Account Executive, US College Sales

The Account Executive - College
sells to Higher Education faculty within a designated geographical territory.
With a hunter mentality, their objective is to grow market share by
successfully establishing new business with Sage Vantage and other digital or
print content that meets course needs. Ideal candidate is an independent,
self-starter whose responsibilities include conducting well-structured
consultative sales calls, persuasively demonstrating technology product
capabilities, establishing relationships with faculty members and other
customers to gain new business and grow revenue. With a strong drive, ample
product knowledge, and active listening skills, this person is confident and
persuasive when interacting with customers. The ability to systematically run a
large geographic territory through employing in person and virtual sales
techniques is a daily requirement. Sage Account Executives maintain our sales
database (MSCRM), which allows them to juxtapose account growth outreach with
maintenance activities, resulting in successful adoption of new materials,
digital product renewals and retention and/or expansion of the current base of
Sage products. This position is based out of Atlanta, Georgia with overnight
travel of 20% during the prime selling season.

Job Functions and
Responsibilities:

Sales

Following a strategic territory
selling plan, built with the help and direction of Sales Management, the ideal
candidate will work to grow Sage's presence and establish new products in all
of our subject areas by:

* Being highly visible to
customers, persuasively conducting quality sales calls, and gaining Vantage
demonstrations through employing professional selling techniques.

* Successfully positioning self
and Sage as a strategic business partner within social science and business
departments across campus by actively listening to customer needs.

* Traveling to assigned
campuses during selling seasons is required with geographic travel and
overnights outlined in advance; often requiring an excess of 40+ hours per
week.

* Conducting effective sales
calls to grow new revenue via well-planned campus appointments and/or
schedules, video calls, telephone, and email exchanges with the goal of
progressing the territory pipeline and taking new market share.

* Identifying and dynamically
qualifying new sales leads in assigned territory; assertively selling to those
identified targets while growing existing business by placing it into recurring
revenue models to meet set sales goals.

* Effectively deploying key
sales tools within the course of daily selling and nimbly using the insights
that the tools provide to accelerate pipeline movement.

* Growing market share at the
territory and key title level each selling season through strong internal
partnerships, as well as through personal drive and resilience to achieve
success.

* Confidently and successfully
demonstrating Sage technology and employing sales enablement tools in sales
calls.

* Ensuring data within the CRM
system is accurate by maintaining and updating the sales pipeline daily.

* Overall, a Sage Account
Executive is innovative, persuasive, and resilient in meeting the needs of
prospects and customers. They are well established in their market, persistent
and purposeful in growing their Sage business.

Product and Market Knowledge

* With a well-established
presence in their territory, the Sage rep collects and communicates market
feedback and product information to Product, Technology, and Sales Management
Teams.

* Develops deep product
knowledge through learning programs to be able to persuasively articulate value
proposition of products in a competitive landscape.

* Successfully addresses
objections and misconceptions while answering questions of prospective
customers effectively either independently or through collaboration with
internal team members and specialists.

* Provides Product Teams with
market development leads, faculty advocates, and potential textbook authors.

Planning, Reporting, and
Database Maintenance

* Strategically performs and
completes Lead Generation (identifying courses, decision makers, enrollments,
and product-in-use information) for targeted course markets at accounts
identified within assigned territory.

* Strategically works sales
opportunities in CRM to prioritize pipeline and optimize revenue.

* Strategically plans campus
outreach via campus trips/video calls/phone calls.

* Completes expense reports on
a timely basis, handles annual travel and expense budget effectively.

Conference Attendance/Business
Travel

* Daily full day and overnight
travel to customers 2+ hours away is required to key accounts during active
selling times.

* Required to attend bi-annual
sales meeting and other company-wide meetings.

Customer/Author Relations

* Provides excellent customer
service when working with potential or existing customers by providing
information, resources, and troubleshooting in a timely manner.

* While engaging with customers
and authors, takes appropriate actions to ensure they have a positive
experience and image of the company.

* Effectively works with
current customers to cross-sell and referral sell when working with installed
base of business.

Any combination equivalent to,
but not limited to, the following:

Required:

* Bachelor's degree required
with evidence of high academic achievement.

* Demonstrated record of
success in academic and professional background.

* 2 to 4+ years sales
experience required, along with a creative, persuasive, strategic, and
persistent sales demeanor.

* Hunter mentality,
self-reliant and success oriented.

* Strong technology
demonstration skills.

* Dedicated work ethic
(workload regularly exceeds 40 hours/week during peak selling seasons and must
be willing to work hours needed and to travel based upon assigned geography).

* Must be equally adept at
working independently and within a team.

* Proficient in PC environment
and experienced with Microsoft Word, Excel, database applications and
PowerPoint.

* Excellent written, oral, and
presentation skills.

* Outstanding time management
and organization, with excellent attention to detail.

* Ability to be flexible and
adapt quickly and creatively to changing business needs.

Preferred:

* Field-based sales experience
strongly preferred for remote based sales positions.

* Sales experience in the
publishing industry or related SAAS/technology industries is a plus.

* Familiarity and ability to
work with CRM systems.

* Familiarity with other sales
technology programs and video conferencing experience.

Language, analytical skills and
specifications

If you have a disability and you need any support during the application process, please contact hr.resume@sagepub.com All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Pay Transparency & Benefits Package:

Sage Publishing is committed to being an inclusive employer where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect. Sage is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

Compensation at Sage is influenced by several factors, including but not limited to skill set, nature and level of experience, qualifications, and other relevant considerations. Please note that the compensation details listed in U.S. role postings reflect the base salary only and do not include bonuses or benefits. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range and additional aspects of the compensation/benefits package for this position during the hiring process. If your desired salary falls outside of this range, we hope you'll still apply as there may be other positions that better align.

In addition to compensation, Sage offers a highly competitive and comprehensive PPO medical, dental, and vision care benefits package with SAGE covering most of the premium costs. Unique program benefits that support a healthy life, a company-sponsored anniversary trip every 5 years, a 401(k)-matching program of 100% up to 5% of pay, and other significant meaningful benefits. In alignment with our value for education, Sage offers financial support for bachelor's and graduate-level degree programs as well as learning for personal interest.

Sage offers freedom and autonomy in your day-to-day with hybrid or remote work, depending on the role. Join the nearly 2,000 Sage employees worldwide who deliver products and services that serve to fulfill our noble goal of education and dissemination of knowledge globally. We'd love to meet you!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sage Publishing is committed to being an inclusive employer where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage and partnership status, pregnancy and parental responsibilities, race, religion and belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We believe that diversity is a cornerstone of a vibrant culture. We want Sage to be an organization where the most talented staff and high-potential staff are recruited, have the opportunity to grow, and want to work. We strive to achieve a better representation of diverse talent at all levels, including leadership, across our workforce.