Capstone

Description

The Account Executive at Capstone is responsible for achieving and exceeding territory sales goals through strategic account planning, relationship development, and enterprise-level solution selling. This role serves as the primary owner of assigned territories, leading complex sales cycles, building executive-level customer relationships, and driving long-term revenue growth through new customer acquisition and expansion of existing accounts.

As the territory leader, the Account Executive develops and executes strategic sales plans, coordinates internal and external resources, and maintains accountability for overall territory performance. Working in partnership with an Inside Sales Representative, the Account Executive serves as the leader of the territory, providing strategic direction while collaborating to maximize customer coverage and revenue growth.

Our preference is for this role to be based out of either our North Mankato, MN or Eden Prairie, MN locations (hybrid work schedule of a minimum of 2 days per week in office). Fully remote work may be considered.

Why You'll Want To Join Capstone

Your work will directly impact an innovative company whose mission is to improve the educational experiences of children and the educators who serve them. Capstone is a fast-paced growth company committed to cultivating a love of reading and learning. We know that Learning is for Everyone.

For more than 30 years, Capstone has been a national leader in K-5 educational content including digital products (PebbleGo, PebbleGo Next, Capstone Interactive, Capstone Create) and award-winning books. We combine a passion for helping foster a powerful love of reading and learning with the talent to create amazing content. 

We are a mission-driven company that provides opportunities for professional learning and development and a culture of inclusion and belonging.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Territory Ownership & Strategic Planning

• Own and execute strategic territory and account plans designed to achieve sales and growth objectives.
• Maintain accountability for territory revenue, quota attainment, and overall business performance.
• Identify opportunities for new customer acquisition, expansion, cross-sell, and upsell growth.
• Develop long-term account strategies aligned to customer initiatives and organizational goals.
• Forecast sales opportunities and territory performance accurately.

Enterprise & Complex Sales

• Lead complex district and enterprise-level sales opportunities from prospecting through close.
• Navigate educational purchasing processes, procurement requirements, and funding sources.
• Engage executive sponsors, district leaders, administrators, and key stakeholders throughout the sales cycle.
• Develop customized solution strategies that align Capstone offerings with customer needs and strategic priorities.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and partnership agreements.

Relationship Management

• Build and maintain executive-level customer relationships.
• Establish credibility as a trusted advisor through industry expertise and consultative selling.
• Expand strategic partnerships within assigned territories.
• Cultivate relationships with key influencers and decision-makers across customer organizations.

Market Expertise & Business Development

• Maintain deep knowledge of K-12 education trends, legislation, funding, and purchasing practices.
• Stay informed on competitor activity, market developments, and emerging educational technology trends.
• Represent Capstone at conferences, trade shows, speaking engagements, and customer events.
• Build new partnerships and leverage internal experts to strengthen territory presence.

CRM & Sales Operations

• Maintain accurate customer and opportunity records within Salesforce and other systems.
• Document activities, contacts, pipeline status, and next steps.
• Support forecasting and pipeline reporting efforts.
• Follow established sales processes and best practices.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead account teams and collaborate effectively across departments.
• Contribute to sales strategy development, team initiatives, and organizational planning.
• Coordinate resources and stakeholders to support customer success and revenue growth.

Education, Experience, and Skills desired: 

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Business, Marketing, Education, or related field.
• 5-8+ years of successful sales experience, preferably within education or EdTech.
• Experience leading complex sales cycles and managing enterprise-level accounts.
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding sales quotas.
• Strategic account planning and territory management.
• Enterprise and consultative solution selling.
• Executive-level communication and relationship management.
• Strong negotiation and business acumen.
• Excellent forecasting and pipeline management skills.
• CRM proficiency (Salesforce preferred).
• Strong presentation and communication skills.
• Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with AI assistant tools preferred.

Travel Requirements

This position requires some travel - 10-30%.

Inclusion & Belonging

Capstone embraces equal opportunity and a culture of belonging for all employees and applicants. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All candidate information will be kept private according to EEO guidelines. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to hrservices@capstonepub.com.

The pay range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered surrounding compensation including but not limited to: skill sets, experience and training, work location, and other business and organizational needs. At Capstone, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role. This job title also spans more than one career level. A reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position is $60,000 - $90,000. This role is eligible for a sales commission plan, with the annual total on-target earnings (OTE) of base pay and commission in the range of $100,000 - $140,000. 

Pre-Employment Background Check Required

California Applicants: 

Applicants from California can access our California Privacy Notice here. 

Employment Authorization: 

At this time Capstone unfortunately cannot sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa. To be considered for one of our roles, applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.