Account Manager Associate

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Account Manager Associate

Permanent

Salary Range: £52, 852 - £59, 527

Home Based – North London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire but subject to change - to be concentrated primarily around the London area.

Closing date - 11:59pm on the 21st May 2025.

Would you like to work for part of a charitable organisation that helps teachers and students to reach their potential?

Are you passionate about education and do you have a strong drive for success?

We’re looking for someone who combines commercial awareness with a understanding or deep interest of the education sector — someone who can confidently navigate the world of schools and colleges while building meaningful, long-lasting relationships that go beyond transactional sales.

What’s in it for me

• A 35-hour working week with 25 days annual leave, rising with service, with bank holidays and extra closure days around Christmas on top
• An excellent contributory pension which could see up to 18.5% combined contribution
• Private Medical Insurance and a Health Care Cash Reward Plan
• A new Electric Vehicle Leasing Scheme
• Up to 5 days for volunteering

What will I be doing?

• Supporting sales strategy delivery – Co-develop and execute a territory and account plan, targeting key customers and contributing to national sales goals.
• Engaging with customers – Build strong, trust-based relationships through face-to-face visits and remote interactions, ensuring their needs are understood and met.
• Creating value-driven offers – Within our Key Account framework, help craft compelling proposals that support customer retention and acquisition.
• Driving revenue – Achieve sales and profitability targets by focusing on customer needs, insight-led selling, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Negotiating & resolving – Assist the Regional Sales Manager in negotiating agreements, and take the lead on resolving escalated account issues swiftly and professionally.
• Analysing market intelligence – Gather competitor and customer insights, feed back into planning cycles, and support strategic decision-making across the business.
• Networking for growth – Identify influencers, networks, and key stakeholders within your region, working with internal colleagues to expand our reach and impact.

What will I need to succeed?

• Sales expertise grounded in empathy – You understand how to apply advanced sales techniques (including displacement selling) in a way that feels authentic, respectful, and tailored to the unique challenges faced by schools and colleges.
• Strong education sector insight – Whether through direct experience or deep familiarity, you understand the environment educators operate in — their pressures, priorities, and decision-making cycles — and you use that understanding to add real value.
• Relationship-first mindset – You build trusted, collaborative relationships with school and college leaders, focusing on their needs and creating solutions that support both their goals and ours.
• Territory and account management experience – You’ve successfully managed multiple clients or accounts, prioritising effectively and maintaining a high level of service and responsiveness across different stakeholders and timelines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – You’re confident and clear in conversations, written communication, and formal presentations — adapting your tone and content to resonate with educators and institutional decision-makers.
• Comfort with data and systems – You use CRM tools and Microsoft Office confidently to manage your accounts, track engagement, and support data-driven conversations with customers.
• Commercial judgement with integrity – You’re goal-oriented and can negotiate effectively, but always with a focus on solutions that make sense for both the organisation and the customer.
• Collaborative influence – You understand how to work across internal teams and networks within schools or trusts, using your relationship and project management skills to move opportunities forward.
• Analytical thinking – You can analyse customer data, interpret patterns or trends, and translate insights into actionable reports or recommendations that help inform both your work and broader team strategy.

How do I apply?

Please upload your CV and ideally a cover letter.

Interviews will be over 2 stages, one on Teams and one face to face.

AQA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes people unique. 

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Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

The Account Manager Associate is a customer facing sales position targeted with winning new business and growing of market share from a strong base within existing accounts. The role will be responsible for identifying key decision makers and opportunities for business growth through building effective relationships with customers and prospective customers. Responsible for achieving agreed financial target that will grow the level of business within an allocated territory.Job Description
Section 1- Accountabilities

Customer (external or internal)

Working alongside experienced member of the sales team to create and deliver a territory plan to include account plans for target key accounts, adopting a customer focused sales approach to deliver required sales targets within the allocated territory.
Engagement with external customers through a range of channels including face to face and remote contact to support achievement of territory and key account plans.
Working within the key account framework, develop customer offers to retain and acquire customers.
Work with Regional Sales Manager to negotiate agreements with key accounts where necessary to secure retention and acquisition opportunities in line with targets.
Resolve account queries as escalated by other AQA teams.
Working alongside an experienced Account Manager collect, analyse and interpret market intelligence on competitor and customer behaviour to inform National Sales Plan and the territory and account plans, feeding this back to the relevant AQA teams to support trend analysis.
Identify key stakeholders, influencers and networks capable of supporting or influencing AQA’s corporate and policy objectives, and feed this back to the relevant internal audience as business intelligence.
Identify the key stakeholders, influencers and networks within your territory capable of influencing decision making and work collaboratively with Assessment, Customer Training and Events and Curriculum colleagues to actively network to support retention and acquisition of key accounts.

