The Vertical Solution Marketing Manager for Higher Education is primarily responsible for developing and executing the Go-To-Market strategy for the Blackbaud Education Management solution set. Areas of responsibility include creating the market definition, value proposition, buyer profiles, packaging and offer creation, as well as sales enablement tools that ensure increased market share and customer retention. This individual will play a key role in partnering with the Blackbaud Product Management team, Blackbaud Customer Operations team and will be working across the business in a matrixed environment to drive business results.

Develop and Drive the “Go to Market” strategy for Blackbaud Education Management solutions in Higher Education:

• Create, monitor and maintain packaging and pricing decisions for Higher Education related to the Education Management portfolio of solutions- Enrollment Management, Learning Management System (LMS), Student Information System (SIS), etc.
• Translate the positioning framework into actionable plans with measurable results, and quickly acquire a thorough understanding of Higher Education buyers and operational challenges.
• Size and define market segments, understand the competitive dynamics of targeting, positioning, pricing, packaging and differentiation.
• Leverage deep understanding of key market segments strategies and the needs of our customers to establish a winning position for Higher Education within the competitive landscape.
• Design and create consistent sales toolkits for Higher Education to increase win rate.
• Oversee content management of sales collateral – and ensure effectiveness and consistency in messaging, and assessing the types of effective collateral.
• Partner with Product Marketing, Sales Enablement and Customer Success for front-line sales and customer communications
• Partner across sales, solutions engineers, product management, and marketing in ensuring effective communications that drive results.
• Leverage value proposition in developing content for vertical differentiation presentations, competitor information, needs analysis, case studies, web content, and ROI benefits.

Empower internal stakeholders; influence external institutional decision makers, partners, and thought leaders:

• Effectively engage Marketing, Sales, Product Management, Product Marketing, Partners, and Customer Success; liaise across various organizational levels to ensure the overall success of assigned portfolio/product/solution in the market.
• Ensure that the organization is effectively equipped and collaboratively educated on strategy to enable full achievement of revenue goals.
• Leverage your reputation as a ‘market expert’ to partner with senior leadership and guide the short and long-term agenda for assigned portfolio/product/solution.
• Engage with outside analysts, thought leaders and media relations to represent the value prop of the Higher Education solution set.

Effectively manage your business by:

• Arming internal and external stakeholders with: value/differentiation presentations, pitch decks, demonstrations, call scripts, case studies, web content, white papers, ROI modeling.
• Collaborating with Demand Generation, Product Marketing, and Digital Marketing teams to design and deliver lead generation initiatives across multiple vehicles: SEM, content marketing, tradeshows, seminars, webinars, calling campaigns, marketing automation programs, etc.
• Developing a keen understanding of the competition, buyer needs, industry influencers and decision makers while possessing the ability to effectively communicate and publicly represent the company and our products at industry events

Experience and Skills:

• 7-10+ years of software Product Marketing experience and/or specific Higher Education vertical expertise
• Experience and a track record of driving adoption, growth and results
• BS/BA required, MBA advantageous
• Strong problem solving, analytical and mental acuity
• Business savvy with proven ability to develop, promote, and execute a business development plan
• Exceptional ability to write and create product content; able to write quickly and concisely for non-technical audiences; writing samples required
• Proven influencing skills with top executives, working cross-functionally and with clients/prospects
• Self starter, creative thinker, excellent listener and communicator
• Strong affinity for sales team success, prior sales experience a plus
• Proven marketplace relationship building skills with industry influencers, pivotal clients
• Proven record of thriving in fast-paced and matrixed environment

Preferred:

• Experienced with salesforce.com or similar CRM, web conferencing tools, expert-level proficiency with MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Prior experience working with higher education software or services providers
• Experience working for or volunteering with a nonprofit or nonprofit board experience