Sales Account Executive, Custom

Macmillan Learning; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car allowance

Generous health benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Macmillan Learning is seeking a sales professional to acquire, negotiate, and sell custom published adoptions and original authored works across colleges and universities. The role involves on-campus visits, virtual meetings, conferences, and traveling within the territory.

Candidates should have a bachelor's degree and at least three years in higher education publishing, with strong presentations, strategic sales, and familiarity with digital learning tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 3 years in higher education publishing.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with sales management, reps, editors and marketing managers.
• Proven track record of initiating strategic shifts in sales planning or customer outreach models.
• Demonstrated ability to take strategic risks and drive innovative sales approaches.
• Experience strategizing on complex sales opportunities.
• Passion for emerging educational technologies and digital learning tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute selling techniques for Macmillan Learning Custom Solutions.
• Network with decision makers at key accounts (instructors, chairs, deans, procurement, designers).
• Bring advanced knowledge to win complex, high-value adoptions.
• Create sales materials and coordinate resources for sales and support.
• Handoff newly signed customers to Project Editors and support RFIs/RFPs.
• Meet annual sales goals and maintain CRM data, pricing, and forecasting.

Skills

Sales experience

Higher education publishing

Strategic sales

Presentation skills

Technical proficiency

Independent worker

Team collaboration

AI tools usage

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Overview

At Macmillan Learning, we're committed to driving innovation that transforms education. We seek team members who thrive on pushing boundaries, envisioning future possibilities, and building solutions that make a lasting impact. Whether you're a Pioneer shaping bold new ideas, a Builder turning possibilities into reality, or a Stabilizer optimizing for success, you'll play a vital role in advancing our mission. If you're excited by the prospect of testing new technologies, implementing transformative strategies, and thriving in a fast-paced, innovative environment, we'd love to hear from you!

This position will be responsible for acquiring, negotiating and selling custom published adoptions and original authored custom works from Macmillan Learning Curriculum Solutions. The representative will work with Macmillan Learning sales reps and Specialists across 2- and 4-year colleges and universities, as well as career colleges, to sell and close custom business through personal on-campus sales calls, virtual meetings, in-person conferences, and phone and email interactions with prospective customers. The position requires significant travel within its geographic region. The nature of our custom publishing business presents a unique selling challenge. This position requires a sales professional that can conduct a thorough needs analysis and development of custom solutions that meet customer needs in a way that is consistent with Macmillan Learning values and business aims.

This territory covers Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin. Candidates located within Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Kansas City, or Milwaukee are preferred.

Responsibilities

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Sales Activity

• Develop and execute selling techniques that effectively promote Macmillan Learning Custom Solutions by delivering sales presentations, campus visits, attending conferences and executing high impact events.
• Network with decision makers at key accounts, including Instructors, Lab Coordinators, Chairs, Deans, Procurement, Instructional Designers, Directors of Academic Programs and Digital Technology Executives.
• Bring advanced knowledge and strategic insight to help win complex, high-value adoptions.
• Create appropriate sales materials as needed, including follow-up messages, proposals, mock-ups, and samples.
• Work collaboratively with internal partners and coordinate resources for sales and support activities.
• Coordinate handoff of newly signed customers to Project Editors.
• Facilitate completion of RFIs and RFPs.
• Meet annual sales goals.

Reporting and Financial Analysis

• Update and maintain sales data and activity in CRM system.
• Create, analyze and customize profitable pricing solutions for custom products.
• Maintain and refine sales forecasting to provide real-time visibility into sales performance and projected KPIs.

Feedback and Market Intelligence

• Maintain and develop competitive knowledge and market awareness.
• Identify market opportunities and risks by conducting deep-dive strategic analysis on CRM data and customer behavior.
• Contribute to product development across the Macmillan Learning Custom Solutions group.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree.
• Minimum 3 years of Higher Education Publishing experience.
• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively with sales management, sales representatives, editors and marketing managers.
• Proven track record of initiating and championing strategic shifts in sales planning or customer outreach models, resulting in measurable improvements in performance or customer experience.
• Demonstrated ability to take strategic risks and drive innovative sales approaches.
• Experience strategizing on complex sales opportunities.
• Passion for emerging educational technologies and digital learning tools.
• Comfortable adapting to market changes; maintaining focus on long-term strategic outcomes.
• Presentation Skills.
• Technical Proficiency.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Higher education custom publishing experience.
• Demonstrated success launching or scaling new custom publishing projects, digital-first offerings, or hybrid solutions in competitive institutional environments.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging generative AI tools to draft customized proposals, RFP responses, pricing rationales, and follow-up communications more efficiently and strategically.
• Strong working knowledge of digital courseware platforms, LMS integrations, inclusive access models, and AI-enhanced learning tools.

Salary Range

$80,000 - $90,000 per year.

Exemption Status

Exempt

Physical Requirements

Requires periods of close concentration; must be able to multi-task; must be able to travel occasionally; work overtime - more than 40 hours a week - regularly, as needed.

Benefits

• Company Car Allowance
• Competitive pay and bonus plan
• Generous Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Contributions to your 401(k) retirement account through Fidelity
• Generous paid time off, sick time, floating holidays, and paid holidays (Spring Reset Day, Juneteenth, Indigenous People's Day, Election Day, and more)
• Employee Assistance Program, Education Assistance Program
• 100% employer-paid life and AD&D insurance
• And much more!

Macmillan Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. All candidates are encouraged to apply and diversity of experience is valued.