The Account Executive calls on Higher Education faculty within a designated geographical territory and conducts sales calls to assist them with matching SAGE content and technology products to their course requirements.  Key responsibilities include conducting well-structured consultative sales calls, demonstrating technology, establishing relationships with faculty members/bookstore/IT personnel, being able to manage and systematically work a large territory as well as maintain our sales database (MSCRM), which ultimately results in successful adoption of SAGE content and technology products.  This position is based out of Raleigh, North Carolina; must be able to travel overnight during peak selling seasons

PLEASE NOTE: While this is a remote position, the role is required to be on college campuses during the school year 4 out of 5 days a week. The company does provide a monthly $600 car allowance for the use of a personal vehicle.

Sales

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

• Reps conduct high quality sales calls and technology demonstrations using professional consultative selling techniques.  During peak selling seasons, daily travel to assigned campuses is required.
• Sales calls are made via well-planned campus visits, video calls, telephone, and email exchanges:
• Identify and create new sales leads in assigned territory each selling season; proactively sell to those identified targets while retaining existing business to meet your annual sales goal.
• 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.
• Maintain and update the sales pipeline in MSCRM daily.
• Be solutions-oriented and meet the needs of your 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.
• 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 text-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

• 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.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent work experience.
• Demonstrated record of success in academic and professional background.
• 2 to 4+ years 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

• Field based sales experience strongly preferred for remote based sales positions.
• Sales experience in the publishing industry or related industries is a plus.
• Familiarity and comfort in working with CRM systems is preferred.

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
• 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 and work professionally under pressure
• 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

Pay Transparency and 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. We anticipate the minimum full-time salary range for this position to be between $64,000 - $75,000. 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 bachelors 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!

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.