Account Manager

Ascend Learning is a national leader in data driven, online educational solutions for learners, educators and employers in high-growth, licensure-driven professions spanning healthcare, fitness and wellness, skilled trades, insurance, and financial services. We are passionate about accelerating learning while impacting job readiness, employment success and employee retention with the belief that our work changes lives.

Our culture is intentionally results-driven and selfless with a relentless focus on our customers. We believe in trust, transparency, freedom, and responsibility with a commitment to meritocracy, inclusion, and diversity of thought. Continual investment in our over 1500 employees is also a core principle realized through ongoing professional development and providing opportunities to grow, develop and lead. Ascend Learning is headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and remote workers in cities across the U.S.

Jones & Bartlett Learning combines authoritative content with innovative technology to help educators teach more effectively and students learn more efficiently. Our comprehensive suite of print and digital education performance management solutions is designed to enrich the educational experience and deliver results for secondary, post-secondary and professional education markets.

The Account Manager for Higher Education has responsibility for meeting sales goals by providing clients with digital learning materials, assessment tools, customized curriculum, print and e-textbooks, and learning solutions that support better student performance. The Account Manager, through professional sales techniques and good customer service, will maintain and develop quality relationships with clients in traditional higher education colleges and universities. The Account Manager will be responsible for working with clients as well as collaborating cross-functionally within editorial, marketing and technology teams to build a renewable revenue stream in a defined sales territory. Additional responsibilities as described below. Position reports to a Sales leader.

Responsibilities:

• Identify and establish mutually beneficial relationships in the traditional 2 and 4-year colleges that lead to revenue growth and long-term customer satisfaction. Manage an outlined territory consisting of 3-5 states and will sell all associated products lines to their client base.

• Sell learning solutions that include print, digital, assessment, and a variety of best in-class teaching and learning products, custom published products, access code creation and delivery.

• Work closely with Sales Coordinators and Client Solutions Custom Manager to effectively manage customer base.

• Accurately present all curriculum offerings, digital media products, service capabilities and new technologies.

• Engage clients at the instructor, department and enterprise level to exceed sales goals.

• Travel as needed for conferences and campus visits 6-8 times per year.

• Present, sell and close business with customers via telephone conversations, web-enabled software, and electronic correspondence as frequently as necessary to surpass sales goals.

• Actively participate in forwarding potential leads for author signings to editors.

• Act as a role model for best practices in effective planning, organizing, and selling skills, and share techniques with sales colleagues at National Sales Meeting.

• Contribute in development of sales or product strategies to improve overall team performance.

Skills:

• Ability to plan, manage & develop successful territory strategic sales plan that will support sales individual sales quota.

• Ability to display strong telephone sales skills. Meet requirement of 40% of your time speaking with prospects on the telephone effectively selling Jones & Bartlett's product offering.

• Work independently to meet or exceed all activity standards and opportunity analysis ratios

• Demonstrate ability to manage large accounts effectively to maintain and grow business.

• Command an advanced level of product knowledge and demonstrate the ability to cross sell print or digital products throughout his/her assigned list.

• Budget for and manage travel, conference attendance and expense costs, as well as comp costs.

• Understand learning management systems, adaptive learning tools and competency-based learning solutions.

Abilities:

Professional Sales Skills

• Takes the initiative to create and develop an active sales pipeline to support territory growth.

• Implement a strategic sales plan for outlined sales territory maximizing prodcut penetration to achieve sales goal.

• Strong ability to sell client solutions and services and has the aptitude to overcome objections and win the business

• Exceptional ability to successfully sell over the phone or in person by engaging the client in respectful, meaningful dialogue.

• Possess a strong ability to present to current/prospective customers in person or in a webinar environment.

Business acumen

• Leverages sharp business acumen to develop opportunities & strategies for sales success

• Strategic Thinking - attuned to changing dynamics facing the organization and possess a general understanding of financials. Strong understanding of how an assigned territory effects the overall success of the company.

• Decision Making - displays strong ability at arriving at timely decisions by distilling key pieces of information, drawing sound conclusions, and considering the ramifications of alternative actions.

• Problem Solving Skills - uses a systematic process for isolating and understanding prospect and customer problems, needs and opportunities. Has an innate ability to think two steps ahead, gather necessary data and make a decision.

Professionalism

• Manages pressure effectively and copes well with setbacks

• Displays ability to problem solve - must be able to analyze thoughts and information and propose creative alternative solutions which meet the client's needs

• Ability to meet expectations and follow through on commitments; can hold self-accountable for results

• Results-oriented professional with strong work ethic.

Collaboration

• Team Player - Collaborates with internal and external resources to achieve goals.

• Ability to communicate effectively to internal stake holders to build a consensus around customer needs.

Required Candidate Experience & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree

• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve goals and meet deadlines.

• Excellent communication, organizational, time management and problem-solving skills.

• Career minded, driven and entrepreneurial individual who can work effectively alone and within a team environment.

• Demonstrated professional sales techniques and skills.

• Proficient knowledge of computers and applications including: CRM, WebEx, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the Internet.

• 3+ years of successful sales experience required.

• Valid driver's license and an ability to maintain business expense submissions for reimbursement.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

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