Higher Education Executive Sales Specialist, Business & Economics (Central)

This ESS role partners with colleges and universities to identify customer needs, drive courseware and program adoption decisions, and deliver innovative learning solutions that improve learner outcomes and support institutional success.

The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of sales success, strategic selling capability, and the ability to build trusted relationships with educators and institutional stakeholders. 

This role requires a highly motivated, customer-focused individual who thrives in a dynamic environment, embraces data-driven selling, and is passionate about the evolving role of digital learning solutions in higher education.

It’s a hybrid sales role that combines virtual engagement and field-based selling. Candidates must reside within the territory they support (East/Central/West Region) and should expect frequent travel within their assigned geography.

What You’ll Do

Drive Strategic Sales Growth

• Meet or exceed weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales targets through the successful adoption of course-based and digital learning solutions within Business & Economics programs 
• Build, manage, and advance a strong pipeline of competitive opportunities using market intelligence, customer insights, and data-driven prioritization 
• Identify, develop, and close new business opportunities through a blend of in-person campus engagement and virtual selling strategies 
• Execute disciplined sales strategies and account plans that drive market share growth and long-term customer value 

Build Strong Customer Partnerships

• Develop trusted relationships with instructors, department leaders, and institutional decision-makers by understanding their goals, challenges, and evolving instructional needs 
• Deliver compelling presentations, consultative recommendations, and tailored solutions that align Pearson offerings to customer objectives 
• Utilize effective selling techniques including pre-call planning, strategic questioning, and opportunity management to advance deals successfully through the sales pipeline 
• Represent Pearson’s portfolio of learning solutions with strong product, platform, and market knowledge 

Collaborate and Execute with Excellence

• Partner closely with local teams and cross-functional stakeholders to strengthen pipeline development, customer engagement, and sales execution 
• Maintain disciplined pipeline management and accurate CRM reporting to support forecasting and business planning 
• Leverage sales tools, analytics platforms, and customer insights to improve efficiency, prioritization, and sales effectiveness 
• Contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team environment by sharing best practices and supporting team success 

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Achievement or exceedance of sales and competitive market share goals 
• Development and conversion of a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities 
• Effective customer engagement and strategic relationship building 
• Consistent sales execution and pipeline discipline 
• Strong collaboration across internal and external partners 

What You Bring

• 3+ years of successful sales experience with demonstrated ability to build, manage, and close a pipeline of opportunities, ideally with a focus on competitive share gain 
• Experience selling within the Business & Economics higher education market or related education services and solutions environments 
• Proven track record of achieving results in a fast-paced, goal-oriented sales environment 
• Strong consultative selling, relationship-building, and strategic account management skills 
• Demonstrated ability to identify customer needs and develop solutions that create value for customers and the business 
• High level of self-motivation, initiative, and accountability with an entrepreneurial mindset 
• Strong analytical and technology skills, including experience with CRM systems, virtual presentation platforms, sales analytics tools, and business systems such as Salesforce and Tableau 
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills 

Preferred Attributes

• Strategic and customer-focused mindset with strong business acumen 
• Strong learning agility and enthusiasm for digital learning solutions and evolving education technologies 
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable navigating change and ambiguity 
• Highly organized with strong time management and territory planning skills 
• Collaborative team player who contributes positively across cross-functional partnerships 

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $85,000- 115,000. This position is also eligible to participate in a Sales Incentive program. Actual compensation will vary based on experience, skills, and geographic location.