Specialist, Sales

The Specialist, Sales is the primary consultant and sales territory owner who embodies the consultative sales model to drive revenue. Specialist, Sales representatives are looked to as thought leaders within Pearson’s School Assessment organization. They are well versed in School Assessment product offerings, beyond basic features and benefits, and work closely with customers to determine optimal solutions to meet customer needs.

Specialists will use their professional knowledge of the market, gained from extensive formal education and/or field experiences, to identify and sell solutions that address the problems that customers are trying to solve (i.e., provide intervention/treatment through accurate diagnosis and intervention).

Specialists are expected to deliver pre-sales consultation support in assigned geographic areas to help guide customers through the decision-making process. The primary goal for this role is to help the School Assessment division achieve quota by expanding and uncovering new sales opportunities, providing content and practice-based consultation, and support to customers at multiple points in their journey with Pearson School Assessment.

This is a quota carrying and territory management position. The successful candidate will be self-directed and focused on the achievement of revenue goals.

• Meet or exceed assigned sales quota

• Sustain a strong level of knowledge about Pearson District Sales product and services through self-study, collaboration, and scheduled trainings

• Uphold a strong understanding of the Education K-12 vertical, competitive offerings, industry, and assigned territory

• Responsible for creation of a strategic business development plan that outlines the level of activity needed to meet territory objectives

• Stay current and informed in federal, state, and local funding options.

• Maintain accurate information and activity tracking in CRM (Salesforce)

• Produce accurate and timely forecasts as required by management

Moreover, a Specialist, Sales must be able to:

• Identify and develop new acquisition sales opportunities within assigned territory through networking, business development efforts, and provide content and practice-related pre-sales support to customers in assigned market.

• Responsible for identifying new prospects, setting up strategic customer meetings, and closings sales within assigned territory

• Prepare sales and pipeline reports showing secured sales, potential sales, and sales opportunity areas implementing the use of strategic sales analytics in assigned accounts

• Responsible for increasing sales in accounts with long-term customer relationships within assigned territory

• Responsible for identifying prospects, setting up strategic customer meetings, and closings sales within assigned territory.

• Seeks to build multiple relationships within a customer account to expand sales

• Effectively navigates multiple steps in the sales process with multiple decision makers demonstrating the ability to influence high level decision makers

• Ability to successfully move opportunities through the sales cycle, negotiate and close sales

• Conduct sales and other professional presentations with assigned customers/accounts and professional organizations

• Participate in developing and delivering the School's Assessment national webinars as part of our marketing and thought-leadership activities

• Participate in the RFP process

Specialists need to be able to complete a significant portion of work independently. A successful Specialist must also be able to articulate (and use effectively in presentations) the professional and market trends pertaining to assessment in assigned areas (i.e., Special Education qualifying, attitude toward cognitive assessment, etc.).

Due to the significant customer contact demands associated with this position, Specialists must possess strong organizational skills and a broad understanding of many assessment tools so that they are able to respond customer needs appropriately and in a timely manner. The ability to shift focus quickly and be responsive to customer inquiries during live sessions is essential.