Strategic Account Director

Cision employs the brightest, most passionate people in the tech industry. We’d love for you to join our growing team We invest in our people through training and professional development while supporting you along the way—all so you can meet your career goals. To us, the most important measure of our success is yours.

The Strategic Account Director understands the scope and context of the client sales strategy and assume a lead role in supporting and driving growth in assigned accounts. This job collaborates with clients and internal stakeholders to plan, drive, execute, and report on sales performance analytics and successfully achieve projected sales targets for accounts of a small to medium market value.

**Key Accountabilities**:

- Develops, fosters and sustains high-level relationships to serve as a trusted consultant with client leaders and stakeholders. Manage to understand customers brands, competition and challenges, and anticipate changing business priorities to optimize and drive account growth.
- Grows the portfolio through proactive new business development and right-selling of appropriate service/products to agencies.
- Collaborates with internal stakeholder teams to analyze, mitigate and resolve agencies’ business and service challenges.
- Executes all phases of the sales process including presentations, proposals, contract negotiations, and final close.
- Monitors and tracks the efficient administrative processing of account management inclusive of but not limited to; partnering with internal support teams, crafting and negotiating agreements / service level agreements and renewals, and preparing overage reports.
- Orchestrates the ongoing monitoring and reporting of sales performance analytics in alignment to projected sales growth.
- Understands Cision’s evolving product and technology developments and proactively monitors industry trends and best practices to enhance overall service delivery and experience.
- Liaises with industry associations and actively networks for new business opportunities.
- Manage day-to-day sales development operations.

**Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in public relations, business administration, communications, marketing or a related field is required.
- Minimum of 3 - 5 years of experience in sales account management across multidiscipline industries is required, particularly pertaining to public relations or communications. Expertise within a global media distribution organization is a strong asset.
- Working knowledge and proven track record of success with SaaS sales and/or cloud methodology is required.
- Working knowledge and success attaining sales targets and building the sales pipeline.
- Working knowledge of Salesforce or similar CRM software coupled with reporting capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships, persuade and influence agencies, leaders and stakeholders.
- Comprehensive expertise and exposure to social media and digital marketing initiatives.
- Advanced analytical skills and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution.
- Advanced time management, attention to detail and organizational skills. Adaptable and flexible with an ability to respond to changing work priorities, pressure and demands.
- Advanced listening and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, a consensus and relationship builder with a collaborative leadership style.
- Stays abreast of the latest sales methodologies, tools, best practices and processes in the industry / marketplace.