Job Overview:

Our client is looking for an Account Executive who enjoys finding opportunities, building relationships, and winning new business. Rather than a purely administrative or customer service role, this position requires actively researching prospective customers, identifying decision-makers, initiating outreach, generating interest in services, and converting leads into paying customers. In addition to driving new business development, you will take ownership of incoming sales inquiries, manage existing school relationships, coordinate customer onboarding, and collaborate across internal teams to ensure seamless service delivery.

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM UK time, including a one-hour unpaid break; Full-time role, 40 hours per week

Responsibilities:

• Proactive Sales and New Business Development: Research and identify potential customers (including UK primary schools, secondary schools, nurseries, academy trusts, independent schools, and education organizations) and decision-makers (headteachers, SENCOs, school business managers, trust leaders); build prospect lists; proactively contact leads via phone, personalized emails, and approved channels; arrange meetings and product demonstrations; follow up consistently to develop opportunities; re-engage inactive prospects; expand outreach within existing academy trusts; maintain a healthy sales pipeline; and work toward agreed activity, conversion, and revenue targets.
• Sales Enquiries, Quotations, and Closing Deals: Take ownership of the commercial email inbox and monitor inquiries across email, website, phone, and Zoho CRM; respond rapidly to new inbound inquiries (aiming for initial phone or email contact within 30 minutes during UK working hours and within one working day maximum); follow up on event/campaign leads within two working days; qualify customer needs, budget, and timescales; conduct online sales meetings and product demonstrations; issue accurate quotations and commercial proposals within two working days; follow up on outstanding proposals; handle objections professionally; identify cross-sell/upsell opportunities; verify service feasibility with Clinical and Operations teams; close deals through purchase orders and signed agreements; and escalate urgent opportunities or barriers to the COO.
• Account Management and Customer Relationships: Serve as a key commercial contact for existing school customers; conduct structured customer check-ins at least once per term; identify opportunities to introduce additional services or licenses; initiate contract renewal discussions at least 90 days before expiry; monitor and mitigate churn risks; resolve customer concerns with internal colleagues; and escalate significant complaints or commercial risks on the same working day.
• Customer Onboarding and Implementation: Coordinate new customer onboarding following confirmed sales; verify receipt of contracts, purchase orders, and client data; liaise with internal teams to configure service delivery and platform access (Bright Speech, OEPR, and Academy, where applicable); send welcome instructions; arrange introductory training sessions; verify customer activation; and manage the onboarding workflow through completion and handover.
• Internal Coordination and Business Support: Collaborate across Clinical, Operations, Administration, Finance, Marketing, and Customer Care teams to verify staffing capacity, implement new contracts, prepare service agreements and supplier registrations, coordinate invoicing requests with Finance, support marketing initiatives, and recommend workflow improvements.
• CRM Management and Sales Administration: Manage all leads, opportunities, calls, meetings, and emails daily in Zoho CRM with clear stages, values, closing dates, and next actions; follow up weekly on unsigned service agreements via Dropbox Sign; maintain accurate contract and renewal documentation; ensure no overdue CRM tasks remain unaddressed; adhere strictly to data security, confidentiality, and pricing/contract approval controls; and forward relevant tender opportunities to leadership on the same working day.
• Reporting and Performance Management: Deliver a concise weekly commercial performance report every Friday covering prospecting, leads, meetings, proposals, confirmed sales, and pipeline health; track progress against monthly and quarterly targets; highlight at-risk accounts; and participate in regular performance reviews with the COO.

Key Performance Expectations: Performance is reviewed during the first 30, 60, and 90 days and regularly thereafter across the following benchmarks:

• Proactive Prospecting & New Business: Maintain consistent outbound outreach, build a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities, and achieve agreed monthly and quarterly sales targets.
• Inbound Inquiry Response: Aim for initial contact within 30 minutes during UK working hours (100% within one working day), prioritizing prompt telephone outreach where numbers are available.
• Lead Follow-Up & Proposals: Follow up on campaign/exhibition leads within two working days and issue sales proposals within two working days of meetings.
• Onboarding & Account Management: Complete standard customer activation within five working days once prerequisites are met, conduct customer check-ins at least once per term, initiate renewal discussions at least 90 days prior to expiry, and follow up weekly on unsigned agreements (escalating items outstanding beyond 30 days).
• CRM, Coordination & Reporting: Maintain accurate daily CRM records, follow through on cross-functional actions, and submit a weekly commercial report every Friday.

Requirements:

• At least two years' experience in B2B sales, business development, outbound sales, or account management.
• Proven ability to identify potential customers, research organizations, locate key decision-makers, and develop new business opportunities.
• Confidence in making outbound cold calls, conducting online sales meetings, delivering product demonstrations, and closing deals.
• Excellent spoken and written English, with the ability to communicate professionally and persuasively with UK customers.
• Hands-on experience using CRM software to manage leads, opportunities, and follow-up activities.
• Strong organizational, time management, multitasking, and analytical skills with close attention to detail.
• Proactive, self-motivated, resilient, and commercially minded approach with the ability to work independently and collaborate across teams.
• Availability to work full-time aligned with UK business hours throughout the year, including transitions between Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and British Summer Time (BST).
• Reliable high-speed internet connection with suitable backup arrangements, quiet and professional home-working environment, and suitable computer equipment for online meetings and cloud-based business systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience selling to UK businesses, schools, or education organizations.
• Knowledge of the UK education system, including academy trusts, SENCOs, and school purchasing processes.
• Experience using Zoho CRM.
• Experience selling educational technology, subscriptions, software, or professional services.
• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Dropbox Sign, 3CX, and other business communication platforms.
• Experience supporting customer onboarding and contract renewals.

Independent Contractor Perks:

• Permanent work from home
• Immediate hiring
• Health Insurance Coverage for eligible locations

Note:

Please click the "Apply" button to complete your application, including the assessment questions, technical check, and voice recording. Your hourly pay rate will be established based on your performance in the application process; submissions with all requirements fulfilled will receive priority review.

One application, multiple possibilities: When you apply, our team reviews your background against all current openings, not just this one! If a different role fits your skills, we'll get in touch! We also encourage you to keep exploring our job board and apply directly to any position that excites you.