Strategic Accounts Manager - Project Nova in Oxford

The Manager is responsible for growing and driving the commercial and customer success of the Nova programme. This role focuses on long-term relationships with senior stakeholders to understand goals and challenges, and identify how Nova can unlock opportunities. The role emphasizes being the long-term trusted partner.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a portfolio of strategically important customers across the leisure, public sector, and enterprise markets.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior decision-makers, including C-Suite, Heads of Service, Directors, and Commercial Leads.
• Develop and maintain clear account plans that align customer objectives with Nova as a platform-level AI solution.
• Build pipeline and market penetration in targeted strategic accounts, within the leisure industry base.
• Identify and convert opportunities for upsell, cross-sell, and solution expansion across existing accounts.
• Forecast account revenue accurately and contribute to overall business growth targets.
• Deeply understand each customer's operational challenges and strategic priorities.
• Position Gladstone as a solution partner that connects insight into action, translates complexity into clarity and supports operational efficiency and improved customer experiences.
• Work closely with SLT to ensure customers achieve measurable value and benefit from the platform.
• Act as the voice of the customer internally, feeding insights into product development, service improvements, and roadmap planning for Nova.
• Collaborate with the wider Gladstone Sales, Marketing and Implementation teams to ensure joined-up account management.
• Manage contractual compliance, pricing discussions, and commercial risk within your account base.
• Ensure CRM data, account notes, and forecasts are accurate and up to date.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of account management processes and best practice.

Qualifications

• Proven experience growing and scaling AI platforms into sales with strategic accounts within the leisure and fitness industry.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience of contract negotiations, renewals, and long-term agreements.
• Ability to build credibility with senior stakeholders and influence at board or executive level.
• Experience working with complex organisations, ideally within public sector, leisure, health, or education.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical solutions in plain English.
• Experience within leisure management, SaaS platforms, or regulated/public sector environments.
• Familiarity with framework agreements and public sector procurement processes.
• Understanding of digital transformation challenges within membership-based or customer-facing services.
• Strategic thinker who can balance long-term relationships with commercial outcomes.
• Confident, professional, and consultative in approach.
• Organised, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple high-value accounts.
• Collaborative team player who puts customer success at the centre of decision-making.

Benefits

• Be part of a market-leading leisure management software provider with over 40 years of sector experience.
• Work with organisations that make a real difference to health, wellbeing, and communities across the UK.
• Backed by Jonas Software and Constellation Software, offering long-term stability, investment, and growth.
• A culture that values collaboration, innovation, and doing the right thing for customers.