The posting
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.
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 is the global leader in consumer and media intelligence, engagement, and communication solutions. We equip PR and corporate communications, marketing, and social media professionals with the tools they need to excel in today's data driven world. Our deep expertise, exclusive data partnerships, and award-winning products, including CisionOne, Brandwatch, and PR Newswire, enable over 75,000 companies and organizations, including 84% of the Fortune 500, to see and be seen, understand and be understood by the audiences that matter most to them.
Cision is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees can be their authentic selves and perform at their best. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion is vital to driving our culture, sparking innovation and achieving long-term success. Cision is proud to have joined more than 600 companies in signing the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ pledge and named a “Top Diversity Employer” for 2021 by DiversityJobs.com.
Cision is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected statuses.
Cision is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, Cision will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected]
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