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- Tasks: Lead the EMEA sales team and drive digital transformation in education.
- Company: Join Cengage Group, a global leader in educational technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, remote work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of education and impact millions of learners worldwide.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in sales with experience in digital transformation.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse, inclusive culture that values innovation and collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
We believe in the power and joy of learning. At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.
Cengage Group's Higher Education business, Cengage, supports learning and student success by providing materials and digital solutions to faculty and students enrolled in two-year, four-year and vocational programs. We currently serve more than 10 million of the 18 million students in US higher ed. Setting a new standard of service for our customers, we deliver quality, easy-to-use course materials from textbooks and eBooks to courseware such as MindTap and WebAssign. We help instructors be better teachers, we help institutions solve problems and we empower students to leverage the power and joy of learning to transform lives.
Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discovery. Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work.
What you'll do here: Cengage International is undergoing a major transformation shifting from a holding-company structure to an integrated operating model while accelerating our transition from print to digital and scaling Cengage Learning Platforms (CLP). We are seeking a highly accomplished, strategic, and execution-focused leader to lead the full EMEA business. This role leads end-to-end commercial performance across Higher Education, Gale, and English Language Teaching (ELT), driving revenue, profitability, digital adoption, customer success, and operational excellence across a diverse and nuanced region.
- Key Responsibilities:
- P&L & Growth: Full ownership of revenue delivery, forecast accuracy, and commercial execution across EMEA
- Scale digital/CLP penetration and accelerate print-to-digital transition
- Lead regional planning, pipeline health, commercial governance, and pricing execution
- End-to-End GTM Leadership: Lead pre-sales, sales, channel partners/distributors, and customer success teams
- Build a high-performing, digitally ready sales organisation
- Drive enterprise-level execution rigour supported by RevOps and Enablement
- Strengthen distributor/partner governance, commercial rigour, and performance visibility across EMEA markets
- Customer & Market Leadership: Deep customer engagement across Higher Ed, Institutions, Ministries, and Channels
- Elevate customer lifetime value, retention, and expansion metrics
- Navigate diverse markets, languages, and regulatory environments
- Transformation & Operating Model Execution: Drive digital-first mentality, processes, metrics, and operating excellence
- Align EMEA to global GTM model, central playbooks, and operating principles
- Challenge status-quo and anchor continuous improvement and execution accountability
- Culture & Leadership: People-first leadership mentality; culture is the foundation of everything we build
- Inspire high-performing, diverse teams across countries, languages, and customer segments
- Instil a culture of ownership, accountability, and execution excellence
- Develop future leaders and build a strong leadership bench in-region
- Embed BOLD, customer-obsession, and digital-first thinking across the team
- Skills you will need here:
- Required: Proven leadership of $100M+ revenue across EMEA
- Built and led high-performing, multi-country Sales and Customer Success organisations
- Deep digital transformation experience
- Proven success transitioning traditional models to digital and SaaS-like models
- Experience working with partners/alliances/resellers
- Operates with high ownership and low supervision
- Evidence of building and scaling data-driven, accountable teams
- Demonstrated operational rigour across forecasting, pipeline health, and full-cycle sales execution
- Proven cross-functional collaborator with strong execution regimen
- Led second- and third-line teams across EMEA with deep understanding of market diversity, cultural nuances, and operating complexities
- Preferred: Background in EdTech, Learning, SaaS, or Education Services
- Experience in emerging markets, complex government sectors, and channel/distributor models
- Multi-product commercial leadership (solutions + content + platform)
- Leadership Attributes (Required):
- Customer-obsessed operator
- Challenges conventional thinking; drives transformation
- Leads digital-first transformation with clarity and conviction
- Strategic problem solver who owns execution personally
- Learns fast; adapts quickly to new environments and complexity
- Operates with high accountability and low supervision
- Inspires teams across cultures, languages, and markets
- Demonstrates strong executive presence and clear communication
- Data-driven and performance-oriented
Why Join: This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of education in one of the most dynamic global markets. You will join a bold, growth-focused leadership team building a high-performing global business, defining the future of digital learning for millions of learners.
About Cengage Group: Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.
Cengage Group is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of any classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws. Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including during our job application process. If you are an applicant with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in our job application process, please contact us at accommodations.ta@cengage.com.
Director, Sales - EMEA employer: Cengage
Contact Detail:
Cengage Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director, Sales - EMEA
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the education tech space, especially those who work at Cengage or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info on the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching Cengage's recent projects and initiatives. Show us that you’re not just interested in the role but also passionate about our mission to transform education.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to articulate how your experience aligns with leading a high-performing sales team and driving digital transformation. We want to hear your success stories!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Cengage.
We think you need these skills to ace Director, Sales - EMEA
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Director, Sales - EMEA role. Highlight your experience in leading high-performing sales teams and driving digital transformation. We want to see how your skills align with our mission of empowering learners!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about education and how you can contribute to our growth. Be sure to mention specific achievements that demonstrate your leadership and strategic problem-solving skills.
Showcase Your Cultural Awareness: Given the diverse markets we operate in, it's crucial to showcase your understanding of cultural nuances. Share examples of how you've successfully navigated different markets or worked with diverse teams in your application.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets into the right hands!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cengage
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Director of Sales, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of revenue delivery and P&L management. Brush up on your past achievements, especially those involving $100M+ revenue. Be ready to discuss specific figures and how you achieved them.
✨Showcase Digital Transformation Experience
This role requires a strong background in digital transformation. Prepare examples of how you've successfully transitioned traditional sales models to digital or SaaS-like frameworks. Highlight any innovative strategies you implemented that drove growth.
✨Cultural Awareness is Key
Given the diverse EMEA market, it's crucial to show your understanding of cultural nuances. Be prepared to discuss how you've navigated different markets and adapted your strategies accordingly. This will demonstrate your ability to lead across various regions.
✨Emphasise People-First Leadership
Cengage values a people-first mentality. Share your experiences in building high-performing teams and fostering an inclusive culture. Discuss how you inspire accountability and ownership within your teams, as this aligns with their leadership attributes.
