Any US Location (Home Based)
Northwest Evaluation Association
NWEA is seeking a Senior Account Executive for our Partner Accounts - State and Government Partnerships team. This is a full-time, remote, home-based position with multiple regions in the U.S. open for consideration, including the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast region. We search for people who demonstrate a passion for their work and who can contribute to our continuing success and growth. In return, NWEA offers a generous benefits program and provides challenging and exciting work opportunities. Qualified candidates will have a strong understanding of K12 interim and state assessment products and ideally will have worked with decision makers regarding assessment solutions at State Departments of Education. Founded by educators nearly 40 years ago, Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is a global not-for-profit educational services organization known for our flagship interim assessment, Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®). More than 7,600 partners in U.S. schools, school districts, education agencies, and international schools trust us to offer pre-kindergarten through grade 12 assessments that accurately measure student growth and learning needs, professional development that fosters educators’ ability to accelerate student learning, and research that supports assessment validity and data interpretation. To better inform instruction and maximize every learner’s academic growth, educators currently use NWEA assessments with nearly eight million students.
Position Summary
The Senior State Account Executive is the primary partner contact with responsibility for hands-on development and execution of NWEA sales relationships, results, and associated programs. The Senior State Account Executive ensures that goals and strategic objectives are met or exceeded and develops and maintains long-term supportive partner relationships with assigned state or federal education agency and local education agencies as applicable.
Responsibilities
• Develop and implement sales strategies, plans, and tactics for prospective and existing state and local accounts in alignment with the strategic direction of NWEA
• Manage partner relationships by creating, expanding and sustaining strong partnerships at the state, district, and building levels
• Assume responsibility for the success of each account for the full lifecycle of relationship
• In collaboration with the Director and the Marketing team, create individual account communications and contribute to general communication documents for partners and staff
• In conjunction with Director and related teams, negotiate partner deliverables and manage internal activities to ensure successful satisfaction of partner needs
• Develop revenue, expense, and sales budgets and objectives in consultation with Director
• Regularly communicate schedules, issues and proactive updates to partners and internal stakeholders
• Collaborate to define goals, scope and success metrics for new partnerships within established parameters consistent with the established account management practices of NWEA
• Manage partner accounts and vendor processes to maximize performance and consistency
• Ensure appropriate and accurate partner billing and financial administration
• Use market, partner, and competitive analysis to create win-win opportunities for partners and NWEA
• Provide input to and receive guidance from the Director and the Marketing team in order to maximize lead generation and Web support
• Employ conceptual and strategic selling practices in managing accounts
• Facilitate, as appropriate, partner participation in informing product strategies, design, timelines and development as requested by the Director and the Marketing and Product Development teams
• Complete timely reports and updates within NWEA’s established processes and CRM tools
• Provide consultative services to partners enabling them to achieve academic achievement and growth goals
• Participate and provide leadership as a results oriented member of the Partner Relations team
• Escalate critical issues to Director as needed
• Engage organizational resources, as appropriate and with Director guidance, to ensure partner success and satisfaction
• Employ appropriate interaction modes to ensure partner satisfaction, success, and goal attainment including face-to-face interactions, group sessions, Webinars, letters, emails, etc.
• Mentor any assigned State Account Executives
• Travel as required (up to 50%)
• Perform other clearly-defined duties as assigned to ensure the success of the team and the entire organization
Skills and Abilities
• Experience in targeting, developing and successfully enhancing partner relationships
• Proven track record of meeting and exceeding goals aligned with strategic sales forecasts
• Skilled in analyzing and translating complex partner requirements into NWEA’s business processes with capacity to seek counsel and work effectively cross-functionally resulting in sound business and relationship decisions
• Assist in defining and evaluating deliverables, parameters and language for partnership and vendor agreements and contracts
• Ensure performance to contract
• Monitor and ensure organizational compliance with federal, state, district, and building-level performance and reporting requirements
• Ability to gain acceptance of products and recommendations using constructive planning, presentation and persuasive skills in multiple relationships
• Strong leadership and interpersonal relationship skills for engagement at every level of the organization
• Strategic systems thinker and contributor
• Ability to set clear goals and priorities and to translate concepts into actionable objectives
• Consistently professional, diplomatic, tactful and respectful
• Self-motivated to establish personal rapport, build strong partnerships and genuine passion about NWEA’s mission and strategic goals
• Ability to recognize, manage and resolve conflict and to utilize creative tension to move teams toward solutions and positive outcomes
• Operate with the highest integrity
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills; can clearly articulate ideas and issues, ask questions for clarity and understanding and appreciation for diverse perspectives
• Enjoy prospecting and building a multitude of opportunities
• Skilled in strategic and consultative selling practices
Education and Experience
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of eight years of consultative/relationship sales account management; must have deep understanding of K12 assessment products with the ability to pursue strategic conversations with state level decision makers in the K12 assessment market
• Experience managing multiple partners with long sales cycles and a complex product or service offering; state or government agency account management experience preferred
• Solid experience using opportunity management software (CRM) such as salesforce.com
• Experience with NWEA assessments systems preferred
• Experience in Miller-Heiman strategic and consultative sales approaches preferred
• Experience in educational environment preferred
NWEA’s generous benefits package includes: 100% employer paid medical, dental and vision insurance for eligible employees; company-paid public transportation, indoor bicycle racks, and free on-site parking; convenient location near public transportation near the Pearl District in downtown Portland; additional monthly compensation in the form of flex pay; and a 15% annual employer contribution toward our 403b retirement plan. In addition, NWEA’s culture promotes work-life balance. Accordingly, we offer 4 weeks’ PTO in the first year, 5 weeks’ PTO after the first year anniversary, and 6 weeks’ PTO after the second year anniversary and in subsequent years. Our employees also enjoy flexible work schedules.
NWEA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and we do not discriminate against employees or job applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status or consideration protected by local, state and federal laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies. Equal opportunity applies to hiring, promotion, training, compensation, and any other organizational action. NWEA's written Affirmative Action Plan is available to all employees and job applicants upon request.