Relationship Manager - Hybrid

Ascent is a leading provider of innovative financial products and student support services that enable more students to access education and achieve academic and economic success. Everything Ascent offers is designed with the best-in-class teams and technology to increase every student's ability to plan, pay, and succeed in their education and career. Ascent's planning tools and financing resources are co-created by students for those in college, graduate school, and career training programs. Ascent offers financial wellness education, student success services, and one-on-one and digital career coaching that put students' academic and professional goals within reach. Ascent has been widely recognized for its strong culture – named “Best Places to Work” by the San Diego Business Journal for the past 5 years – and as an industry leader – named “Best Student Loan” by NerdWallet for the past 3 years. 
The Relationships Manager is responsible for the growth and development of our school-channel loan volume, which includes fostering and managing relationships with lending product eligible institutions of higher education as well as engagement with college-bound students and their families through high-school and community-based service organizations focused on college and career readiness.
Reporting directly to the SVP and General Manager of College Lending, the selected candidate will be asked to serve the needs of any school across our entire national footprint; however, the primary region of focus for this role will be the pacific coast and southwestern United States. Moderate amounts of travel are required for this position.
Responsibilities:

• Driving funded loan volume that is directly attributable to school channel sales.
• Establishing and maintaining ethical and professional relationships with key personnel within the Financial Aid Office (FAO), admissions office and finance department of eligible schools and promote our products and services.
• Help cultivate a business development channel through outreach programs aimed at college-bound students and their families.
• Increasing penetration of eligible school “preferred lender lists” through direct outreach campaigns, responsiveness to school RFI’s and representing Ascent at financial aid and other higher-education industry-based conferences or events.
• Take a prominent role at financial aid conferences by presenting and/or participating as a panelist in sessions that enhance the credibility of Ascent by financial aid administrators and key stakeholders in higher education lending and student success.
• Enhance the brand awareness of Ascent Funding by working with key stakeholders at eligible schools by:
  
  • finding opportunities for the Ascent brand to be placed on campus and/or embedded in the student experience, and
  • providing them with student focused financial wellness and other allowable services and/or educational materials.
• Work closely with product and marketing to develop collateral that accurately represents our products and services while elevating the position of the Ascent brand for our target audience.
• Use data and technology to optimize outreach and communication strategies in an environment that demands a high volume of relationships to be managed.

Desired Skills & Expertise:

• 5+ years in of business development / sales experience in:
  
  • business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) financial products/services,
  • student loans, or
  • higher education technology.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• A self-starter that can take on new challenges with or without specific direction.
• A high-energy, creative contributor, who can breathe fresh air into the “same old” way of school sales.
• Must be comfortable working in both an outbound contact environment as well as in-person, direct selling.
• Deep understanding of the financial aid process for higher education.
• Exceptional oral and written communication abilities and interpersonal skills with an established history of taking initiative and building productive relationships both internally and externally.
• Tech savvy with an ability to make data-driven decisions and has a solid working knowledge around the use of 3rd party customer relationship / sales cycle management software solutions (such as Salesforce, Hubspot, etc.).

Competitive pay with bonus and benefits package that includes, but is not limited to:

• This position’s pay range is $130,000 - $160,000 annually, plus bonus. Commensurate with experience.
• Company Stock Options
• 401(k) + Company Match
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Annual HSA contribution of $1,600
• Life insurance, disability, and critical illness
• 14 Paid Holidays! Eleven (11) + Two (2) Community Days + Your Birthday!
• Snacks and drinks in the office
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Generous paid leave policies
• $2,000 Vacation Incentive Plan after 3 years + $1,000 Sabbatical Day
• Wellness, work from home funds and more!