The Midwest District Sales Manager (DSM) manages a team of 7 to 9 Account Executives within an assigned district. Key responsibilities include hiring, training, and skill development of sales team members to exceed sales goal in their assigned territory as well as ensuring the district achieves target.  DSM is expected to manage productivity and results-based metrics, develop requisite product and selling skills and ensure all reps are exceeding departmental standards.  Regular coaching, focused work trips on campus, and strategic planning with all reps is required.  DSM must also coordinate activities of sales specialist layer including Product Specialists and Sales Engineers. and other internal stakeholders to help assigned reps close business and drive revenue within the district. Manager must reside within confines of geographic limits of the territory.

Sales Team Effectiveness

• Focus team’s attention on driving market share growth, maintaining installed base, converting current users into revised editions, promoting recurring revenue through digital platforms and content delivery models. Managers will ensure direct reports prospect, generate leads, follow up with inbound leads, and actively manage revenue through sales pipeline. Primary responsibility is to exceed yearly sales goals within assigned district and contribute to College Division growth strategies.
• Manage productivity by holding reps accountable for exceeding department standards including the quantity & quality of sales calls, product demos, maintenance of database and conducting high quality sales calls.
• Work closely with assigned reps to develop requisite data literacy, selling skills & best practices to ensure short & long-term success. Provide account, adoption, and territory management coaching based on individual needs of reps within the district.
• Provide coaching, verbally and in writing, during and after ride-along and virtual selling situations to ensure ongoing skill development.

• Monitor tracking of adoptions and report on team progress during the key selling seasons at the territory and product level. Provide regular reports to senior management on progress against goal.
• Promote “team-selling” culture by coordinating the activities of product specialists, sales engineers, and other internal stakeholders to best support sales opportunities and training needs within assigned district.

Sales Management:

• Provide training, coaching, ongoing support and strategic selling support of any direct report by working in a highly aligned manner during key selling periods.
• Conduct 1:1 meeting with direct reports on a regular basis to review key selling activities, results, and training needs.
• Help reps positively adapt and thrive to changing business needs and environments
• Assist in recruiting, hiring and initial training of newly hired sales representatives within the department. Help with product and systems training, territory management, sampling strategy, effective calling techniques, etc.
• Manage controllable expenses such as T&E and print sampling for the assigned district.
• Continually review and proactively manage the overall performance of all employees. Complete appraisals for direct reports during probationary period by completing required and effectively incorporate Sage Perform performance platform in the ongoing monitoring of goal achievement and professional development.
• Review progress with staff on qualitative and quantitative goals regularly and work closely with individual direct reports, management team, People and Culture department when performance improvement issues arise.

Product and Market Knowledge

• Gain and maintain product and market knowledge for assigned product lines through internal and external communication. Communicate market feedback and product information with Sales Enablement PMD, Product Management and Digital Learning Teams.
• Report on market conditions and provide market intelligence on competition on a regular basis.  Help to devise strategic initiatives to help position SAGE products successfully within marketplace.
• Ability to proficiently demonstrate Sage technology to customers, both independently and in tandem with reps as needed

Planning and Database Maintenance

• Ensure assigned reps are tracking sales opportunities in CRM so they can be prioritized to maximize closed business.
• Oversee assigned reps’ lead generation activities during dedicated planning periods, as well as just-in-time lead creation based on newly released schedules during the key selling seasons.

 Business Travel

• Regular overnight travel is an integral part of the role of DSM with the expectation to frequent visits to direct sellers to coach and close business at key and emerging accounts. DSM will also be required to assist in open territory sales coverage by working solo and in tandem with other stakeholders.
• DSM is also required to attend major launch meetings (2 x annually) in addition to College Team Management meetings and Sales Leadership meetings.
• DSM is expected to represent and act as ambassador for SAGE Publishing at regional conferences and account-sponsored meetings and promotional events.

 Customer/Author Relations

• Interact professionally with authors and customers.
• Provide excellent customer service when dealing with potential or existing customers by providing requested exam copies, desk and instructor resource materials, and information in a timely manner.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Assist Sales Management Team with special projects such as project-based taskforces, cultural initiatives, evaluation of sales technology / CRM / analytical tools and training programs.
• Involvement in planning and delivering sessions at district, regional and national meetings is required. DSM is heavily involved in scoping and delivering compelling sessions at Sales Kickoff, Training oriented and Closer Meetings.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree with evidence of high academic achievement.
• 4 years sales experience required
• 3+ years successful sales experience with consecutive years of goal achievement in higher education publishing required.
• Consistent and proven ability to secure unit and committee adoptions within highly competitive introductory courses. Proven ability to sell digital products, both in person and virtually
• Strong work ethic (workload regularly exceeds 50 hours/week during peak selling seasons)
• Must possess strong computer application skills and must possess strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, database applications and PowerPoint. Must have high level of proficiency working with CRM applications with experience with analyzing sales pipeline data
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including excellent public presentation skills and ability to demonstrate technology/print products in person or electronically via applications such as WebEx or LiveMeeting.
• Superior time management and organizational skills with strong attention to detail
• Creative, competitive, strategic and persistent sales demeanor
• Ethical and honest in all business relations

Preferred:

• Previous experience working in a direct supervisory of sales staff within higher education is highly preferred. Experience as a sales specialist working with a team assisting direct sales efforts will be considered in lieu of direct managerial/supervisory experience.
• Experience working with learning management systems and other digital platforms within the higher education space is preferred.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills

• Strong analytical and mathematical skills
• Effective and decisive decision making
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage and motivate staff
• Ability to effectively manage time to meet deadlines and work professionally under pressure
• Ability to foresee trends, situations, or problems
• Ability to read, comprehend, analyze and interpret sales data and reports
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with diplomacy
• Ability to effectively make presentations in person and virtually
• Multi-tasking ability

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 $92,268.80 - $115,315.20. 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.

Sage is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified applicants. Accommodations will be made for any part of the interview process.