📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Account Director (Remote)
🔹 Company: Guild
🔹 Location: United States (Remote)
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Sales
🔹 Date Posted: April 3, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Remote OK
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving net new business for Guild by engaging with senior-level executives at mid-enterprise companies.
- Managing the sales process end-to-end, employing various sales strategies to drive positive sales outcomes.
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the delivery of products and services that meet client requirements.
- Staying informed about industry trends, market dynamics, and competitors to maintain a competitive edge.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic approach to sales, with a focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with senior-level executives.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Engage with C-suite and VP level executives at mid-enterprise companies to generate new business and grow revenue through meetings and phone calls.
✅ Develop and progress pipeline through prospecting, including partnering with the Business Development Representative (BDR) and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) teams.
✅ Identify and research potential clients within the target market.
✅ Generate and qualify leads through various channels, such as cold calls, emails, and social media.
✅ Leverage pre-built strategic customer-facing presentations and proposals to cultivate champions within your accounts.
✅ Conduct initial client meetings and product demonstrations.
✅ Build rapport and maintain relationships with clients to understand their needs and challenges.
✅ Collaborate with the team to respond to client inquiries and provide information on products and services.
✅ Support the development and execution of strategic account plans to achieve revenue targets and growth objectives.
✅ Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure the delivery of products and services that meet client requirements.
✅ Assist in contract negotiations and manage contract agreements with clients.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong communication, presentation, and organizational skills, as well as the ability to manage complex sales cycles and build relationships with senior-level executives.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience: 3+ years of field sales experience in a closing role, with a focus on selling to HR decision-makers (preferred)
Required Skills:
- Proven track record of success in a sales role, with experience managing and closing complex sales cycles.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
- Ability to create urgency within accounts and with internal stakeholders.
- Strong strategic planning and account management skills.
- Familiarity with CRM software and sales enablement tools.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in a startup or similar fast-paced environment.
- Fluency in Spanish or another language relevant to the target market.
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience in a fast-paced sales environment and a proven track record of success in driving new business and managing complex sales cycles.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $125,000 - $149,100 per year, plus commission eligibility and stock options
Benefits:
- Access to low-cost, high-quality health care options through Cigna and Kaiser (due to coverage limitations, Kaiser is currently only available in CA & CO)
- Access to a 401k to help save for the future
- Open vacation policy for employees to rest and recharge
- 8 days of fully-paid sick leave, to take the time to heal and or recover
- Family-friendly benefits, including 12 weeks of parental leave for non-birthing parents and 18-20 weeks for birthing parents; 4-week ramp-up period for when employees return from a leave of 6 weeks or more; as well as employer-paid short-term and long-term disability, employer-sponsored life insurance, fertility and caregiving benefits.
- Well-rounded wellness benefits including free and low-cost mental health resources and financial wellbeing support services
- Education benefits and tuition assistance to help your future development and growth
- Stock options
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is standardized nationwide and will not vary by region. The compensation package includes a competitive base salary, commission eligibility, and stock options.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Higher Education, focusing on workforce development, career education, tuition assistance, and education-as-a-benefit solutions for employers.
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees, with a remote-friendly work culture.
Founded: 2015, in Denver, Colorado
Company Description:
- Guild is transforming how forward-thinking employers build talent to drive business innovation and growth.
- The company's Talent Advantage offers a range of transformative education and skilling experiences, supported by actionable talent insights for employers and personalized coaching for employees.
- Guild partners with the nation’s largest employers to unlock human potential and fuel organizational growth.
Company Specialties:
- Workforce Development
- Career Education
- Tuition Assistance
- Education-as-a-Benefit
- and Technology
Company Website: Guild Education
ASSUMPTION: Guild is a rapidly growing company with a strong focus on employee development and a commitment to creating a positive impact on the workforce of the future.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-level to senior-level sales role, with opportunities for growth and advancement within the sales organization.
Reporting Structure: The Account Director will report directly to the Vice President of Sales or another senior sales leader within the organization.
Work Arrangement: This role is remote-friendly, with the ability to sit in any of the following 32 states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI and Washington D.C.
Growth Opportunities:
- Advancement to a Senior Account Director or other senior sales leadership roles.
- Expansion of territory or account base, leading to increased revenue responsibility.
- Cross-functional career growth opportunities, such as transitioning into a sales enablement, marketing, or product management role.
ASSUMPTION: The Account Director role offers a clear path for career growth and development within the sales organization, with opportunities for advancement and expansion of territory or account base.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Remote-friendly, with the ability to sit in any of the listed states.
Office Location(s): Guild's headquarters is in Denver, Colorado, but employees can sit in any of the 32 listed states.
Geographic Context:
- The United States, with a focus on mid-enterprise companies (10-40k US employees) in various industries.
- The role requires frequent communication with senior-level executives, often in different time zones.