Cash (finances)

Deliver the sales revenue & profitability targets for the allocated accounts within a given area
Non budget holding role.
Ensure AQA expenses policy followed.

Product and Internal Processes

Regularly review delivery of the territory plan, taking corrective measures to achieve targets, and escalating risks via appropriate channels as necessary.
Analyse data to monitor progress against objectives and produce monthly management reports.
To comply with all AQA policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to HSE, Equal Opportunities and ISMS.
Ownership and responsibility to acquire knowledge and keep updated on AQA’s specification.

People and Culture

To act as a role model, demonstrating the appropriate AQA behaviours e.g., collaborative team player, giving constructive feedback, developing and managing self, in order to deliver excellent customer service.
By being a team player, enable high levels of performance from team and colleagues across the business by modelling AQA behaviours with confidence and providing clarity, challenge, feedback, coaching and development as required in line with business objectives.

Technology

Maintain and improve their allocated accounts’ CRM records, logging and maintaining customer contact and sales records to support analysis sales development and excellent customer relationship management.
To utilise the available range of digital tools for communication, content creation and information processing in order to work effectively and efficiently. To maintain digital skills to meet business need.
To comply with AQA IT security policies.

Government and External

Keep up to date with Government legislation.
Keep up to date with Ofqual recommendations and policies.


Section 2- Key Relationships and Performance

Key Internal Relationships:

Sales Director - Head of Sales and Account Management (and wider team)
Sales Manager, Key Account Managers, Regional Account Managers
Local Account Managers
Account Management Executives (that support corresponding territories)
Customer Training and Events Team
Curriculum and Subject Heads
Unit Award Scheme Team

Key External Relationships:

Decision makers and policy makers in allocated accounts
Key influencers and advisors in allocated accounts
External influencers, advisors and organisations with significant influence on allocated accounts

Key Performance Indicators:

Delivery of allocated territory account sales and retention KPIs in line with cost, quality and time.
Delivery of specified operational relationship development, sales and retention activity level KPIs.
Maintenance of accurate and up to date customer records.

Additional Information

As the postholder may be visiting our customers, including schools and colleges, he or she is required to complete a Child Safeguarding Declaration in line with the AQA Child Protection Policy.


Section 3- Person Profile

Assessment

Understanding of the exams market and knowledge of the wider education market in which AQA works
Knowledge of AQA’s products and services, and those offered by our competitors and how they
compare
Experience and understanding of the importance of compliance when working within a tightly regulated market

Qualification

Degree or equivalent qualification and/or relevant experience

Skills

Advanced selling skills including techniques such as displacement selling
 Ability to build positive and productive customer relationships to maximise sales opportunities and retain customers
Territory and key account planning – experience of managing more than one client account, prioritising and managing time efficiently to handle multiple projects
Excellent inter-personal skills, with good verbal and written communication including the ability to present at meetings and events
Data management – good computer skills and experience with both CRM software and the Microsoft Office Suite
The ability to think commercially and make judgements on that basis - A/I/P Goal-oriented, with excellent negotiation skills with ability effect change in client organisations and follow-through on client contracts
Relationship management and networking skills - A/I/T/P Project management skills
Analytical and Numerical - the ability to analyse data and to write and build reports


Values and Behaviours

Customers Front and Centre
Our Customers are teachers: we want them always to choose us. Whatever our role, we all go the extra mile to meet their needs.
Step up
We think for ourselves. We use sounds judgement and hold ourselves to account. We listen to understand, and speak our mind with courtesy and care.
Shape tomorrow
We look up, out and ahead. We use our independent voice to influence. We question what we do and take considered risks to improve and innovate.
Work and Learn Together
We build supportive, diverse teams. We enjoy working and learning together. We delight in our shared purpose, and celebrate success.
Results Matter
We decide and deliver at pace. We make courageous decisions about what we will and won’t do.
We know when to aim for perfection and when good is good enough.

Experience

Experience of working in other AQA department(s) or as a practicing Qualified Teacher at GCSE or A Level; or school/college SMT member; or previous sales experience selling to UK secondary schools or colleges
Consultative Selling & Account Management