Overall Purpose of the Role

To serve as the company’s foremost expert and growth driver for the K–12, Higher Education and Government market segments. This person owns the end-to-end strategy for how the company wins in education and government — from understanding how schools, universities and governments specify, fund, and purchase flooring; to shaping the product portfolio, segment/industry relationships, and go-to-market/selling approaches that drive segment revenue, profit and market share growth.

Core Responsibilities

1.  Segment Insights & Strategy Development

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive view of the education and government market — enrollment trends, facility construction and renovation cycles, funding mechanisms (state/local/federal bonds/funding), and competitive landscape
• Define the company’s positioning and value proposition specifically for facilities teams and the design/specification community serving them
• Define the company’s “where to play” and “how to win” strategy and execution plan
• Set short and long-term segment revenue targets and growth roadmaps

2.  Go-to-Market Leadership

• Develop the sales playbook (“How to sell”) — how to navigate the buying process across facilities directors, purchasing departments, architects/specifiers, and cooperative purchasing vehicles
• Partner with national and regional sales teams to build segment expertise and pipeline
• Identify and develop strategic relationships with key education-focused architecture and design firms

3.  Product & Portfolio

• Work with product development and marketing to ensure the portfolio meets segment specific needs — durability, acoustics, indoor air quality, budget tiers, and relevant sustainability certifications
• Champion education/government-relevant innovation performance properties, ease of maintenance, moisture protection, wear, etc.
• Provide voice-of-customer input from the segment back into the product roadmap

4.  Industry Leadership

• Engage with relevant industry associations (A4LE, APPA, etc) to build brand presence and credibility
• Partner with marketing to develop segment-specific content, case studies, sales collateral, CEU courses for architects and specifiers, and trade show presence
• Position the company as a trusted advisor on flooring in learning environments — acoustics, design, safety, and wellness
• Represent the company at key education/government industry events and forums

5.  Financial Performance & Reporting

• Steward the P&L for the education/government segments
• Track leading and lagging indicators
• Report segment performance to senior leadership and adjust strategy accordingly

Candidate Profile

Commercial and Segment Expertise

Preferred expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Commercial Flooring Experience — 10+ years in commercial flooring in a senior sales, segment, or business development role with demonstrable education and/or government segment experience. Have existing relationships within the industry segments
• Building Products Segment — Comes from an adjacent building products category (ceiling systems, furniture, lighting, etc.) where they led an education/government segment. Understands the education and government buying cycle deeply and can transfer that expertise to flooring.
• Education/Government Facilities / Procurement Leader — Broad expertise as an end user (facilities leadership, university projects, etc.), understanding the needs and buying cycles of new and renovation driven projects.
• Architecture/Design – Strong background in designing and specifying education/government projects with experience in end-to-end project management.

Experience & Background

• 10+ years total, with at least 5 years in a role with direct education and/or government segment responsibility
• Deep familiarity with public education/government procurement — cooperative purchasing vehicles, state bid schedules, and bond-funded capital projects
• Understanding of the specification process and the role of architects, interior designers, and owners’ representatives in project delivery
• Familiarity with relevant certifications and standards — FloorScore, EPD, HPD, C2C, etc.

Skills & Competencies

Strategic Thinking

• Can synthesize market data, competitive intelligence, and customer insight into a clear, actionable segment strategy
• Thinks in multi-year horizons while staying grounded in near-term execution
• Comfortable making resource allocation recommendations and defending them to senior leadership

Commercial Acumen

• Understands marg