Account Executive

About the role

We are seeking a highly competitive, results-oriented Account Executive to lead Bluefin’s growth within the Higher Education vertical. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic sales plan focused on colleges, universities, and other postsecondary institutions, positioning Bluefin’s mission-critical SaaS solutions to protect payment, personal, and healthcare data.

The ideal candidate brings consultative SaaS sales expertise in mid-market and enterprise environments, along with a strong understanding of, or demonstrated ability to navigate, the complex Higher Education ecosystem. This includes engaging multiple stakeholders across information technology, information security, finance, treasury, student services, advancement, and procurement, while effectively managing extended and often decentralized purchasing processes.

Working collaboratively with Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, and other internal teams, the Account Executive will build a robust Higher Education pipeline, develop relationships with institutional decision-makers and industry partners, and deliver solution-oriented sales strategies tailored to the sector’s unique security, integration, and compliance needs. The incumbent will sell Bluefin’s PCI-validated point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solutions and products designed to protect PHI and PII, while representing the company at relevant Higher Education conferences, trade shows, and partner events.

Because Bluefin’s technology integrates with virtually any software system, payment gateway, or processor, this role offers a significant opportunity to expand the company’s presence across the Higher Education market. Exceptional hunting capabilities, disciplined territory management, and a passion for protecting institutions and their communities from data threats will be essential to meeting and exceeding revenue goals. This role reports to the SVP, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development.

What you'll do

• Develop and execute a personal business plan focused on the Higher Education vertical, driving revenue growth and value creation for Bluefin through a disciplined cadence of sales activities that consistently meets or exceeds assigned targets.
• Create a personal Business Plan to drive revenue creation and value to Bluefin and execute on a cadence of Sales activities to meet assigned targets.
• Leverage personal network and Sales opportunities generated by our Marketing Department to develop relationships, educate clients, and manage Sales opportunities throughout the entire sales lifecycle.
• Own end-to-end pipeline management, ensuring disciplined Salesforce hygiene through accurate forecasting, timely updates, deal progression, and data integrity.
• Proactively generate new business through self-sourced prospecting efforts, including targeted outreach, industry networking, trade shows, events, and selective marketing and partner initiatives. This role requires a true “hunter” mindset, with success driven primarily by outbound activity rather than inbound or warm leads.
• Create a deep understanding of current and potential client needs through solutions/consultative selling, strong relationship building, and demonstrating exceptional business value to clients.
• Manage the full sales lifecycle independently - from initial prospecting through close - leading complex deal negotiations, including MSAs and commercial terms, and exercising sound judgment on when to engage Legal and other internal stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver professional Sales presentations to educate potential/existing partners on security-related regulatory matters, security risks, industry trends and security opportunities/solutions (validated vs non-validated PCI P2PE solutions, vaultless tokenization, etc.), designed to spark interest and generate opportunities.
• Collaborate with other functional areas to drive cross-product integration and cross-selling among our product solutions.
• Maintain excellent time management, administration, reporting and relationship management that will result in referrals and sales opportunities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• 3-5+ years of SaaS Sales experience, selling security-related products and services as an individual contributor at a Director level or above
• Experience selling SaaS or payment solutions within the Higher Education vertical is strongly preferred.
• Consultative Sales performance record with proven capabilities to sell security-related, technology products throughout several verticals.
• Proven ability to leverage own network to create meaningful lead generation and manage Sales pipeline via Salesforce.
• Results-oriented and dynamic SaaS Sales professional effective at building and executing on an individual Sales/Business Plan that will generate meaningful leads and close opportunities.
• Effective at managing and closing multiple leads within a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Sophisticated use of LinkedIn, Salesforce, ZoomInfo, Salesloft and other related tools to uncover and engage with potential clients.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of work experience.
  
  

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Bluefin provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, physical disability, mental disability, age, military or veteran status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, gender, gender identity or expression, sex stereotyping, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.