Area Manager (Houston, TX)
EF Education First
Job: Area Manager (Houston, Texas)
Division: EF Explore America
Location: Houston, Texas
Why This Role Matters
At EF, everything comes back to one mission: Opening the World Through Education. Our Explore America team partners with K-12 schools to build domestic travel programs that change the way students see the country — and themselves. As an Area Manager, you're the one making that happen on the ground.
As an Area Manager, you're in schools, earning trust, and showing educators what's possible with EF. Think of your territory as your own business to build. We'll give you the training, tools, and autonomy to run with it.
What You'll Do
- Build and own your territory. Map out schools and districts, identify opportunities, and develop a growth strategy.
- Get in front of people. Prospect new school partnerships, meet with educators, and show up where it counts. Pick up the phone. Visit the schools. Grassroots is how we grow.
- Facilitate parent interest meetings. Support Group Leaders by co-hosting meetings to interested parents and students.
- Grow existing partnerships. It's not just about new schools — it's about deepening relationships year after year. Ninety-nine percent right can still lead to failure, so bring your attention to detail.
- Collaborate with your team. Nobody succeeds in isolation at EF. Build your network — inside the company and out.
- Stay organized and honest. Manage your activity daily, forecast weekly, and tell it like it is. Don't overpromise.
- Get creative. Host events, find resourceful ways to get EF in front of the right people.
Who Thrives Here
- Entrepreneurial spirit: You thrive in environments where you have ownership and you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves.
- Nothing is impossible attitude: You find creative ways around obstacles and you’re energized by challenges.
- Passionate: You are passionate about our mission and providing opportunities for students to travel.
- Driven: You set goals, stick to plans, and stay focused when setbacks arise. You can manage multiple priorities at once.
- A relationship-builder: You earn trust with educators and administrators. People want to work with you because you listen, follow through, and genuinely care.
- A team player: You want your peers to succeed as much as you do. There's no such thing as "it's not my job" at EF. We work together to make it happen.
What We're Looking For
- Based in the greater Houston area
- 3+ years in K-12 education, or equivalent experience in education-adjacent roles — especially involving district-level administrators or complex stakeholder relationships
- Proven ability to manage deadlines and balance competing priorities
- Experience getting stakeholders on board — school boards, principals, parent groups
- Strong presentation, public speaking, and communication skills
- Flexible schedule including some evenings
- Ability to travel; must have reliable transportation and a valid driver's license
- Comfortable with MS Office
- Sales or account management experience is a plus, but not required. If you've spent years in education — navigating school systems, earning buy-in from administrators, rallying stakeholders around a shared vision — you already have the skills that matter most.
Why you’ll love working here: Perks, Benefits, and more!
This is the most fun, high caliber place you’ll ever work. Ask any employee why they love EF (whether they’ve been here 10 minutes or 10 years) and they’ll probably tell you the same thing: it’s the people. When you work at EF, you join a purpose-driven, international and energetic community that thrives on continuous learning, fearless innovation and mutual support.
- In addition, you can expect:
- Commitment to professional growth: robust monthly calendar of trainings and workshops
- Four weeks paid vacation your first year, ten paid holidays, and two floating holidays
- Exciting business travel opportunities
- 25% company match on your 401(k) contributions
- Market-leading medical, dental and vision coverage, along with options for life and disability insurance, accident and hospital insurance, legal and pet insurance
- Dependent care, healthcare and commuter Flex Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Access to fertility care and family-building support
- Wellness benefits including a yearly fitness reimbursement
- Frequent social and learning events, including access to our employee-run resource groups
- Robust Employee Assistance Program
- Tenure-based sabbatical eligibility
- EF Product Discounts (discounts on travel, international language schools, Au Pair program and more)
- Discounts at local venues and businesses
- Amazing offices designed to match the caliber of the people who work there, plus the flexibility of working from home one day a week.
About EF Education First
Some companies are in the business of banking. Others are in the business of shoes. Or sports. Or soft drinks. At EF, we're in a different kind of business. One that's a little less tangible, and a lot more important. Because our business, what we make, makes everything else possible. We're in the business of understanding. Between people. Between cultures.
For over half a century, we’ve been the leader in international educational programs and experiences designed to foster such understanding. Through language, cultural exchange, academic studies, and educational travel, we create the kinds of immersive experiences that challenge biases, open minds, and pave the way for a more understanding world.
You’ll find our offices and schools located in some of the world’s greatest cities, and filled with smart, driven people (over 50,000 of us) who push each other to be better every day. But it’s what we do together - building greater understanding, breaking down barriers, and creating a better world - that makes all the difference.
Founded in 1965 in Sweden, EF (Education First) is a global association of education companies that share a common mission of opening the world through education. EF has been recognized on Forbes 2025 and 2024 World’s Best Employers and 2024 Top Companies for Women lists, Fast Company’s 2025 Next Big Things In Tech, and was a 2024 App Store Award winner in Cultural Impact.