Senior Account Executive (Higher Education)

Senior Account Executive – Higher Education

At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation.

Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive.

The Senior Account Executive – Higher Education role is a strategic sales position focused on driving technology adoption and business transformation across higher education sector. This role requires a deep understanding of how technology enables colleges/universities to achieve their missions and overcome operational challenges. It involves strategic planning and tactical execution of business opportunities within named or large key accounts of strategic importance to F5.

You will manage all facets of the relationship with assigned SLED accounts in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Connecticut, and maintain contact at relevant levels, and focus on the strategic nature of the relationship. You will build and manage relationships effectively, communicate across all levels, and develop opportunities across the F5 solution portfolio. This includes partnering with Systems Integrators, Service Providers, and regional VARs as needed. This is a quota-carrying, individual contributor role.

What will you do?

• Serve as the primary point-of-contact for major SLED accounts, regardless of geographic location.
• Maintain high-level executive relationships, focusing on strategic engagement and long-term value.
• Sell F5's products and services while growing and retaining named SLED accounts.
• Identify and qualify long- and short-term business opportunities; proactively address competitive threats.
• Prepare and deliver formal proposals and presentations to all levels, including executive leadership.
• Lead negotiations and coordinate complex decision-making processes to close sales effectively.
• Manage key partner relationships and facilitate strategic communication between F5, customers, and partners.
• Stay current on industry trends, technical developments, and government regulations affecting SLED markets.
• Understand customer business needs and communicate how F5 solutions address those needs.
• Research and develop lists of potential SLED customers; follow up on leads and close deals.
• Define market strategies and goals for each product and service within the SLED vertical.
• Lead account strategy and coordinate with sales support teams (inside sales, systems engineering, etc.).
• Ensure accurate sales forecasting and maintain Salesforce data regularly.
• Maintain detailed account profiles and organizational charts for quarterly review.
• Develop strategies for sustained account success and coordinate internal resources to meet goals.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to develop creative technical solutions for SLED customers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong negotiation, closing, and solution-selling skills.
• Advanced client interfacing and customer-focused approach.
• Proven ability to influence and build trust across complex matrix environments.
• Effective time management, pipeline development, and forecasting capabilities.
• Ability to work independently from a home office within the assigned territory.
• Specialized knowledge in networking products, preferably F5 solutions.
• Experience with internet-related software or systems.
• Familiarity with procurement processes and sales cycles in the public sector.

Qualifications

• Showcase at least 8+ years of direct major enterprise account management experience
• Holding a Bachelor's degree is preferred
• Adept at managing full lifecycle (Cloud, Cybersecurity and application support deployments), supporting cross-functional teams, and optimizing service performance across cloud platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to provide adoption and business transformation across state, local government, and education sector.

The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.

The annual base pay for this position is: $131,200.00 - $196,800.00

F5 maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, geographic locations, and market conditions, as well as to reflect F5's differing products, industries, and lines of business. The pay range referenced is as of the time of the job posting and is subject to change.

You may also be offered incentive compensation, bonus, restricted stock units, and benefits. More details about F5's benefits can be found at the following link: F5 reserves the right to change or terminate any benefit plan without notice.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of F5 to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, discipline, and termination. F5 offers a variety of reasonable accommodations for candidates. Requesting an accommodation is completely voluntary. F5 will assess the need for accommodations in the application process separately from those that may be needed to perform the job. Request by contacting View email address on click.appcast.io.