Senior Strategic Account Executive at Astound in Chicago, IL

Senior Strategic Account Executive Location: IL-West Bradley,Chicago A Day in the Life of the Senior Strategic Account Executive: The Sr. Strategic Account Executive – GEMS is responsible for driving revenue growth and long-term relationships within the Government, Education, Medical, and Strategic sectors. This role focuses on high-value, complex telecommunications solutions, including voice, data, cloud, and managed services, tailored to the unique needs of public and institutional clients. This role will also develop and execute account strategies for assigned existing customers to ensure Astound is delivering an exceptional customer experience in terms of network, service offerings, billing and care. Develop and execute strategic account plans for key GEMS clients. Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling services tailored to each vertical. Proactively call assigned customers to coordinate periodic business reviews as defined by customer. Build strong, long-term relationships with decision-makers, procurement teams, and technical stakeholders. Act as the single point of contact for assigned accounts. Actively manage upcoming contract expirations and track/report renewal success rate. Serve as the primary contact and key point of escalation for post-sale issues that arise and own communication to customer through final resolution. Consultatively sell complex solutions including fiber, wireless, IP networking, VoIP, unified communications, security, and cloud services. Lead the RFP/RFI process, ensuring competitive and compliant proposals. Negotiate contracts in alignment with client requirements and company policy. Review existing contracted services and ensure customer has copies of contracts, circuit ID’s and key personnel contact information for support departments within Astound (NOC, Billing and Care) Stay informed on GEMS sector trends, procurement cycles, funding mechanisms (e.g., E-Rate, government grants), and compliance requirements. Engage internal stakeholders and collaborate with sales representative to assist as needed for installation updates and general customer follow up. Provide periodic updates to leadership detailing best practice on customer experience initiatives needed to guarantee positive outcome for customer and Astound. Meet or exceed quarterly and annual sales targets, including new revenue, renewals, and retention KPIs. Quarterly and/or periodic travel within footprint for customer meetings. Other duties as assigned. What you bring to the table: Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in sales Minimum 10 year track record of success selling to large business with technical solution. 7+ years’ experience in systems selling, consultative sales techniques, and account planning including account profiling, account positioning strategy, customer needs analysis, sales opportunity development, service improvement planning, and long range account management strategies Deep understanding of Government, Education and/or Healthcare procurement processes Demonstrated success in telecommunications and internet sales to end-user customers, including strategic and large business customers and government accounts using relationship management and system sales concepts Ability to sell to C level executives within an organization Professional business acumen in funnel management and forecasting in a CRM environment Product knowledge of both switched and dedicated services, as well as associated end-user and carrier applications Salesforce or CRM experience preferred Operational understanding of telecommunications ordering, provisioning, and billing processes Working knowledge of general marketing principle tools and processes as well as reviewing complex legal documents; including master service agreements, service level agreements and non-disclosure agreements Skills necessary for decision making and maintaining customer retention Strong interpersonal skills Detail-oriented and highly organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. We're Proud to Offer a Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: 401k retirement plan, with employer match Insurance options including: medical, dental, vision, life and STD insurance Paid Time Off/Vacation: Starting at 80 hours per year, and increases based on tenure with the organization Floating Holiday: 40 hours per year Paid Holidays: 7 days per year Paid Sick Leave: Astound allows a number of paid sick hours per calendar year and varies based on state and/or local laws Tuition reimbursement program Employee discount program *Benefits listed above are for regular full-time position Base Salary: The base salary range in IL for this position is $105,000, plus opportunities for bonus, benefits and commission, if applicable. The base pay range represents the low and high end of the hiring range for this job. Actual pay will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, and capabilities. It is specific to Illinois and may not be applicable to other locations. Commissions at plan: Targeted commissions at full attainment are forty-two thousand annually. Our sales total compensation offers the potential for significant upside above targeted earnings for those who overachieve their sales targets. Our Mission Statement: * Take care of our customers * Take care of each other * Do what we say we are going to do * Have fun Astound is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we are dedicated to cultivating an inclusive workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered.  Discrimination of any kind has no place here.  We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. We strive to create a culture that celebrates our differences and promotes fairness and inclusivity in all aspects of our business. About Astound: Astound is a leading provider of internet, WiFi, mobile, and TV services, dedicated to connecting communities and empowering lives through innovative technology.  We also keep businesses connected with dependable fiber infrastructure and internet solutions backed by award-winning service, helping organizations thrive in an increasingly connected world. At the forefront of digital transformation, we continuously evolve our offerings to meet the dynamic needs of our customers—delivering reliable connectivity and groundbreaking digital experiences. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond infrastructure. We invest in our people through personalized training, coaching, and a supportive work environment that fosters growth and opportunity. Employees are empowered to represent a superior telecommunications company while making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. We offer a robust benefits package that includes rewards, recognition programs, and employee discounts—ensuring our team members are supported in both their professional and personal journeys. At Astound, we believe in creating astounding possibilities for everyone, everywhere.