Strategic Account Director; Remote

We believe in the power and joy of learning. At Cengage, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.

Cengage’s Higher Education business supports learning and student success by providing materials and digital solutions to faculty and students enrolled in two-year, four-year and vocational programs. We currently serve more than 10 million of the 18 million students in US higher ed. Setting a new standard of service for our customers, we deliver quality, easy-to-use course materials from textbooks and eBooks to courseware such as Mind Tap and Web Assign.

In the US, we offer Cengage Unlimited and Cengage Unlimited for Institutions. We help instructors be better teachers, we help institutions solve problems and we empower students to leverage the power and joy of learning to transform lives.

Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discovery. Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work.

We achieve these priorities through programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day.

As a key member of the Cengage North America Higher Education Sales Group, the Strategic Account Director serves as a senior, customer‑facing role with strategic accountability for account-level revenue and relationships. This role blends new business development with deep post‑sale ownership, focusing on long‑term partnership success, customer value realization, and sustained revenue growth across all accounts including Cengage Unlimited Institutional Access (CU), Equitable Access (EA), and Inclusive Access (IA) business models.

Operating as the point of strategic ownership for assigned accounts, the Strategic Account Director leads forecasting, multi‑year account planning, contract strategy, renewals, and expansion efforts while serving as a trusted advisor to senior academic and administrative stakeholders. The role collaborates closely with Regional District Managers, Specialists, Customer Success, Channel Partners, and cross‑functional internal teams to align institutional goals, data insights, and execution across complex customer environments.

• Southern California
• Arizona
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Kansas
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Mississippi
• Alabama
• Louisiana
• Arkansas
• Iowa
• Missouri
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island

Travel required to key customers for in‑person negotiations, on‑campus meetings, attendance at key conferences, and Cengage partner events. 35–50% travel encouraged.

• Lead complex contract negotiations with senior‑level academic and administrative leaders, including provosts, chief academic officers, finance, and procurement collaborators.
• Own the overall account strategy and forecast for each institution within the assigned territory. Develop multi‑year growth, retention, and expansion plans. Ensure they align with institutional priorities and Cengage business objectives.
• Strategically identify and capitalize on high‑impact institutional opportunities, ensuring alignment with customer objectives and improved student outcomes.
• Develop financial models and arguments that align Cengage Unlimited (CU) benefits with the institution’s specific budgetary and retention goals to demonstrate the return on investment.
• Spearhead new business development opportunities at an executive level through personal sales engagement, networking, market research, and targeted outreach.
• Drive institutional revenue growth and CU renewals by proactively managing renewal timelines and upsell,…