
• Ability to work independently in a remote, fast-paced, and ambiguous environment.
• Collaborative mindset and tolerance for ambiguity.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and CRM tools (HubSpot preferred).
• Demonstrated proficiency in persuasive writing using conversational English.
• Highly motivated, proactive self-starter with excellent time management.
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Cultural responsiveness and ability to serve diverse clients.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work remotely from a home-based office
• Ability to travel to client sites across the Midwest (up to 75%)
• Ability to work at a computer and speak on the phone for extended periods
• Dexterity to operate a computer keyboard and other equipment

Location: This is a remote position, based out of the Midwest Region Must be located Near a Major Airport

Looking for candidates in one of the following locations, Minneapolis or St. Paul, MN; Madison or Milwaukee, WI; Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, MI

Travel Requirement: Up to 75% required

Schedule: Normal hours are Monday through Friday, a minimum 40 hours per week

Salary Range: $60,000 - $90,000 annually, salary will be commensurate with experience

We Offer Excellent Paid Benefits That Include

• Comprehensive Health & Dental Insurance
• 100% Paid Life Insurance
• 20 Days Paid Time Off (Per Year) with escalation based on tenure
• Paid Holidays
• 401K Savings Plan with 100% match up to 3% of your salary
• Anniversary Reward Bonus
• Stipend and Paid Time for Professional Development
• Paid time to volunteer in your local community
• Premium subscription to the Calm App

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our team members are people with different backgrounds, strengths, and lived expertise, who share a commitment to being a catalyst for change, leaving each person, project, client, colleague, and community better than when we started.