Cengage Group
Higher Education
StrategicAccountDirector
“Strategic Account Director at Cengage Group. Skills: Strategic account ownership, Revenue accountability, Customer relationship management, Sales strategy. Serves as a senior, customer‑facing role with strategic accountability for account-level revenue and relationships. Blends new business development with deep post‑sale ownership”
What You'll Achieve.
Account-level revenue; Sustained revenue growth; Customer value realization; Improved student outcomes; Demonstrate return on investment; Institutional revenue growth; CU renewals; Strengthen long-term outcomes
Industry & Context.
Analytical skills
Travel required to key customers for in-person negotiations, on-campus meetings, attendance at key conferences, and Cengage partner events 35–50% travel encouraged, Candidates must be based in one of the following areas: Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
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, background in high-level negotiations, 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
What You'll Do.
customer‑facing role with strategic accountability for account-level revenue and relationships
Blends new business development with deep post‑sale ownership
Focuses 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
Operates as the point of strategic ownership for assigned accounts
multi‑year account planning
and expansion efforts
Serves as a trusted advisor to senior academic and administrative stakeholders
Collaborates closely with Regional District Managers
and cross‑functional internal teams to align institutional goals
and execution across complex customer environments
Leads complex contract negotiations with senior‑level academic and administrative leaders
chief academic officers
and procurement collaborators
Owns the overall account strategy and forecast for each institution within the assigned territory
Develops multi‑year growth
Ensures alignment with institutional priorities and Cengage business objectives
Strategically identifies and capitalizes on high‑impact institutional opportunities
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
Spearheads new business development opportunities at an executive level through personal sales engagement
and targeted outreach
Drives institutional revenue growth and CU renewals by proactively managing renewal timelines and upsell
and conversion opportunities in partnership with Solutions Specialists
Clearly articulates the value proposition of Cengage products and services in support of institutional priorities such as affordability
and academic achievement
Owns IA/EA/CUI data management and analysis
leveraging enrollment
and adoption insights to inform account strategy
and guide decision‑making
Leads institutional change management efforts
navigating the cultural and political shifts required to move faculty and administration toward digital access models
Manages and deepens customer relationships through program kickoffs
executive‑level success reviews
and ongoing strategic engagement
Acts as a trusted strategic advisor to institutional collaborators
using data-driven insights to optimize programs and strengthen long-term outcomes
Partners closely with sales
and operations teams to ensure cohesive execution and accountability across institutional programs
Champions disciplined pipeline
and account management within CRM systems (Salesforce)
Exhibits thought leadership within the institutional sales process by positioning oneself as a subject‑matter authority on Cengage institutional business models and account strategy
Fosters 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
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Collaborates closely with Regional District Managers, Specialists, Customer Success, Channel Partners, and cross‑functional internal teams; Partners closely with sales, channel, customer success, marketing, and operations teams to ensure cohesive execution and accountability across institutional programs; Fosters collaborative, high‑trust relationships across internal teams to support seamless execution and customer satisfaction
Communication Scope
Written skills; Verbal skills; Presentation skills
Process & Methodology
Strategic account plans, Multi-year account planning, Program management
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