Case study: Hiring a Business Director In the Education Sector

A classroom solutions provider needed a Business Director to lead growth, sharpen go-to-market, and align sales, marketing and customer success around measurable outcomes for teachers and schools. Networks and advertising had not worked. We were engaged to run an executive search and provide a robust shortlist with clear evidence.

The challenge

• Secure a commercially astute Business Director with K-12 experience and P&L ownership.
• Lead go-to-market across the UK (and selected international markets); drive growth with schools, MATs and local authorities.
• Build and scale sales, marketing and customer success; develop channel partnerships with resellers/distributors.
• Navigate education procurement cycles and frameworks (e.g., MAT buying committees, public-sector tenders); design pilots and impact evidence.
• Optimise pricing, packaging and unit economics; improve forecasting and pipeline health.
• Strengthen operating cadence: quarterly business reviews, OKRs and demand planning with product and operations.
• Deliver a high-quality shortlist quickly.

Our approach

• Calibrated the role, outcomes and success profile with the CEO and COO.
• Ran a targeted headhunt across edtech, classroom resource suppliers, education publishers and adjacent B2B providers to schools; included leaders from PE-backed and growth-stage organisations.
• Mapped and engaged passive candidates: Business Directors/Unit Directors, Commercial Directors, Country Managers and VPs Sales & Marketing with proven delivery in school and MAT channels.
• Structured assessment:
  • 90-day plan to stabilise and accelerate revenue; pipeline build with MATs and priority regions.
  • Go-to-market and channel strategy (direct vs. partners), framework/tender approach and win themes.
  • Pricing and margin improvement scenario; unit economics across product lines (hardware/software/resources).
  • Demand generation plan for teachers and decision-makers; content, events and partner co-marketing.
  • Customer success and renewal motion; adoption, impact proof points and references.
  • Stakeholder partnering and people leadership; org design, cadence and performance management.
• Each candidate received an evidence-led summary and consistent scorecard; references taken from CEOs, COOs and key education customers. Confidentiality protected throughout.

The result

• Delivered an excellent shortlist within four weeks; offer accepted in six.
• The appointed Business Director had a track record scaling K-12 commercial operations in the UK and Europe, with success across direct and channel routes to market.
• Early outcomes included a focused go-to-market plan, improved forecast accuracy, clearer pricing architecture, MAT framework wins, stronger pipeline coverage, higher classroom adoption and case-study development to evidence impact.

Why it worked

• Headhunting reached high-performing passive leaders from edtech and classroom solutions businesses.
• A clear brief and structured, evidence-led assessment created confidence.
• Tight timelines and CEO sponsorship kept momentum from shortlist to offer.

Contact us
If you are an education technology or classroom solutions organisation hiring a Business Director or commercial leader, we can help you secure proven growth leadership.

Call: 0207 160 6996
Email: info@executiveheadhunters.co.uk
Visit: executiveheadhunters.co.uk
Book a confidential discussion with a Director to plan your search
Read more about our Executive Search Services for Education and Commercial Leadership
Read more of our Education Sector Case Studies