Job Description
Sales Manager, Academic (Symplectic Elements & Figshare)
Department: Sales
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: USA
About us
We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. Want to join us?
Your new role
The Sales Manager is responsible for managing and expanding our Figshare and Symplectic Elements business within the Americas. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of our products and services, excel in building strong customer relationships, and possess a proven track record in sales. This role involves pre-sales prospecting, conducting product presentations, closing deals, and collaborating with internal teams to meet and exceed new and upsell sales targets.
Please note - due to business need, we can only accept applications from candidates who reside in the US where we have an established legal entity.
If you apply from outside of this area, your application will not be considered.
Please be aware that we may close this position early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply promptly.
What you’ll be doing
Sales Prospecting and Lead Generation:
- Identify and locate potential customers or leads through research and targeting specific industries, regions, or demographics.
- Utilize prospecting techniques such as cold calling, email outreach, networking, and social selling to build a robust sales pipeline.
Product Demonstrations and Presentations:
- Offer product demonstrations and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the products represented.
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of the company's products or services, explaining features, benefits, and advantages.
- Address questions and objections effectively during presentations.
Client Relationship Management:
- Establish and nurture relationships with prospects and customers.
- Understand their needs and pain points, positioning products or services as effective solutions.
- Determine use cases and conduct tailored product presentations or demonstrations based on specific requirements (e.g., identifying if the prospect needs both Elements and Figshare or additional products like Dimensions).
- Identify, articulate, and communicate client challenges to internal Digital Science (DS) resources.
Sales Process Management:
- Lead new and upsell opportunities through all stages of the sales process.
- Negotiate terms, pricing, and contracts to find mutually agreeable solutions.
- Maintain accurate records of sales activities, prospects, and deals using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
RFP Contributions:
- Contribute to the completion of RFPs, including first-pass functional requirements.
- Collaborate effectively with the central RFP, product, and customer teams to ensure on-time delivery.
Market Analysis and Strategy:
- Monitor market trends and analyze competitor activities.
- Adjust sales strategies to align with agreed Go-To-Market (GTM) commercial/product strategy for the segment.
- Provide clear business cases to commercial management for consideration in future strategies.
- Support and contribute to the feedback loop by sharing insights from the field with marketing and product development teams to enhance products and marketing strategies.
Performance Targets:
- Meet or exceed assigned new and upsell sales targets (or quotas) as a key performance indicator.
- Stay informed and maintain a working knowledge of accounts' buying cycles and processes (e.g., procurement processes, budget cycles, and purchasing vehicles).
What you’ll bring to the role
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in sales, experience with SaaS models, CRIS/RIMS, and/or repositories is preferred
- Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets within a designated territory.
- Strong understanding of sales processes and customer relationship management.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to understand and explain technical products or services effectively.
- Proficiency with CRM systems and sales prospecting tools.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to monitor market trends.
- Self-motivated with a results-driven approach.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and contribute to RFPs.
- Knowledge of the accounts' buying cycles and procurement processes.
- Ability to travel as required to meet with clients and attend events, expected to be 25-40%.
Don't worry if you don't meet every qualification—let us be the judge! Studies show that many qualified candidates from under-represented groups hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage you to submit your application.
Living our Values
We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open, efficient and effective.
The talent we secure is fundamental to us achieving our vision and our growth plans. The values we live by are:
We are brave in the pursuit of better
We are collaborative and inclusive
We are always open-minded
We are from and for the community
At Digital Science, our vision is to see research flow seamlessly – trusted, collaborative, and accessible – fueling breakthroughs that push humanity forward. This ambitious mission is one we achieve together, by enabling open, collaborative, inclusive research.
We firmly believe that to truly innovate and solve the complex challenges faced by our customers, from researchers and universities to funders and publishers, we need diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. A rich mix of voices drives quality insights, fosters enhanced collaboration, and ultimately pushes knowledge forward more effectively.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to building and nurturing a workplace where every individual feels valued and belongs. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Beyond recruitment, we strive to cultivate an environment where inclusivity is woven into the fabric of our culture, enabling everyone to be their best self and do their best work.
