Senior Strategic Accounts Director, Higher Education

Cengage Group; Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 77,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cengage, a global edtech leader, is seeking a Strategic Account Director for North America Higher Education Sales. You will own multi-year account plans, forecast revenue, negotiate with senior leaders, and drive CU/EA/IA program opportunities.

Collaborate across regions, Success, and Ops to align institutional goals with Cengage strategies. The role requires a BA/BS, 5+ years in high-level sales, and strong negotiation and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• BA or BS degree
• 5+ years of successful experience in educational or enterprise-level sales
• Proven ability to own and complete strategic account plans with long-term revenue accountability
• Strong background in high-level negotiations
• Strong analytical, written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Deep understanding of higher-education institutional financial and academic decision-making structures
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM platforms, preferably Salesforce

Responsibilities

• Lead complex contract negotiations with senior-level academic and administrative leaders.
• Own the overall account strategy and forecast for each institution within the assigned territory.
• Develop multi-year growth, retention, and expansion plans aligned with institutional priorities.
• Identify high-impact opportunities and align with customer objectives and ROI.
• Spearhead new business development through executive engagement and market research.
• Drive renewals, upsell, and expansion in partnership with Solutions Specialists.
• Articulate the value of Cengage products to support affordability, equity of access, student success.

Skills

Analytical skills

Written skills

Verbal skills

Presentation skills

Education

BA or BS degree

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Cengage, a global edtech leader, is seeking a Strategic Account Director for North America Higher Education Sales. You will own multi-year account plans, forecast revenue, negotiate with senior leaders, and drive CU/EA/IA program opportunities.

Collaborate across regions, Success, and Ops to align institutional goals with Cengage strategies. The role requires a BA/BS, 5+ years in high-level sales, and strong negotiation and analytical skills.