At Cision, we believe in empowering every individual to make an impact. Here, your voice is heard, your ideas are valued, and your unique perspective fuels our collective success. As part of our global team, you'll thrive in an environment that champions curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, all while making meaningful contributions to the brands we accelerate.
Join us in shaping the future of communication and building authentic connections that matter. Whether you're solving complex problems or driving bold innovations, your growth is our success, and together, we'll create the conversations of tomorrow.
Empower your impact at Cision. Be seen, be understood, be you.
About the Team
Cision's US Government & Public Sector team works with communications offices at every level of government, from federal agencies to state executive offices, city halls, and public universities. We help those teams monitor media and social conversation, reach the public, and measure what's working through CisionOne, Brandwatch, and PR Newswire. We're a small team, and each person has real ownership over their territory.
About the Role
The SLED Account Manager will own a portfolio of state, local, and higher education accounts across the East Coast. You'll be responsible for renewal performance, expansion ARR, and new logo growth within the territory.
This role suits someone who knows how state and local government buys, has relationships with public sector communicators, and can run a deal from first conversation through contract. You'll report to the VP of US Government & Public Sector and work closely with CX, Solutions, Marketing, and our federal sales team. Travel within the territory is expected.
What You'll Do
- Own and deliver expansion ARR quota and renewal performance across an assigned book of East Coast SLED accounts
- Develop and execute account plans focused on multi-product adoption and wallet share growth across CisionOne, Brandwatch, and PR Newswire
- Build a territory plan that balances existing customer growth with new logo pipeline
- Build relationships with communications directors, press secretaries, PIOs, agency leaders, and procurement stakeholders
- Lead deals through the full sales cycle, including RFPs, RFIs, cooperative purchasing vehicles, and sole source justifications
- Drive disciplined renewal strategy, negotiation, and retention execution, with attention to state and local fiscal year timing
- Identify commercial risk signals early and work with CX to address renewal exposure
- Maintain accurate revenue forecasting and pipeline discipline in Salesforce
- Track the SLED landscape, including budget cycles, policy shifts, and competitor activity, and share what you're hearing with leadership
- Represent Cision at industry events, customer briefings, and state and regional associations
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as required to support business needs
What You'll Bring
- Strong working knowledge of public sector sales and the SLED communications market
- Sound judgment on moderately complex deals, with the ability to weigh procurement, budget, and stakeholder variables
- Works independently toward territory goals with limited day to day oversight
- Comfortable representing Cision with senior government communicators and at industry events
- A customer first approach: you want to understand what a comms team is dealing with before you pitch anything
- The ability to think about the territory a year out and still get a renewal across the line this week
What You'll Offer
- Typical experience: 5+ years in a related role
- Actual experience may vary depending on role complexity, geography, and internal development opportunities or a comparable mix of training, education, and experience
- Experience selling technology, SaaS, data, or media solutions to state and local government or higher education
- Experience managing account portfolios with ARR responsibility and a track record of meeting or exceeding targets
- Hands-on experience with state procurement, including cooperative contracts (NASPO ValuePoint, Sourcewell, OMNIA) and formal RFP processes
- Strong negotiation skills, including pricing conversations and competitive displacement
- Existing relationships with SLED stakeholders on the East Coast
- Education: University degree preferred
Nice to have
Background in government communications, public affairs, or a PR agency
Familiarity with media monitoring, social listening, or press release distribution
Cision, Inc. "the Company" only communicates with candidates and extends job offers through direct channels, not third parties.
Skills Required
- Strong working knowledge of public sector sales and the state, local, and higher education communications market
- Experience selling technology, SaaS, data, or media solutions to state and local government or higher education
- Experience managing account portfolios with ARR responsibility and a record of meeting or exceeding targets
- Hands-on experience with state procurement, including cooperative contracts and formal RFP processes
- Strong negotiation skills, including pricing conversations and competitive displacement
- Existing relationships with state, local, and higher education stakeholders on the East Coast
- Ability to manage moderately complex deals independently with limited day-to-day oversight
- University degree
- Background in government communications, public affairs, or a PR agency
- Familiarity with media monitoring, social listening, or press release distribution
Cision Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cision and has not been reviewed or approved by Cision.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off and paid holidays, including days like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, are highlighted alongside flexible or unlimited PTO and volunteer time. Feedback suggests this breadth of leave and schedule flexibility meaningfully supports work–life balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Core medical, dental, and vision coverage are offered with FSA/HSA options, plus an EAP and dedicated mental‑health resources such as Headspace. Feedback suggests these health and wellbeing elements are a solid part of the total package.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) program is available at date of hire with traditional and Roth options administered via Fidelity, with employer matching and vesting described in plan materials. Feedback suggests this provides mainstream retirement support even if not described as market‑leading.
Cision Insights
What We Do
Cision is a leading global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision’s software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 4,800 employees with offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.
