At Cengage, our employees have a direct impact in helping learners around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.
The Global Sales Execution Lead is a senior individual contributor role that partners with the SVP of International Sales to elevate global sales execution by driving digital readiness, improving deal quality, accelerating pipeline velocity, and strengthening quarter-by-quarter operating rigor. This role embeds rigor, cadence, and follow‑through across regions to ensure strategy converts into predictable revenue, cash, and growth outcomes, while partnering closely with GTM Revenue Operations.
What you'll do here:- Drive global execution cadence: run weekly regional deal and execution reviews with clear actions, owners, and follow-through
- Elevate deal quality: lead deal clinics focused on win strategy, value articulation, decision path, pricing readiness, and close plans
- Accelerate pipeline velocity: identify stalled deals, carry out replacement pipeline subject area, and drive early risk mitigation
- Strengthen forecast confidence (in partnership with RevOps): challenge assumptions, surface risk early, and reinforce forecasting subject area
- Reinforce CRM rigor: ensure consistent SFDC usage, timely updates, and stage hygiene working closely with GTM RevOps.
- Own digital readiness & GTM execution: assess regional readiness for digital/CLP selling, identify execution gaps, and drive adoption of approved digital motions
- Lead quarter execution (Q and Q+1): run focused execution sprints during critical periods to improve starts, finishes, and predictability
- Remove execution blockers: coordinate cross-functional resolution across Finance, Legal, Marketing, Enablement, Operations, and Supply Chain
- Lead coverage & execution risk: identify capacity or leadership gaps and recommend interim execution solutions
- Act as SVP execution proxy: represent SVP priorities in regional forums, call out facts and risks, and ensure decisions translate into action
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Operations, or related field required; Master’s degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred but not required
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in lead Sales execution role or Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, or Commercial Strategy
- Proven experience operating at the enterprise or global level, partnering with senior sales leadership (VP/SVP/C-suite)
- Demonstrated success driving sales execution discipline, including forecasting, pipeline management, deal strategy, and operating cadence
- Strong background in complex, multi-region, or multi-product sales environments
- Experience leading deal reviews, pipeline inspection, and forecast calls with executive-level stakeholders
- Track record of improving pipeline velocity, deal quality, and forecasting accuracy
- Experience working cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Enablement, and Customer Success to remove execution barriers
- Experience driving CRM governance (Salesforce ideal) and ensuring data quality and process adoption
- Experience with digital selling, SaaS, or subscription models and related GTM motions
- Experience with quarterly business rhythms (QBRs, MBRs, sprints, close cycles) preferred
- Experience in global or matrixed organizations
- Familiarity with digital/CLP selling or digital revenue transformation
- Consulting background (e.g., management consulting, sales effectiveness consultancy) is a plus
Cengage is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of any classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws.
Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including during our job application process. If you are an applicant with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in our job application process, please contact us at [email protected].
About CengageCengage, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.
Compensation
At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards Philosophy.
The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location. Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.
In this position, you will be eligible to participate in the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program. This position's bonus target amount, which is not guaranteed and is dependent on individual performance and overall company results among other factors, is provided below.
20% Annual: Individual Target$100,000.00 - $150,000.00 USD
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Operations, or a related field
- At least 10 years of experience in sales execution, Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, or Commercial Strategy
- Experience operating at the enterprise or global level with senior sales leadership
- Experience driving sales execution discipline, forecasting, pipeline management, deal strategy, and operating cadence
- Experience in complex, multi-region, or multi-product sales environments
- Experience leading deal reviews, pipeline inspections, and forecast calls with executive stakeholders
- Track record of improving pipeline velocity, deal quality, and forecasting accuracy
- Cross-functional experience with Finance, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Enablement, and Customer Success
- Experience driving CRM governance and Salesforce data quality and process adoption
- Experience with digital selling, SaaS, subscription models, and related go-to-market motions
- Experience in global or matrixed organizations
- Master's degree, MBA, or equivalent
- Experience with quarterly business rhythms such as QBRs, MBRs, sprints, and close cycles
- Familiarity with digital or CLP selling and digital revenue transformation
- Consulting background, such as management consulting or sales effectiveness consulting
Cengage Group Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cengage Group and has not been reviewed or approved by Cengage Group.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid parental leave and company-designated wellness time off (including a year-end week off) stand out as notable time-away benefits. Flexible work positioning (virtual-first/remote-first) further increases the practical value of time-off and work-life support.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Workplace mental-health support appears to be a meaningful part of the rewards package, reinforced by external recognition for mental-health practices. Wellness-oriented programs and designated wellness days contribute additional lifestyle value beyond cash pay.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — Benefits and policies signal strong inclusion positioning, supported by external equality recognition. Family-related supports (e.g., fertility resources and parent support) also broaden who can benefit from the package.
Cengage Group Insights
What We Do
With more than 100 years of serving learners, Cengage Group is a global edtech company that enables student choice. No matter how, where, when or why someone wants to learn, our portfolio of education businesses supports all students, from middle school through graduate school and skills education, with quality content and technology. Collectively, our three business units – Cengage Academic, Cengage Work, and Cengage Select – help millions of students each year in more than 125 countries achieve their education and career goals and lead choice-filled lives. Visit us at www.cengagegroup.com
Why Work With Us
Our employee experience centers around a shared purpose: to help millions of learners achieve their dreams and improve their lives through education. Whether you want to make a difference in the world or start a fulfilling career in edtech, we focus on providing our employees with meaningful work while empowering them with resources to succeed.
