Field Sales Representative (Education)

Macmillan Learning; Roanoke (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Macmillan Learning is seeking a Field Sales Representative to build relationships with educators and institutions across the Virginia territory, with on-campus and virtual outreach. You’ll understand customer goals, identify opportunities, and recommend content, tools, and services that meet needs.

You’ll travel to campuses, conduct interviews, deliver materials, and manage CRM data while collaborating with editorial and sales teams.

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and as part of a sales team.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to thrive in a self-starting environment.
• Knowledge of and/or interest in working in an academic environment.
• Proficiency with computers and basic applications software.

Responsibilities

• Preplanning a daily schedule of sales calls on campus.
• Conducting interviews per sales training parameters.
• Delivering sales materials to campuses and bookstores.
• Managing CRM tool with customer information, contacts, and pipelines.
• Travel to assigned accounts ~35 hours per week for campus interviews.
• Sell Macmillan Learning products to 12–15 decision makers per campus daily.
• Submit sales tracking, sampling, and expense reports on time.
• Attend professional conferences and sales meetings.

Skills

Independent worker

Excellent communication

Academic environment knowledge

Computer proficiency

Valid driver’s license

Willingness to travel

Job description

At Macmillan Learning, we’re inspired by a shared purpose: to inspire what’s possible for every learner. We create research-grounded content, tools, and services that help educators and students succeed—and we’re always looking for new and better ways to support how people teach and learn.

That takes people who are curious, collaborative, and ready to turn ideas into action. Whether you’re bringing a fresh perspective, building something new, or finding a better way to do what already works, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the future of learning. If that sounds like work you’d be excited to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

As a Field Sales Representative, you’ll build relationships with educators and institutions throughout your territory, helping them discover Macmillan Learning solutions that can make a difference in their courses and for their students. You’ll take the time to understand each customer’s goals and challenges, identify opportunities, and recommend the content, tools, and services that best meet their needs.

You’ll connect with educators in the ways that work best for them, from on-campus meetings and faculty or committee presentations to virtual demonstrations, phone conversations, and email outreach. Along the way, you’ll become a trusted partner to your customers while growing Macmillan Learning’s presence across your assigned accounts.

This role covers the Virginia territory. Candidates located near Richmond, Roanoke, or Southwest Virginia are preferred.

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Preplanning a daily schedule of sales calls for each day on campus.
• Conducting interviews following all sales training parameters established by the immediate supervisor.
• Delivering appropriate sales materials on a timely basis (including complimentary books, marketing brochures, letters, software demos) as sales enhancements.
• Accomplishing required/requested servicing activities (including campus bookstores) for each of assigned accounts promptly.
• Actively and accurately manage company CRM tool. This includes, but is not limited to all customer information, contacts, sales opportunities, and pipelines.
• Responding promptly, either in writing, through email, or by phone to requests made by customers and/or by Macmillan Learning personnel.
• Travel to assigned accounts [approximately 35 hours/week] for the purpose of constructing personal sales interviews.
• Develop and execute selling techniques that enhance the ability to effectively promote Macmillan Learning Products [visiting 12-15 decision makers per campus per day.]
• Service customers within the assigned territories.
• Weekly telephone calls to and with assigned sales manager.
• Submission of required sales tracking, sampling, etc. Daily sampling and salesforce.com reporting.
• Submission of manuscript as requested/required by appropriate personnel.
• Submission of travel and entertainment expense reports on a timely basis.
• Ongoing reviews of new product (marketing) information by email.
• Provide feedback on market trends, market reaction to our books as well as competitors.
• Regularly submit required data or reports on a timely basis.
• Assist editorial activity as requested by appropriate personnel.
• Preplanning visits to each campus and for each day on that campus.
• Planning quarters/semester travel itineraries which increase sales production within the assigned territories.
• Organizing a home office in such a manner as to enhance their accessibility to customers.
• Organizing Company car in such a manner as to increase effectiveness both on campus and when they are away from their home office.
• Planning for the next day’s visit to a campus.
• Planning use of other company resources to further sales and company presence.
• Attend and take an active participation in professional conferences as well as sales meetings.
• Effective and timely allocation of sampling budgets (Sampling is the activity through which sales representatives select and deliver examination copies of books and media products).
• Effective use of travel and entertainment budgets to increase productivity throughout a sales territory and the sales year.
• Monitor operational expenses within your territory.

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to work independently as well as part of a sales team.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to thrive in a self-starting environment.
• A knowledge of and/or an interest in working in an academic environment.
• Proficiency with computers and basic applications software.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to travel, including willingness to work more than 40 hours per week when necessary (typically during fall and spring selling seasons.)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Passion for continuous learning and professional development, particularly in areas of sales innovation, technology adoption, and emerging market trends.
• Creativity in sales approach, utilizing data-driven insights, AI-powered tools, or new digital platforms to drive business growth.
• Demonstrates autonomy in identifying opportunities, taking initiative, and driving outcomes, even in ambiguous or high-pressure situations.
• Experience leveraging digital tools and CRM insights (e.g., Salesforce) to prioritize accounts, optimize travel planning, and improve pipeline efficiency.

Salary Range:

$60,000 - $75,000/year

Exemption Status:

Exempt

Physical Requirements:

Requires periods of close concentration, must be able to multi-task, must be able to walk up to 2 miles a day on campus, must be able to sit/stand for long periods at conventions, must be able to concentrate in noisy/busy environment, and must be able to travel more than 50% of the time, including ability to drive for periods from 2 to 5 hours, depending upon the territory involved. A valid driver’s license is required with daily travel within territory and frequent over-night trips. Attendance at national sales meetings and regional meetings is required (5 or more days). During the fall and spring selling seasons it is necessary to work more than 40 hours per week. During these seasons it is necessary to spend all day on campus and then complete paperwork, sampling, and expense reports in the evening.