Director, Sales & RVP - Middle East

Director, Sales & RVP - Middle East

Remote – United Arab Emirates

The Opportunity: 
We’re looking for a Director, Sales & RVP to help us push the boundaries of what education can offer through the power of technology. Education is our passion, and our team members bring that to work each day as they aim to advance learning in every region of the world. Blackboard is the world's leading education technology company, providing dynamic products and services to the global education community. We’re focused on driving innovation in EdTech and working with our clients to create a smarter learning environment.    

At Blackboard, we believe in the power of a truly diverse and inclusive workforce. As we expand globally, we are committed to making diversity, inclusion, and belonging a foundational part of not only our hiring practices, but who we are as a company. 

For more information about Blackboard Inc. and our career opportunities, please visit www.blackboard.com.  

Blackboard’s Middle East market has a mature base of existing customers within Higher Education & Further Education, as well as within work-based learning and corporate organizations. UAE is the largest contributor to the EMEA region.

The business is currently oriented around a portfolio of solutions including LMS platforms, web conferencing, learner analytics, and associated strategic and functional services. These are sold individually in response to specific requirements and as more complex solutions. This creates an exciting environment for new business growth, with opportunities across sectors and application areas, coming from inbound and self-generated leads, referrals, and open tenders. We have identified a requirement to enhance our team with an individual to focus on leading the region, creating growth strategy, taking care of existing clients exploiting the new business potential across the Middle East.

Primary responsibilities will include:

• Meeting and exceeding set new sales quotas for designated territory while adhering to Blackboard's sales rules of engagement. Territory to be defined as a mix of geography, sectors, and opportunity types as the business dictates
• P&L responsibility for $10m+
• Talent development
• Team management
• Defining and executing territory sales plans
• Ensuring that prospecting is managed as part of a structured, targeted, and measurable process resulting in new prospects being added to the pipeline on a consistent basis
• Managing a sometimes complex, multi-platform solution sale with a 3 to 18 months purchasing cycle through the entire sales process. This includes taking an active role in PQQ, RFPs, and tender response processes
• Being able to identify, qualify, manage, and close individual sales on short timescales
• Continually learning about new products and improving selling skills. Attending training events throughout the year and participating in self-paced tutorial learning when appropriate
• Being well informed about current industry trends and being able to talk intelligently about the education and/or training industry
• Effectively using the sales force automation tool (Salesforce.com) to record, manage, and report on all aspects of sales activity and relationships with leads and opportunities, and to provide critical forecasting data to the company
• Preparing written presentations, reports, and price quotations
• Attending and participating in sales meetings, product seminars, and trade shows
• Maintaining accounts receivables in compliance with objectives
• Keeping abreast of competition, competitive issues, and products
• Effectively and efficiently working with internal resources at appropriate stages in the prospecting and sales cycle; starting initial targeting of prospects, through to final transition to ongoing account management
• Building and leading virtual teams from across the company, building a personal company network, and working within matrix teams
• Making and delivering solution-oriented presentations as well as product demonstrations as needed
• This role requires approximately 60-70% travel, mostly in the Middle East, with some international travel required

The Candidate:

Required skills/qualifications:

• University degree or equivalent qualification or experience
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in consultative selling in an enterprise/solution and/or technical sales environment
• Proven new business development 'hunting' experience with demonstrable consistent on/over quota achievement
• Strong knowledge of the Middle East education and/or training sector

• Experience operating within a fast paced, multi-disciplined virtual team
• Natural self-starter as the role will be based remotely from a suitable home office
• Proven ability to adapt quickly to evolving priorities and direction
• Highly developed relationship development and management skills
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English

Preferred skills/qualifications:

• Proficient in MS Office applications; ability to create structured documents, organize, and extract spreadsheet data, create engaging presentations, and work collaboratively online with others in these applications
• Knowledge of Technology Enhanced Learning
• Direct experience selling software and related technology solutions to Middle East education and/or training sector a strong advantage

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.     

Blackboard is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, protected military/veteran status, or any other legally protected factor.  

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