Senior Account Executive - Higher Education & Public Sector

Union Office Interiors; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Union Office Interiors in Boston seeks a seasoned Business Development professional to grow education and public sector accounts across New England. You will identify opportunities, manage a 12–24 month pipeline, and handle bids and RFQs while building strong relationships with facilities directors and procurement officers.

Responsibilities include presenting solutions, collaborating with design to develop space plans, and guiding proposals from discovery through post-installation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of B2B sales experience in contract furniture, commercial interiors, or related industry
• Experience selling into higher education, K-12, state/local government, or institutional/public sector accounts
• Familiarity with cooperative purchasing vehicles and how institutional buyers use them
• Knowledge of formal procurement processes: RFPs, RFQs, bid submissions, and contract compliance requirements
• Strong relationship-building skills with institutional procurement officers and administrators
• Self-directed with strong organizational skills; long-cycle pipeline management
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Interior Design, or related field preferred

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop new education/public sector opportunities within K-12, higher education, state/local government, and other public sector accounts in New England
• Build and manage a structured 12–24 month sales pipeline with accurate CRM forecasting
• Respond to, complete, and track bids, RFPs, RFQs submitted to government and educational agencies
• Attend industry events and campus planning forums to build pipeline and visibility
• Serve as primary UOI contact for education and public sector accounts across the project lifecycle
• Develop relationships with facilities directors, procurement officers, and academic administrators
• Understand procurement constraints and structure proposals accordingly
• Conduct site visits and discovery meetings to tailor solutions
• Manage and expand relationships within installed accounts
• Lead client presentations and furniture demonstrations
• Partner with design team to develop space plans and finish packages
• Develop project proposals, budget estimates, and product narratives
• Stay current on Allsteel/HNI products for education/government environments
• Monitor competitor activity and contract vehicles in the region
• Collaborate with project management and operations to ensure delivery and sign-off
• Coordinate with teams on quotes, orders, and acknowledgments
• Provide timely information for smooth order execution
• Participate in sales meetings and pipeline reviews

Skills

B2B sales

CRM proficiency

Relationship building

Negotiation

Sales forecasting

Account management

Presentation skills

Strategic selling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing/Interior Design

Tools

CRM tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Union Office (UOI) is a Boston-based commercial furniture dealership with longstanding alignment with Allsteel/HNI — one of the most comprehensive and competitive product portfolios for institutional buyers. We serve the full New England market across corporate, life sciences, education, healthcare, and government sectors, delivering end-to-end workplace solutions from programming through installation.

The education and public sector markets represent a significant and growing opportunity for UOI. With Allsteel/HNI's robust cooperative purchasing contract access — we are positioned to move fast with institutional buyers who need compliant, competitive paths to quality solutions.

What You'll Do

Business Development & Pipeline Management

• Identify, qualify, and develop new business opportunities within K-12, higher education, state/local government, and other public sector institutions across New England
• Build and manage a structured sales pipeline with 12-24 month opportunity horizons; maintain accurate forecasting in CRM
• Respond to, complete, and track formal bids, RFPs, and RFQs submitted to government and educational agencies
• Attend relevant industry events, association meetings and campus planning forums to build pipeline and visibility

Client Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary UOI contact for assigned education and public sector accounts across the full project lifecycle — from initial discovery through post-installation follow-up
• Build and maintain relationships with key institutional decision-makers: facilities directors, VP of Administration, procurement officers, department heads, campus planners, and A&D firms serving the education sector
• Understand the unique procurement constraints, budget cycles, and approval structures of institutional buyers; structure proposals accordingly
• Conduct site visits, space assessments, and discovery meetings to understand client needs before presenting solutions
• Manage existing institutional relationships and identify expansion opportunities within installed accounts

Consultative Selling & Solution Development

• Lead client presentations and furniture solution demonstrations; translate complex product capabilities into client outcomes
• Partner with UOI's design team to develop space plans, specifications, and finish packages that meet institutional budget and performance requirements
• Develop and present project proposals, budgetary estimates, and product narratives tailored to institutional audiences
• Maintain current knowledge of Allsteel/HNI product lines relevant to education and government environments — including collaborative furniture, flexible classroom solutions, private office, lounge, and outdoor systems
• Stay current on competitor activity, pricing, and contract vehicles used by peer dealerships in the region

Internal Collaboration & Execution

• Work closely with project management and operations to ensure seamless delivery, installation, and client sign-off on all projects
• Coordinate with internal teams on quote generation, order entry, and acknowledgment tracking
• Provide accurate, timely information to the team to ensure smooth order execution and client communication
• Participate in regular sales team meetings, pipeline reviews, and manufacturer rep engagement sessions

What You Bring

Required

• 5+ years of B2B sales experience; contract furniture, commercial interiors, or related industry required
• Demonstrated experience selling into higher education, K-12, state/local government, or other institutional/public sector accounts
• Working knowledge of cooperative purchasing vehicles and how institutional buyers use them
• Familiarity with formal procurement processes: RFPs, RFQs, bid submissions, and contract compliance requirements
• Strong relationship-building skills; proven ability to cultivate trust with institutional procurement officers, facilities directors, and academic administrators
• Self-directed with strong organizational skills; able to manage a long-cycle pipeline across many accounts simultaneously
• Proficiency in CRM tools and Microsoft Office Suite
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Interior Design, or related field preferred

Compensation

• Compensation is negotiated individually and structured to reflect the candidate's experience, existing institutional relationships, and market coverage. First-year total compensation includes a base salary guarantee.