Pearson
Principal, Solutioning
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PRINCIPAL, SOLUTIONING
DESCRIPTION
Lead Pearson's global Sales Specialist capability, defining solutioning standards, enablement, best practices and customer engagement strategies that drive sales excellence across International Higher Education. This role may also be known in the market as Principal Solutions Consultant, Director of Solution Consulting, Director, Solutions Consulting, Head of Solution Consulting, Pre-Sales Director, Director of Sales Engineering, Solutions Engineering Director, Principal Solution Consultant, Global Solutions Director, Director of Solution Strategy, Director, Technical Pre-Sales, Global Sales Specialist Leader
ABOUT THE ROLE
Pearson is seeking an experienced and influential Principal, Solutioning to lead the global Sales Specialist capability across our International Higher Education business.
This is a highly strategic leadership role with responsibility for defining the standards, playbooks, enablement programmes and best practices that enable Sales Specialists to deliver exceptional customer outcomes across every stage of the customer journey.
Working within the GTM Central Function, you will partner closely with Sales, Product, Marketing, Customer Success and Enablement teams to elevate solution excellence globally. Whilst this role has no direct reports, it carries significant influence across regional specialist teams and plays a critical role in shaping how Pearson engages customers through discovery, demonstration, solution design and value-based selling.
This position offers the opportunity to create lasting impact across a global organisation by raising capability, driving consistency and ensuring Pearson's specialists are recognised as trusted advisors who connect technology solutions to meaningful educational outcomes.
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING
LEAD THE GLOBAL SALES SPECIALIST CAPABILITY
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- Own and evolve the global Sales Specialist framework, competency model and operating standards
- Establish best practices for discovery, demonstrations and solution design
- Define career pathways and capability development programmes for specialists globally
- Partner with Sales Enablement, Product Marketing and RevOps to improve effectiveness and consistency
- Create measures of success and monitor adoption of specialist standards across regions
BUILD SPECIALIST EXCELLENCE
- Lead the global Sales Specialist community of practice
- Foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
- Coach teams on complex opportunities, executive conversations and solution design challenges
- Develop scalable tools, assets and resources that improve specialist performance
- Champion a culture of expertise, customer focus and continuous learning
DRIVE BUSINESS IMPACT
- Support strategic customer opportunities where specialist expertise can accelerate outcomes
- Partner across Sales, Product, Marketing and Customer Success teams to align customer engagement strategies
- Bring customer insight and market intelligence back into the organisation
- Act as an ambassador for Pearson with customers, partners and industry stakeholders
- Influence senior leaders and stakeholders to drive adoption of best practice solutioning approaches
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE
- Significant experience in Solution Consulting, Pre-Sales, Sales Engineering, Solution Architecture or Sales Specialist leadership roles
- Strong track record of delivering customer-facing technical and commercial solutions within SaaS, technology, education technology or enterprise environments
- Experience developing capability frameworks, standards, playbooks and enablement programmes
- Demonstrated success improving the effectiveness of specialist or solution consulting teams through influence and leadership
- Experience leading complex customer discovery, demonstrations and solution design engagements
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
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KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
- Deep understanding of solution selling methodologies
- Ability to translate technical capabilities into compelling business outcomes
- Exceptional communication, presentation and executive engagement skills
- Strong commercial acumen and customer-centric mindset
- Excellent planning, organisation and prioritisation abilities
- Experience working across matrixed global organisations
- Familiarity with CRM, sales enablement and demonstration platforms
DESIRABLE
- Experience within Higher Education, Education Technology, Publishing or Digital Learning
- Knowledge of LMS platforms, integrations and educational technology ecosystems
- Experience representing organisations at conferences, customer events or industry forums
LOCATION & WORKING PATTERN
- Remote role based in the UK or another approved EMEA location.
- No regular office requirement. UK-based colleagues may use the London Strand office where practical.
- Customer travel is expected. Plan for a working pattern that may be approximately 50% virtual and 50% travel, subject to business need.
WHY JOIN PEARSON?
At Pearson, we're committed to helping learners realise the life they imagine through learning. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence how we engage customers globally, shape a world-class specialist capability and drive meaningful impact across education at scale.
Join us and help transform how customers discover, understand and realise value from Pearson's products and services.
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