Strategic Account Director

We believe in the power and joy of learning At Cengage, our employees have a direct impact in helping learners 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.

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.

• 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
• Develops 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, expansion, and conversion opportunities in partnership with Solutions Specialists
• Clearly articulate the value proposition of Cengage products and services in support of institutional priorities such as affordability, equity of access, student persistence, and academic achievement.

• Own IA/EA/CUI data management and analysis, leveraging enrollment, usage, pricing, and adoption insights to inform account strategy, forecast performance, and guide decision-making
• Lead institutional change management efforts, navigating the cultural and political shifts required to move faculty and administration toward digital access models.
• Manage and deepen customer relationships through program kickoffs, onboarding support, executive-level success reviews, and ongoing strategic engagement
• Act as a trusted strategic advisor to institutional collaborators, using data-driven insights to optimize programs and strengthen long-term outcomes
• Partner closely with sales, channel, customer success, marketing, and operations teams to ensure cohesive execution and accountability across institutional programs
• Champion disciplined pipeline, opportunity, and account management within CRM systems (Salesforce)

• Exhibit thought leadership within the institutional sales process by positioning oneself as a subject-matter authority on Cengage institutional business models and account strategy
• Foster collaborative, high-trust relationships across internal teams to support seamless execution and customer satisfaction
• Serves as a critical market feedback loop, synthesizing executive-level insights and institutional trends to help Cengage leadership refine product strategy and business model.

• 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

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

Cengage is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and mos