Description
The Account Executive - Background Screening is responsible for generating new business and increasing revenue through the sale of Sarma's employment background screening products and services.
The primary focus of this position is sales and new business development. The Account Executive is expected to actively prospect for new clients, identify qualified sales opportunities, conduct presentations and product demonstrations, prepare proposals, negotiate opportunities, and consistently follow prospects through the sales process to close new business.
The Account Executive will also identify opportunities to increase utilization of Background Screening services within assigned existing accounts while maintaining strong professional client relationships.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated, results-driven, comfortable initiating new business conversations, and accountable for achieving established sales and revenue goals.
General Expectations
The Account Executive - Background Screening is a sales-focused, revenue-producing position. The primary expectation is to consistently develop new sales opportunities, acquire new Background Screening clients, and generate profitable revenue for Sarma.
The Account Executive is expected to maintain consistent prospecting activity, develop a healthy sales pipeline, follow opportunities through completion, and remain accountable for established sales and revenue goals.
Success in this position will be measured primarily by new business development, new Background Screening revenue, achievement of sales goals, pipeline development, conversion rates, and growth of assigned accounts.
Requirements
Background Screening Sales & New Business Development
- Promote and sell Sarma's employment background screening products and services to prospective clients.
- Consistently identify, develop, and pursue new business opportunities.
- Generate new clients and revenue through proactive business-to-business sales efforts.
- Develop new business within assigned industries, markets, and territories.
- Contact prospective clients through telephone calls, email, referrals, networking, in-person visits, industry events, and other approved prospecting methods.
- Identify key decision-makers responsible for Human Resources, hiring, recruiting, risk management, and employment screening.
- Conduct discovery conversations to understand a prospective client's hiring volume, current screening process, business needs, and service requirements.
- Recommend appropriate Sarma Background Screening solutions based on identified client needs.
- Conduct professional sales presentations and product demonstrations.
- Prepare and present proposals and approved pricing.
- Maintain consistent follow-up with prospects throughout the sales process.
- Negotiate sales opportunities within established company guidelines.
- Close qualified opportunities and transition new clients through the appropriate onboarding process.
- Meet or exceed established individual sales and revenue goals.
Prospecting & Lead Generation
- Maintain consistent daily and weekly prospecting activity.
- Research companies, industries, and organizations that may benefit from Sarma's Background Screening services.
- Develop and maintain targeted prospect lists.
- Generate qualified leads through cold calling, email outreach, referrals, networking, professional associations, and industry events.
- Follow up promptly on inbound sales inquiries and referrals.
- Schedule sales appointments, discovery meetings, and product demonstrations.
- Develop relationships with Human Resources professionals, business owners, hiring managers, staffing organizations, and other appropriate decision-makers.
- Maintain a sufficient level of prospecting activity to support established sales goals.
- Continuously develop the sales pipeline rather than relying solely on inbound leads or existing accounts.
Sales Pipeline
- Manage prospective clients through each stage of the sales process from initial contact through close.
- Establish appropriate next steps and follow-up dates for each active sales opportunity.
- Maintain realistic projected close dates and revenue expectations.
- Identify stalled opportunities and implement appropriate follow-up strategies.
- Prioritize opportunities based on probability of closing, potential revenue, and business value.
- Provide management with accurate sales forecasts and pipeline updates.
- Maintain sufficient pipeline activity to support monthly, quarterly, and annual sales goals.
Background Screening & Product Sales
- The Account Executive is expected to develop a strong working knowledge of Sarma's available employment Background Screening products and services, which may include:
- Criminal background searches
- County, state, and federal criminal searches
- Employment verification
- Education verification
- Motor vehicle records
- Social Security number and identity-related searches
- Professional license verification
- Drug screening coordination, when applicable
- Additional employment screening products and services offered by Sarma
Existing Account Growth
- Identify opportunities to increase Background Screening revenue within assigned existing client accounts.
- Review client utilization and identify additional products or services that may meet the client's needs.
- Introduce additional Background Screening products when appropriate.
- Maintain relationships with key client decision-makers.
- Identify changes in client hiring activity that may create additional sales opportunities.
- Work to retain and grow profitable client relationships.
- Coordinate with Background Screening Operations when operational support is required.
Proposals, Pricing & Closing
- Prepare professional proposals and sales presentations for prospective clients.
- Present approved pricing and service options.
- Coordinate pricing exceptions or special arrangements with management when required.
- Assist with Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Information (RFIs) involving Background Screening opportunities.
- Coordinate with Operations, Compliance, IT, and Management when information is required to complete a sales opportunity.
- Maintain responsibility for follow-up after proposals are submitted.
- Address sales objections and identify solutions that support closing the opportunity.
- Ensure commitments made during the sales process accurately represent Sarma's capabilities.
- Maintain ownership of the opportunity through closing and appropriate client transition.
CRM & Sales Activity Management
- Accurately enter and maintain all prospect and sales opportunity information within the company's CRM system.
- Document prospecting calls, emails, meetings, presentations, proposals, and follow-up activities.
- Maintain accurate contact and decision-maker information.
- Update opportunity stages, projected revenue, expected close dates, and next steps.
- Maintain detailed notes regarding prospect needs, objections, opportunities, and sales activity.
- Ensure CRM information is accurate and current.
- Follow company expectations regarding timely CRM documentation.
Networking & Territory Development
- Develop relationships within industries and professional organizations that may generate Background Screening business.
- Participate in conferences, trade shows, networking events, professional associations, and business-development activities.
- Represent Sarma professionally within the business community.
- Develop referral relationships that may generate qualified sales opportunities.
- Identify opportunities to expand Sarma's Background Screening presence within the assigned territory.
- Travel within the assigned territory as necessary for prospect meetings, presentations, conferences, and sales activities.
- Occasional overnight travel may be required.
Eligible for Sarma’s sales commission plan based.
