Account Executive, Pittsburgh, PA

The Account Executive - College role consults with Higher Education faculty within a designated geographical territory and conducts sales calls to assist them with matching Sage Vantage course materials and other digital or print content to their course requirements. Key responsibilities include conducting well-structured consultative sales calls, persuasively demonstrating technology product capabilities, establishing relationships with faculty members, administration, bookstore partners and other stakeholders in to grow market share. Successful Account Executives systematically manage a large geographic territory using in person and virtual techniques, maintain our sales database (MSCRM), and juxtapose account growth outreach with maintenance activities which ultimately results in successful adoption and retention of SAGE course material products. This position is based out of Pittsburgh, PA and must be able to travel 4 out of 5 days a week on campus during the fall and spring semesters.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

The job functions include the following:

Sales

The strategic territory selling plan is created with the help and direction of Sales Management:

• Reps conduct high quality sales calls and Vantage demonstrations using professional consultative selling techniques. During peak selling seasons, daily travel to assigned campuses is required with geographic travel and overnights outlined in advance.
• Sales calls are made via well-planned campus visits, video calls, telephone, and email exchanges with the goal of progressing the territory pipeline and winning new market share.
• Identify and create new sales leads in assigned territory each selling season; proactively sell to those identified targets while retaining existing business in recurring revenue models to meet set sales goals.
• Utilize sales enablement tools within the course of daily selling. Be able to nimbly utilize use the insights the tools provide to accelerate pipeline movement.

• Grow market share at the territory and key title level each selling season; strong internal collaboration is necessary to achieve success.
• Successfully demonstrate Sage technology and utilize sales enablement tools in sales calls.
• Ensure data within the system is accurate. Maintain and update the sales pipeline in MSCRM daily.
• Be solutions-oriented, persuasive, and resilient as you meet the needs of prospects and customers in a timely manner.
• During peak selling seasons, position demands an excess of 40+ hour work weeks.

Product and Market Knowledge

• Communicate market feedback and product information to Product, Technology, and Sales Management Teams.
• Develop deep product knowledge through learning programs to be able to persuasively articulate value proposition of products in a competitive landscape. Address objections and answer questions of prospective customers effectively independently or via specialized team members.
• Provide Product Teams with market development leads, faculty advocates, and potential textbook authors.

Planning, Reporting, and Database Maintenance

• Strategically execute and complete Lead Generation (identifying courses, decision makers, enrollments, and product-in-use information) for targeted course markets at accounts identified within assigned territory.
• Track sales opportunities in the CRM to prioritize your pipeline and optimize revenue.
• Strategically plan campus outreach via campus visits/video calls/phone calls, complete expense reports on a timely basis, and manage annual travel and expense budget effectively.

Conference Attendance/Business Travel

• Daily full day and overnight travel is required to key accounts during peak selling seasons.
• Required to attend bi-annual sales meeting and other company-wide meetings as required by Management.

Customer/Author Relations

• Provide excellent customer service when dealing with potential or existing customers by providing information, resources, and troubleshooting in a timely manner
• When communicating with customers and authors, take appropriate actions to ensure they have a positive experience and image of the company.
• Effectively work 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:

• College achievement or equivalent experience.

• Demonstrated record of success in academic and professional background.

• Field sales experience required.; creative, persuasive, competitive, strategic, and persistent sales demeanor.

• 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 environment

• Proficient in PC environment and must possess working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, database applications and PowerPoint.

• Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.

• Superior time management and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

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

Preferred:

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

• Familiarity and comfort in working with CRM systems is preferred.

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

LANGUAGE, ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND SPECIFICATIONS

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

• Reasoning/problem solving ability

• Superior verbal and written communication skills

• Digital dexterity and Data Literacy

• Ability to set and follow through on priorities

• Ability to plan and manage multiple projects and effectively multi-task

• Ability to effectively manage time to meet deadlines 

• Effective internal/external communication with customers

• Effective decision making

• Effective application of sales techniques

• Proficient analytical and mathematical skills

• Ability to effectively make presentations to internal/external groups

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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

• Travel/convention attendance—setting up booth displays, lifting large boxes of books

• Sales travel/campus visits—ability to traverse typical terrain of college campuses, carry books for sampling purposes on campus visits

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.