We're looking for an experienced Associate Director of Inside Sales to lead our global Inside Sales team and shape the future of our renewals and retention strategy for small accounts.
In this pivotal role, you'll drive the transition to protective business models for our ebooks and journals portfolio, lead a high-performing team, and work collaboratively across commercial functions to develop innovative propositions for our smaller customer segment. This is an opportunity to maximize customer lifetime value while building strong relationships and leading transformational change in a critical revenue-driving function.
What You'll Be Doing:
Drive Renewals, Retention & Growth
Develop and implement proactive retention strategies to maximize renewal rates and minimize churn across our select ebooks and journals accounts.
Lead the strategic transition from traditional purchasing models to protective subscription models, ensuring seamless adoption and exceptional customer satisfaction.
Analyze renewal trends and regional variations to identify at‑risk accounts and deploy targeted intervention strategies.
Establish and monitor KPIs including renewal rates, retention percentages, upsell/cross‑sell success, and customer satisfaction scores.
Build strong relationships with key stakeholders and partner with the Director of Special Revenue to optimize third‑party management strategies.
Collaborate with Customer Success, Product, and Marketing teams to enhance customer experience and drive product adoption.
Identify market opportunities and co‑develop new propositions tailored to smaller customers and emerging business segments.
Lead & Develop Your Team
Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of inside sales representatives focused on renewals and account retention.
Foster a collaborative, results‑driven culture that prioritizes customer success and revenue preservation.
Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular coaching sessions, and provide ongoing development support.
Manage performance reviews, identify skill gaps, and implement targeted training programs.
Optimize team capacity planning, territory assignments, and workload distribution.
Optimize Sales Operations
Maintain accurate forecasting of renewal revenue and retention rates.
Provide regular reporting and strategic insights to senior leadership on performance, trends, and opportunities.
Leverage CRM systems to track customer interactions, renewal status, and pipeline health.
Partner with Sales Operations to continuously improve processes, tools, and workflows.
Extensive experience in inside sales, account management, or customer success roles, with a proven track record in a leadership position.
Proven track record managing renewals and retention in a B2B environment (academic publishing, information services, or SaaS preferred).
Demonstrated success driving retention and growth in the sub‑$20k account segment.
Experience transitioning customers to subscription or protective business models.
Strong background leading and developing high‑performing sales teams.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Deep understanding of renewal sales cycles, retention strategies, and customer lifecycle management
- Knowledge of academic publishing, library workflows, and institutional purchasing processes (highly desirable)
- Exceptional leadership and people management capabilities with proven ability to motivate and develop talent
- Data‑driven approach with strong analytical skills and experience using metrics to inform strategy
- Outstanding communication and negotiation skills with ability to influence at all levels
- Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred) and sales analytics tools
- Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment while managing multiple priorities
- Familiarity with ebooks and journals products, licensing models, and usage metrics
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
- Experience working with library customers or academic institutions
- Demonstrated success improving renewal rates and reducing customer attrition
- Background in change management related to business model transitions
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA a plus
Closing date Monday 19th October 2026
You must have the right to reside and work in the United Kingdom
Location: We believe that great things happen when people connect face‑to‑face. That's why we work in‑person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you're not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces - like at conference - you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely. The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. We ask that candidates live within a commutable distance of the Milton Park Abingdon office to ensure that as a balanced worker they can make it to our office location 3 days per week.
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Associate Director of Inside Sales in Abingdon employer: Informagroupplc
At Informagroupplc, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through continuous learning opportunities and the chance to work with cutting-edge AI technologies in a dynamic academic environment. Join us in our mission to drive meaningful change in the publishing industry while enjoying a supportive atmosphere that values your contributions.
