Field Account Executive - Education

Zones.•Dallas, TX

About The Position

Zones LLC is hiring a field-based, quota-carrying Field Account Executive to drive growth across education customers and the broader State, Local Government, and Education (SLED) market. The role develops strategic customer and partner relationships, expands existing accounts, acquires new customers, and positions Zones’ technology solutions and services to address public-sector organizations’ needs. The successful candidate understands SLED procurement, contracting vehicles, competitive solicitations, technology solutions, and the IT reseller and channel ecosystem. The role works closely with inside sales, solution architects, services teams, OEM partners, contract specialists, and leadership to develop account strategies that support revenue and gross-margin growth. The Field Account Executive manages education accounts and territory sales throughout the full sales cycle, from prospecting and discovery through proposal, negotiation, award, and close. The position involves regular travel within the assigned territory and requires maintaining an accurate pipeline and forecast while meeting assigned sales objectives. Zones is a global provider of end-to-end IT solutions, operating in more than 120 countries. Its offerings include Digital Workplace, Cloud & Data Center, Networking, Security, and Managed, Professional, and Staffing services. Zones describes its culture as collaborative, client-centric, technology-focused, and supportive of change and lifelong learning.

Requirements

At least 5 years of successful technology sales experience; experience in State, Local Government, K-12, or higher education is preferred.
Demonstrated experience carrying and achieving a sales quota.
Proven track record selling IT products, solutions, and/or services.
Strong understanding of SLED procurement processes and government buying cycles.
Experience selling through contracts, cooperative purchasing agreements, or other public-sector procurement vehicles.
Strong prospecting, relationship-development, negotiation, presentation, and closing skills.
Experience working with technology OEMs, distributors, and channel partners.
Ability to build relationships at technical and executive levels.
Strong CRM, forecasting, pipeline-management, and business-planning skills.
Ability to travel regularly throughout the assigned territory.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Information Technology, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
Existing relationships with SLED technology decision makers and procurement organizations.
Experience selling cybersecurity, networking, cloud, data center, end-user computing, managed services, or professional services.
Experience responding to or managing government RFP/RFQ opportunities.
Familiarity with state term contracts, cooperative purchasing agreements, NASPO ValuePoint, OMNIA Partners, Sourcewell, or similar procurement vehicles.
Experience developing strategic account plans and territory business plans.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute strategic account plans for assigned Education customers.
Build relationships with CIOs, CTOs, IT directors, procurement leaders, department heads, and other decision makers.
Identify opportunities to expand existing accounts and Zones’ share of wallet.
Prospect for and acquire new Education customers within the assigned territory.
Maintain a qualified opportunity pipeline sufficient to meet or exceed sales quotas.
Conduct customer meetings, business reviews, technology discussions, and executive engagements.
Develop long-term relationships that position Zones as a strategic technology partner.
Understand and navigate State, Local Government, K-12, and higher-education purchasing processes, procurement requirements, bids, RFPs/RFQs, cooperative contracts, master agreements, and other purchasing vehicles.
Identify upcoming solicitations and influence opportunities before formal procurement begins.
Use available procurement contracts and vehicles to facilitate customer purchases.
Coordinate with contracts and proposal teams on public-sector bids and opportunities.
Monitor public-sector technology priorities, budgets, fiscal-year deadlines, and procurement timelines.
Position Zones’ hardware, software, cloud, cybersecurity, networking, data center, collaboration, managed services, professional services, and lifecycle solutions.
Consult with customers to understand their business and technology challenges and partner with technical resources to develop suitable solutions within customer requirements and budgets.
Identify opportunities to expand transactional product purchases into solution and services engagements.
Develop executive presentations and business cases for proposed solutions.
Build relationships with technology manufacturers and channel partners; collaborate on account strategies, customer engagements, demonstrations, events, and opportunity development.
Leverage partner resources, funding, incentives, expertise, and capabilities to improve win rates and coordinate joint go-to-market strategies.
Achieve or exceed revenue and gross-margin objectives.
Maintain accurate forecasts and opportunity data in Zones’ CE system.
Manage opportunities through the full sales cycle and develop close plans for strategic opportunities.
Monitor competitors and differentiate Zones’ offerings.
Identify risks, obstacles, and stalled opportunities and develop recovery plans.
Maintain disciplined sales activity and pipeline-generation practices.