Account Executive - People

SAGE GROUP PLC; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Sage Group plc is seeking an Account Executive to drive new business across the UK and Ireland. You will own opportunities from discovery through to contract signature, building your own pipeline via targeted outreach, referrals, events and partnerships.

The role involves selling Sage People HR, Payroll, HCM and AI-enabled solutions with a focus on delivering measurable business outcomes. Collaborate with Marketing, SDRs and Solution Consultants to craft compelling business cases, navigate

Qualifications

• Proven track record in B2B SaaS or technology sales.
• Experience owning opportunities through full sales cycle.
• Ability to build own pipeline through outreach and referrals.
• Strong discovery and qualification skills (e.g. BANT, MEDDIC).
• Ability to engage and influence multiple stakeholders across levels.
• Experience developing business cases and communicating ROI.
• Strong negotiation skills and procurement navigation.
• Collaborative approach with SDRs, Marketing, Solution Consultants and partners.
• Experience selling HR, Payroll, HCM or ERP is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own and convert a qualified pipeline of new business opportunities across the UK and Ireland.
• Build and execute your own prospecting strategy with self-generated pipeline.
• Generate opportunities through direct outreach, social selling, events, referrals, partners and networks.
• Partner with Marketing and SDR teams to turn campaigns into sales opportunities.
• Lead consultative discovery conversations to understand business needs and buying process.
• Sell across the Sage People portfolio, including HR, Payroll and AI solutions.
• Lead demonstrations, proposals, and contract negotiations through to signature.
• Maintain high-quality opportunity data in Salesforce and ensure clean handovers to delivery.

Job description

• Own and convert a qualified pipeline of new business opportunities across the UK and Ireland.
• Build and execute your own prospecting strategy, with self-generated business expected to contribute around 15-20% of your annual quota.
• Generate opportunities through direct outreach, social selling, events, referrals, partners and your existing network.
• Partner closely with Marketing and SDR teams to turn campaigns and leads into high-quality sales opportunities.
• Lead consultative discovery conversations to understand a prospect's business needs, existing technology, priorities, budget and buying process.
• Build relationships with stakeholders across HR, Payroll, Finance, IT, Procurement and senior leadership.
• Develop compelling business cases that connect Sage People solutions with clear, measurable customer outcomes.
• Sell across the wider Sage People portfolio, including Sage People HCM, Sage People Payroll, Sage People with AI, Uptime and Sage People AI Academy powered by Uptime.
• Bring together Solution Consultants, product specialists, partners and delivery teams to create the right solution for each customer.
• Lead demonstrations, proposals, commercial negotiations, procurement processes and contract completion.
• Maintain strong commercial and pricing discipline throughout the sales process.
• Manage your pipeline and forecast accurately, with clear customer evidence, actions and next steps.
• Maintain high-quality opportunity data within Salesforce and use Copilot for Sales and other sales tools effectively.
• Provide a clear handover to delivery and customer teams, remaining engaged through go-live readiness to ensure a great customer experience., Success in this role isn't simply about closing the opportunities you're given. You'll be measured on your ability to create, develop and win new business.

That includes:

• New business bookings and customer wins
• Self-generated pipeline and revenue
• Pipeline creation and coverage
• Win rate and sales cycle
• Forecast accuracy
• Strong commercial outcomes

Why Sage People? This is an opportunity to join a collaborative sales environment with access to a broad portfolio of HR, Payroll and AI-enabled solutions. You'll have the freedom to develop your own new-business strategy while working alongside experienced colleagues across Sales, Marketing, Solutions Consulting and the wider Sage organisation.

If you're someone who enjoys building pipeline, creating value for customers and closing complex new-business opportunities, we'd love to hear from you.

Are you a driven SaaS sales professional who enjoys opening doors, solving complex customer challenges and taking opportunities all the way from first conversation to signed contract?

You'll be a commercially minded salesperson who is comfortable balancing prospecting and pipeline creation with complex, consultative deal management.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• A successful track record in B2B SaaS or technology new-business sales.
• Experience owning opportunities through the complete sales cycle, from discovery to contract signature.
• Confidence generating your own opportunities rather than relying entirely on inbound or SDR-generated pipeline.
• Strong discovery and qualification skills, with knowledge of methodologies such as BANT and MEDDIC.
• The ability to engage and influence multiple stakeholders at different levels of an organisation.
• Experience developing business cases and communicating commercial value and ROI.
• Strong negotiation skills and confidence navigating procurement and commercial discussions.
• The ability to manage multiple opportunities while maintaining accurate pipeline and forecast information.
• A collaborative approach, working effectively with SDRs, Marketing, Solution Consultants, product teams and partners.
• Experience selling HR, Payroll, HCM or ERP technology would be advantageous, but isn't essential.

We're looking for an Account Executive to join Sage People, focused exclusively on winning new customers across the UK

You'll take ownership of qualified opportunities from discovery through to solution development, commercial negotiation and contract signature. But this isn't a role where you'll simply wait for leads to land. You'll also build your own pipeline, develop relationships with prospective customers and create new opportunities through targeted outreach, referrals, events, partners and your professional network. Selling across the Sage People portfolio, you'll work with customers to understand their HR and Payroll challenges and bring together the right solutions to deliver meaningful business outcomes.

Advert Working at Sage means you're supporting millions of small and mid-sized businesses globally with technology to work smarter and move faster. We build software that reduces busywork so customers can spend less time on admin and more time building their business. Our colleagues are high-performers who prioritise growth, make bold choices, and focus and galvanise to get things done. They work on meaningful, market-shaping initiatives that stretch their skills, sharpen their craft, and create real customer impact. Explore our culture and benefits: sage.com/careers/working-at-sage We celebrate individuality and welcome you to join us if you embrace all backgrounds, identities, beliefs, and ways of working. We're a Disability Confident employer - if you're applying through this scheme or need adjustments at any stage, contact [e-mail].