Job Summary:

As an individual contributor on the Enterprise Sales team, the Global Head of Association Strategy will help guide D2L’s association sales strategy and processes. The successful candidate will have an intimate understanding of the association marketplace, their challenges, objectives and business drivers. They will come directly from an associations background – either as market-facing executive within a prominent association, or from a technology vendor providing solutions to solve the business challenges of associations. An outstanding network of association executives is an excellent asset to be used in opening conversations with key decision-makers from the associations space. A CAE credential is a fantastic, but not mandatory, asset.

How You Will Make an Impact:

• Sales Strategy and Execution:
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy specifically tailored for the association industry, aligning with D2L's overall goals and objectives.
  • Identify target markets, define value propositions, to help the sales team execute sales plans, drive revenue growth, and achieve sales targets.
• Business Development:
  • Establish and nurture strategic partnerships with associations and other training organizations, leveraging relationships to drive sales and revenue growth.
  • Identify and pursue new business opportunities within the association industry.
  • Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospects through proactive executive-level lead generation, networking, and industry events.
• Market Analysis and Strategic Planning:
  • Stay abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape within the associations.
  • Conduct market research and analysis to identify growth opportunities, assess market potential, and develop strategic recommendations.
  • Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to refine the organization's value proposition and offerings.
• Relationship Management:
  • Cultivate strong relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders in the association and training organization
  • Act as a trusted advisor, understanding their needs and challenges, and positioning D2L’s solutions as valuable resources.
  • Maintain ongoing engagement and build long-term partnerships.
• Sales Team Enablement:
  • Collaborate with the sales leaders to provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to the sales team, specifically around how to solution the D2L offerings for the unique challenges of associations.
  • Develop training programs and provide professional development opportunities to enhance the team's skills and capabilities.
• Industry Networking and Thought Leadership:
  • Actively participate in industry events, conferences, to build the organization's presence and network within the association sector.
  • Establish yourself as a thought leader by speaking at industry conferences, contributing to publications, and sharing insights on industry trends and best practices.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with internal teams, including marketing, product development, demand generation, sales enablement, solutions engineering, and customer success, to align strategies and initiatives.
  • Provide input and insights to product development based on customer and market feedback.
  • Ensure effective communication and coordination to maximize sales and customer satisfaction.
• Revenue Forecasting and Reporting:
  • Develop revenue forecasts, track sales performance, and provide regular reports to senior management.
  • Analyze sales data, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations to optimize sales strategies and drive revenue growth.

What you'll bring to the role:

• Experience in the development and execution of sales strategies and tactical approaches that effectively target the association marketplace
• Comfortable with lead generation, and experience with business development for both inbound and outbound opportunities
• Analytical skills with experience reviewing market research and understanding the story behind sales data and trends
• Ability to build and manage strong relationships internally and externally
• Persuasive and confident with the ability to communicate across all levels, including having a strong executive presence
• Valued as a trusted advisor in the association market
• Experience supporting the enablement and development of a sales team
• Strong presentation skills including creating the presentation content whether this requires giving a presentation or sitting on a panel
• Skilled in written and verbal communication with stakeholders and for thought leadership
  • Comfort and/or experience writing blogs, writing copy for marketing materials, managing a podcast

Suggested Qualifications/Experience:

• Prior market-facing senior role in a professional association.
• Experience selling to associations while working in a corporate SaaS environment
• CAE credential is an asset