- The ability to travel may be required for client meetings, industry events, or team-building activities.
Work Schedule: Full-time, with a flexible work-from-home arrangement. Guild offers an open vacation policy and 8 days of fully-paid sick leave.
ASSUMPTION: The remote-friendly work environment offers flexibility and work-life balance, with the ability to work from any of the listed states.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Initial phone or video screen with a member of the talent acquisition team.
- Subsequent interviews with the hiring manager and other team members, potentially including a sales role-play or case study presentation.
- Final interview with a senior leader within the sales organization.
- Background check and offer extension.
Key Assessment Areas:
- Sales skills and experience, with a focus on complex sales cycles and closing deals.
- Communication and presentation skills, with an emphasis on engaging with senior-level executives.
- Strategic thinking and planning, with the ability to develop and execute account plans.
- Cultural fit and alignment with Guild's values and mission.
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant sales experience and skills.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your sales experience and strategies.
- Research Guild's industry and competition to demonstrate your understanding of the market landscape.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to sales enablement, account planning, and pipeline development.
ATS Keywords: Sales, Account Director, Mid-Enterprise, C-Suite, VP, Prospecting, Closing, Complex Sales, Strategic Planning, Client Relationship Management, Pipeline Development
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's sales skills, experience, and cultural fit, with a strong emphasis on their ability to drive new business and manage complex sales cycles.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- CRM software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zoho CRM)
- Sales enablement tools (e.g., Showpad, Seismic, or Highspot)
- Video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, or Jira)
- Email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or HubSpot)
ASSUMPTION: The Account Director will be expected to leverage various sales tools and technologies to manage the sales process, engage with clients, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Nurture A Learner’s Mindset - using a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and development areas
- Build Shared Success - building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
- Be an Owner - holding self and others accountable to meet commitments
- Create Belonging - recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to our company
Work Style:
- Guild offers a remote-friendly work environment with a flexible work-from-home arrangement.
- The company values a strong work-life balance and offers an open vacation policy and 8 days of fully-paid sick leave.
- Guild fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture, with a focus on employee development and growth.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with senior-level executives?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully managed a complex sales cycle and closed a deal?
- How do you stay organized and manage your time effectively in a remote work environment?
ASSUMPTION: Guild values employees who are self-motivated, organized, and able to work effectively in a remote environment, while also being strong collaborators and team players.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- The role may require frequent communication with senior-level executives in different time zones, which can be challenging to manage effectively.
- The Account Director may need to balance multiple priorities and manage a large pipeline, which can be stressful and demanding at times.
- The role may require travel for client meetings, industry events, or team-building activities, which can disrupt work-life balance.
- The sales environment can be competitive and challenging, with a focus on driving new business and meeting revenue targets.
ASSUMPTION: The Account Director role can be demanding and challenging at times, but it also offers significant opportunities for career growth and development within the sales organization.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other sales roles, the Account Director role focuses more on strategic account planning and relationship-building with senior-level executives.
- Unlike other sales roles, the Account Director role may require less focus on transactional sales and more emphasis on long-term account development.
- Career paths for Account Directors may differ from those in other sales roles, with opportunities for advancement into senior sales leadership roles or cross-functional career growth.
ASSUMPTION: The Account Director role offers a unique blend of strategic sales, account management, and relationship-building skills, with a focus on driving long-term account growth and development.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a strategic account plan for a mid-enterprise company, including identifying key decision-makers, understanding their needs and challenges, and tailoring Guild's offerings to meet their specific requirements.
- Managing a complex sales cycle for a high-value account, including coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure the delivery of products and services that meet the client's needs.
- Conducting market research to identify new opportunities for Guild's education and skilling solutions, and developing targeted sales strategies to capitalize on these opportunities.
ASSUMPTION: The Account Director role offers a wide range of projects and initiatives, with a focus on strategic account planning, relationship-building, and driving new business growth.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the typical sales cycle for a mid-enterprise account, and how the Account Director role fits into this process?
- How does Guild support its Account Directors in managing complex sales cycles and building relationships with senior-level executives?
- What opportunities are there for career growth and development within the sales organization, and how does Guild support its employees in pursuing these opportunities?
- How does Guild measure the success of its Account Directors, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to track progress?
- Can you provide an example of a time when Guild successfully expanded its offerings or entered a new market, and how the Account Director role contributed to this growth?
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will provide an opportunity for candidates to learn more about the Account Director role, Guild's sales organization, and the company's growth and development opportunities.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the Guild Careers page
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant sales experience and skills, with a focus on complex sales cycles, closing deals, and strategic account planning.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your sales experience and strategies, as well as your approach to relationship-building and account management.
- Research Guild's industry and competition to demonstrate your understanding of the market landscape and the company's unique value proposition.
- Follow up with the hiring manager or talent acquisition team one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the role.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
