Founding Sales Lead

Project Own | Baltimore, MD

About Project Own

Project Own is a mission-driven tech nonprofit based in Baltimore, Maryland, dedicated to transforming access to homeownership and wealth creation. We're building innovative solutions at the intersection of technology and financial inclusion, working to break down barriers that prevent individuals and families from achieving their homeownership goals and building generational wealth.

The Role

We're seeking a Founding Sales Lead to lead our sales strategy and partner relationships. This is a unique opportunity to drive meaningful partnerships that directly impact homeownership accessibility while building and scaling our revenue operations at a growing nonprofit with significant social impact potential. You'll work closely with our executive director to maximize licensing sales growth.

This role is perfect for a highly motivated sales professional who thrives in mission-driven environments, values social impact over pure profit, and wants ownership over the entire partnership lifecycle from prospecting to renewal.

Key Responsibilities

Partner Sales & Growth

• Execute B2B2C sales strategy targeting HUD-certified housing counseling agencies
• Develop and maintain comprehensive prospect lists and lead generation systems
• Conduct cold outreach via phone, email, and social selling to generate new partnerships
• Manage full sales cycle from initial contact through contract negotiation and close
• Represent Project Own at industry conferences, webinars, and networking events
• Collaborate with executive director on strategic sales initiatives and market expansion
• Track and report on sales metrics, pipeline health, and market penetration
• Develop sales collateral, presentations, and partner onboarding materials
• Drive license renewals and identify expansion opportunities within existing accounts
• Collaborate with product team to develop retention strategies to minimize churn and maximize partner lifetime value
• Gather feedback from sales and renewal conversations and share with product team

Revenue Operations and Strategy

• Collaborate with leadership team and contractors to optimize sales processes, CRM systems, and reporting infrastructure
• Analyze market trends and competitive landscape within the housing counseling space
• Collaborate on pricing strategy and contract terms optimization

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of B2B sales experience, preferably in SaaS, nonprofit, or financial services sectors
• Strong interest in Project Own's mission to expand access to homeownership and Black wealth creation
• Proven track record of consistently meeting or exceeding sales quotas
• Experience with full-cycle sales from prospecting through closing
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Comfort with cold outreach, networking, and consultative selling approaches
• Experience using CRM systems and sales analytics tools. Experience setting up Hubspot or a similar tool is a plus!
• Ability to thrive on a small team in fast-moving, ambiguous startup-like environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Domain expertise in homeownership counseling, financial coaching, or mortgage lending
• Experience selling to nonprofit organizations or government agencies
• Experience at mission-driven organizations, nonprofits, or social impact companies
• Previous experience in early-stage or startup sales environments
• Conference speaking or networking experience in relevant industries

What We're Looking For

We need someone who is excited by the opportunity to build out, own, and execute a lean B2B sales process in a nonprofit context that values trust and relationships. The ideal candidate will:

• Be energized by mission-driven sales where success creates direct social impact
• Value long-term relationship building over transactional sales approaches
• Thrive in a collaborative environment while taking ownership of results
• Balance ambitious growth targets with the values and constraints of nonprofit operations

What We Offer

• $50-75 per hour based on experience
• 20-30 hours per week (flexible scheduling)
• 6-month contract; strong performance and company growth could lead to full-time W-2 hire (to include salary and generous benefits)
• Remote-first, with option to work in-office in Baltimore, MD

Project Own is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.