Vice President of Revenue Strategy and Business Development

About Us

Kripalu Center is the largest yoga and wellness retreat center in the US. Kripalu is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to serving people and communities in realizing their full potential through the transformative wisdom and practice of Yoga. Rooted in yoga, mindfulness and holistic wellness, Kripalu creates pathways for personal and collective transformation through experiential learning. Kripalu’s campus is in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts

Kripalu offers a wide range of experiences for guests, ranging from day passes to multi day programs and including signature programming and training developed by Kripalu, online programs, multi-day group events, and programming delivered by visiting talent (thought leaders, presenters, and luminaries).

Kripalu is committed to being an employer and community that prioritizes creating a sense of belonging for all employees, presenters, and guests. We seek employees eager to join us as we evolve as a team that embodies timeless yogic principles and present day practices of leadership and accountability.

The Position:

The VP of Revenue Strategy & Business Development is essential to furthering both Kripalu’s mission impact and the financial health of the organization. This position is responsible for ongoing business generation and analysis, leading strategic and tactical shifts to optimize revenue, and in partnership with other senior leaders, identifying opportunities for revenue diversification.

The VP of Revenue Strategy & Business Development will also lead Kripalu’s Visiting Talent / Luminary guest programming area ($8M ), Kripalu Online ($1M), Healing Arts ($2.9M), Kripalu Shop ($2.6M) and other revenue generating areas as assigned, with the Directors of these areas reporting to this VP. This role also provides business partnership and consultation to program area directors that report to other Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members, including Kripalu Retreat & Renewal (R&R) ($9.5M), Kripalu Experience Programs ($2M), Kripalu Schools ($2M), Groups and Memberships ($1M), and partners with Kripalu’s Access and Equity Programs Manager to ensure that impact programming aligns with and is enhanced by Kripalu’s existing programming.

This role requires an innovative business builder with strong leadership capacity, financial and marketplace literacy, and understanding of the transformative aspects of experiential education. As a leader in the organization, this position models both passion for and commitment to the execution of the organization’s vision, mission, and values. This role sits on the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

This is an outstanding opportunity for a savvy, energetic, entrepreneurial minded, and collaborative leader who thrives on: developing and implementing a multi product/service business development strategy; responding to market and organizational realities by analyzing data to forecast and make real time pivots; guiding program/content experts to grow their lines of business and achieve greater impact; personally identifying and closing high level partnership deals; and serving on a highly collaborative senior team responsible collectively for the care and thriving of an extraordinary institution.

Compensation:

The anticipated salary range for this Vice President of Revenue Strategy & Business Development role is $150,000–$165,000 annually, commensurate with experience, scope of revenue leadership responsibilities, and demonstrated success in driving organizational growth, partnerships, and/or fundraising outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy

• In collaboration with the CEO and the SLT, further develop a long term vision and strategy for revenue growth and diversification.
• Own the development of revenue optimization for Visiting Presenters / Luminary Programming, Kripalu Online Programming, Healing Arts, Kripalu Shop, and any other directly reporting revenue generating area.
• Evaluate revenue and analyze trends that may impact strategy, as well as establish tactics to increase revenue in line with business strategy and mission.
• Create tuition pricing strategy for areas that report directly and partner with other programming areas to create pricing strategies that align and support each area’s business.
• Partner with VP of Finance and Chief Operating Officer (COO) to create pricing strategy for housing, commuter fees, and day pass fees, among other offerings. This includes housing rates, dynamic housing strategies, tiered pricing, payment plans, etc.
• Collaborate on scholarship strategy and coordinate delivery to support access and equity and the business, partnering with the CEO, Impact Programs Manager, VP of Finance, COO and other senior leaders.

Business Development & Partnerships

• Collaborate with SLT and leaders of all revenue generating areas to translate Kripalu’s strategic objectives into tactical implementation, driving impact, outcomes and revenue.
• Build on Kripalu's vision to grow and deepen connections with marquee presenters, online learning audiences, and key partners that further position Kripalu as an industry thought leader and community stakeholder.
• Support a programming portfolio that elevates diverse voices, attracts new audiences, strengthens existing relationships, and meets and exceeds revenue targets
• Lead biweekly revenue meetings and prospective and retrospective team meetings to evaluate pacing and performance.
• Work with Director of Visiting Presenters / Luminary Programs, Director of Kripalu Online Learning, and any other direct report to identify partners, build relationships, pitch and close deals; and develop a strong pipeline of recurring and new key partners.
• Work with the Chief Learning Officer to ensure coherent, brand aligned guest programming pathways that optimize program mix and advance mission and margin.
• Partner with Marketing to align budget, goals, and revenue targets, driving efficient growth and measurable return.
• Serve on Board committees as assigned by CEO.

Team Leadership

• Support and lead guest program business area leaders to enhance their business skills and positively influence business planning capabilities and decisions within their scope of responsibility.
• Ensure business development and revenue goals of all programming align to the organization’s overall strategy and needs.
• Model and drive cross organization collaboration, integrating expertise from marketing, learning, finance, operations, and people/culture teams.

Measurement & Financial Results

• Actively participate in annual budget preparation, including consulting with each revenue generating programming area to complete revenue targets.
• Track revenue forecasts weekly.
• Establish key measures and track progress against goals.
• With the finance team, develop sustainable, replicable financial models and multi year projections.
• Track, evaluate and interpret key external industry/market trends and data, to guide Kripalu’s planning and responsiveness.

Qualifications

• B.A. minimum, with a preference for an advanced degree/MBA.
• At least ten years of progressive business development, retreat programming, or group sales experience, with a minimum of five years in a team leadership capacity within a $25M company or high performing nonprofit with multiple, interdependent product lines or services.
• Additional experience would ideally include some of the following:
• Market research, analysis and business planning
• Business analytics for revenue growth
• Online/blended learning
• Group sales
• Knowledge of the professional/personal development, training, health/wellness or hospitality fields
• Demonstrated track record of personally identifying and closing partnership deals, as well as leading diverse teams to innovate and to maximize the potential of their products and services.
• Proven success influencing individuals and key organizational decision-makers.
• Experience leading market research, forecasting and accurately predicting trends that create opportunities.

Personal Attributes

• Possesses strong core ethics, integrity, and values consistent with Kripalu’s.
• Effective, authentic relationship builder who partners as easily with external clients as internal colleagues; offers practical, mutually beneficial recommendations, solutions & ideas.
• Excellent judgment and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Accepts responsibility for personal and professional growth; embraces experiences as learning opportunities.
• Positive, adaptable, and collaborative demeanor as well as a calm, patient and transparent style; able to effectively interface at all levels of the organization.
• Resonance with, and passion, for Kripalu’s mission.

Kripalu is deeply committed to diversity in all forms; we are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in employment and personnel practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, military status, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.