Senior Strategic Account Director, Higher Education Growth

Cengage Group; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cengage Group in Seattle seeks a Strategic Account Director to lead North America Higher Education accounts. You will own multi-year plans, forecast revenue, and drive renewals and expansion for CU, EA, and IA models.

You will negotiate contracts with senior academic leaders, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and leverage data insights to optimize programs and outcomes across institutions. Travel 35–50% is expected.

Qualifications

• BA or BS degree required.
• 5+ years in educational or enterprise sales.
• Proven ability to own strategic account plans.
• Strong background in high-level negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex contract negotiations with senior leaders (provosts, CAOs, finance, procurement).
• Own the overall account strategy and multi-year forecast for each institution.
• Strategically identify and capitalize on high-impact institutional opportunities.
• Develop financial models linking CU benefits to budgets and ROI.
• Spearhead new business development at executive level.
• Drive renewals, upsell, and expansion with cross-functional teams.
• Champion disciplined pipeline and account management in CRM systems (Salesforce).

Skills

Strategic account planning

High-level negotiations

Forecasting

CRM systems (Salesforce)

Analytical thinking

Education

BA or BS degree

Tools

Salesforce

CRM platforms

Microsoft Office

Job description

Cengage Group in Seattle seeks a Strategic Account Director to lead North America Higher Education accounts. You will own multi-year plans, forecast revenue, and drive renewals and expansion for CU, EA, and IA models.

You will negotiate contracts with senior academic leaders, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and leverage data insights to optimize programs and outcomes across institutions. Travel 35–50% is expected.