Large Market Direct Sales Executive, Investments, West

Vanguard; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard seeks a senior investment sales executive to drive growth by developing high-priority institutional relationships and closing complex opportunities across defined accounts. You will lead multi-year plans and coordinate with Investment Sales partners to deliver integrated solutions.

The role requires deep experience selling to sophisticated institutional buyers, including C-suite engagement, RFPs, and enterprise-level negotiations.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent; master's preferred.
• Ten or more years in financial services or institutional investment.
• Proven track record closing large institutional opportunities.
• Experience with C-suite and senior decision-makers.
• Series 7 and 63 licenses, or ability to obtain within 60 days.

Responsibilities

• Originates, develops, and closes complex opportunities across a defined portfolio of strategic accounts.
• Owns strategy and commercial development of assigned accounts with multi-year plans.
• Develops senior-level relationships with institutional buyers and decision-makers.
• Creates new opportunities and whitespace beyond inbound opportunities.
• Leads cross-functional collaboration to deliver integrated Vanguard solutions.
• Maintains pipeline quality, progression, and forecasting across the portfolio.

Skills

Executive relationship mgmt

Strategic account planning

Institutional sales

Negotiation & deal closing

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA / CFA preferred

CFA or similar credential preferred

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

To drive significant growth in Vanguard's institutional asset base by developing and converting Vanguard's highest-priority strategic relationships and whitespace opportunities.

Owns a defined portfolio of named strategic accounts and serves as the senior investment sales executive responsible for developing those relationships, identifying enterprise-level opportunities, and leading complex investment sales engagements. The portfolio may include large prospective relationships, underpenetrated institutional relationships with significant growth potential, and select large Vanguard recordkeeping relationships with low investment share of wallet.

The role builds senior and executive-level relationships and pursues opportunities across DC, DB, corporate and other institutional assets while coordinating closely with Key Account Consultant Sales, Consultant Relations, Recordkeeping Sales, and other Vanguard partners.

Core Responsibilities

• Achieves significant institutional investment sales goals by originating, developing, and closing complex opportunities across a defined portfolio of Vanguard's highest-priority strategic accounts.
• Owns the strategy and commercial development of assigned strategic accounts, establishing multi-year account plans designed to deepen relationships, create new opportunities, and increase Vanguard's institutional share of wallet.
• Develops senior and executive-level relationships with sophisticated institutional buyers and decision-makers, identifies their strategic priorities, and positions Vanguard's investment capabilities against complex organizational needs.
• Creates new opportunities and develops institutional whitespace, proactively building relationships and demand rather than relying primarily on established searches, RFPs, or inbound opportunities.
• Develops broad institutional relationships beyond a single retirement mandate, identifying opportunities across DC, DB, corporate and other institutional asset pools where Vanguard capabilities can address client needs.
• Leads complex institutional sales processes, including strategic prospecting, relationship development, RFI/RFP activity, searches, finals and negotiations through decision and implementation.
• Orchestrates Vanguard resources around strategic accounts, bringing together investment specialists, Consultant Relations, Key Account Consultant Sales, Recordkeeping Sales, relationship management, and other experts to deliver an integrated Vanguard approach.
• Maintains senior-level accountability for pipeline quality, progression and forecasting, including opportunity identification, qualification, next steps, barriers, and conversion strategy across the assigned portfolio.
• Provides leadership beyond the individual account portfolio, coaching aligned sales resources, sharing market and competitive intelligence, and helping raise the effectiveness of the broader Investment Sales organization.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. Master's degree, CFA, and/or other relevant advanced professional credentials preferred.
• Ten or more years of financial services or institutional investment experience, including substantial demonstrated success in institutional sales, business development or complex strategic relationship management.
• Proven record of developing and closing large, complex institutional investment opportunities and establishing new relationships with sophisticated institutional organizations.
• Demonstrated success establishing credibility and relationships with C-suite, investment committee and other senior institutional decision-makers.
• Extensive knowledge of institutional investment markets, retirement plans, investment products, and the competitive landscape.
• Strong understanding of mutual funds, CITs and broader institutional investment structures and capabilities.
• Proven ability to originate opportunities and develop business within long-cycle, complex institutional relationships.
• Exceptional executive presence, judgement, negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Advanced strategic account planning, opportunity management, and commercial execution capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead complex cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including the ability to coach and develop other sales professionals.
• Series 7 and 63 licenses, or ability to obtain within 60 days.

Special Factors

• Position based on the West Coast - either in Vanguard's Scottsdale, AZ office or based remotely in a major West Coast Metro (i.e. L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, etc.).
• Significant travel throughout the Western United States and broader travel as business needs require.

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission-we're on a mission. To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.