Account Executive - Higher Education

Data Direct Networks

$125K — $150K *
US-AnywhereRemote in California, US
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
  • 10+ years of enterprise technology sales experience, preferably within storage, infrastructure, or data solutions
  • Experience selling into Higher Education verticals
  • Proven track record of meeting or exceeding quota in complex, solution-based sales environments
  • Strong understanding of enterprise IT, data infrastructure, or AI/ML ecosystems
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive presentation skills
  • Ability to manage long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders

Responsibilities

  • Own and drive revenue growth within assigned Higher Education accounts and territory
  • Develop and execute strategic account plans targeting Higher Education customers
  • Identify, qualify, and close new business opportunities aligned with DDN's AI and data platform solutions
  • Build strong relationships with key stakeholders including CIOs, CTOs, data leaders, and engineering teams
  • Partner with pre-sales engineers and solution architects to deliver tailored solutions that address customer challenges
  • Lead complex sales cycles from prospecting through negotiation and close
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, product, and customer success teams to ensure successful customer outcomes
  • Maintain accurate pipeline management and forecasting within CRM systems

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance package
  • Retirement plan with company match
  • Generous paid time off policy
  • Opportunities for professional development and training
  • Flexible work schedule and remote work options
Full Job Description
In this role, you will cultivate strategic partnerships and hunt for new business to bring DDN's industry-leading AI and storage platforms to the Higher Education sector. This position is highly active, requiring 70% travel to engage directly with customers and drive regional growth.

Key Responsibilities
  • Own and drive revenue growth within assigned Higher Education accounts and territory
  • Develop and execute strategic account plans targeting Higher Education customers
  • Identify, qualify, and close new business opportunities aligned with DDN's AI and data platform solutions
  • Build strong relationships with key stakeholders including CIOs, CTOs, data leaders, and engineering teams
  • Partner with pre-sales engineers and solution architects to deliver tailored solutions that address customer challenges
  • Lead complex sales cycles from prospecting through negotiation and close
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, product, and customer success teams to ensure successful customer outcomes
  • Maintain accurate pipeline management and forecasting within CRM systems


Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
  • 10+ years of enterprise technology sales experience, preferably within storage, infrastructure, or data solutions
  • Experience selling into Higher Education verticals
  • Proven track record of meeting or exceeding quota in complex, solution-based sales environments
  • Strong understanding of enterprise IT, data infrastructure, or AI/ML ecosystems
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive presentation skills
  • Ability to manage long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with high-performance computing (HPC), AI infrastructure, or large-scale data environments
  • Existing relationships within US Higher Education accounts

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Data Direct Networks

More Education, Government & Non-Profit Jobs

Find similar Account Executive - Higher Education jobs: