Junior Account Manager - Sunderland
full-time•Sunderland•£26k - £30k
About this role
Location: Sunderland
Salary: £26,000 - £30,000
Type: Full-time
*If your salary expectations do not meet our banding, please do still apply - salary banding is based on transferable skills, tenure, industry experience, and interview performance
👋 Hi, I’m Jonny, North East Regional Director at Zen Educate, and I’m looking for Account Managers who want to tackle a very real, very important problem: helping schools get the teachers they need, when they need them. If you’re someone who loves building relationships, solving meaningful problems, and being part of a mission-driven team… this might be your thing.
🌍 What we’re building and why
Zen Educate is an online platform that gives schools instant access to fully vetted teachers and support staff. Since launching in 2017, we’ve already saved schools over £30 million, that’s gone straight back to where it matters most. It’s an exciting time to join, have a huge impact, and grow alongside us. AK Teaching are one of the largest, fastest growing agencies in the North East over recent years. We’ve joined forces and are here to disrupt the market in the region even further.
💼 What this role looks like in practice
We’re looking for someone who wants to receive excellent training across a period of transition, working towards becoming an Account Manager. We’ll show you the basics of candidate recruitment, show you how to use our outstanding platform, develop your confidence and skills and show you how we’re making an impact in the education sector.
As a Junior Account Manager at Zen, you’ll be on a journey to become a fully-fledged Account Manager who supports schools by:
-Owning relationships with key schools helping them hire smarter and faster.
-Leading school leaders through recruitment processes with a consultative approach.
-Picking up the phone and building genuine relationships (yes, there’s outbound calling, but it’s about helping, not just selling).
-Collaborating closely with Sales, Ops, and our Tech team to make sure schools get the best possible experience.
-Rolling up your sleeves and diving into whatever’s needed - no two weeks look the same.
Here’s a typical snapshot of what you might do in a week:
-Chat to a Headteacher about how they can save £10k this term by switching to Zen.
-Source a teacher who is a perfect match for your school.
-Follow up with a school that’s already using Zen and find ways to expand their usage.
-Share feedback with our product team about what schools really need in the platform.
-Work with our Ops team to make sure a tricky booking gets sorted.
-Jump into a quick brainstorm with the team to improve how we build pipeline.
🙌 Who you are
You don’t have to tick every single box, but we think you’ll thrive here if you’re:
-Naturally enthusiastic and curious (we’ll train you on everything else!).
-Confident picking up the phone, handling objections, and building trust fast.
-Someone with a proven track record of hitting sales targets (or smashing similar KPIs).
-A team player who loves being part of a close-knit group.
-Passionate about having a positive social impact (bonus points if you care deeply about education).
-Someone with a growth mindset is always looking to learn and improve.
💡 What you might like or dislike
Every company has its tradeoffs, so here’s some real talk to help you decide if this is the right fit for you.
✅ You might love it if:
-You want a role where your work has a tangible social impact.
-You like fast-paced environments where things are always evolving.
-You’re excited about the idea of working in a mission-driven startup that’s scaling rapidly.
🤔 You might find it tricky if:
-You prefer highly structured corporate environments with fixed processes.
-You don’t like ambiguity. Sometimes we’re building the plane while flying it.
-Picking up the phone and having conversations with decision-makers feels uncomfortable.
🎁 What’s in it for you?
-Meaningful work – this isn’t just another SaaS tool; you’re literally helping schools save money and pay teachers more.
-Competitive salary + ownership in the company.
-25 days holiday + all the usual UK public holidays.
-A central Sunderland office with perks like fresh fruit, bike parking, showers, an on-site gym, and a café.
-1-1 coaching to keep you growing personally and professionally.
-Life & Health Insurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Electric Car Scheme.
🌱 How we hire
We like to hire fast and onboard well. Here’s what you can expect:
-Quick chat with our recruiter – to get to know you and cover the basics.
-Role-focused conversation – we’ll talk about how you approach account management, building relationships, and hitting targets.
-Practical Task and role play – to see how you’d think on your feet with a realistic school conversation.
-Culture chat with the team – making sure it’s a good fit both ways.
We’re direct and transparent. If it’s a yes, great! If it’s a no, we’ll let you know quickly.
💜 Diversity & inclusion
At Zen, we strive to build a culture of equity and inclusion, where everyone is respected, valued and appreciated for their unique traits, experiences and perspectives. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and equitable environment where our team can thrive, regardless of age, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, religion or beliefs. We value our differences and believe that practices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion help us create a fairer, more compassionate environment for all.
We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and different experiences and perspectives, just like the staff who teach through Zen and the children at the schools we work with. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest pool and creating an inclusive culture where people’s voices are heard and all our team can look forward to coming to work.
We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and promoting an equitable and inclusive environment for all. We seek out diverse opinions, beliefs, and experiences because they collectively make us stronger; we’ve had former teachers, pilots, fundraisers, engineers, lawyers, marketers, social media experts and more join our team.
🚀 Ready to make a difference?
If you’ve read this far and you’re excited (maybe even a little nervous) about the opportunity, apply now! We’d love to chat.
What you'll do
- As a Junior Account Manager, you will support schools in their recruitment processes by building relationships and providing consultative guidance. You will collaborate with various teams to ensure schools receive the best possible experience.
About Zen Educate
At Zen our mission is to change the world of education recruitment. Schools spend over £2bn a year on agency staff, with over £600m per year of that spent on fees that go straight to recruitment agencies. So far, we've saved UK schools over £27m in supply teaching recruitment costs, and that number grows every day, allowing schools to invest further into children’s wellbeing and attainment.
We're not just redefining recruitment; we’re upskilling our supply staff to provide the highest quality teachers and TAs to schools. Each supply staff member is Level 2 Safeguarding trained, guaranteeing the safety and wellbeing of children in your school.
Using our online platform, schools can access hundreds of fully vetted high-quality teacher & TA profiles, who they can book instantly at the click of a button. We don't stop at just providing a platform – we have a dedicated school success team here to support you every step of the way. When you succeed, we succeed!
Ready to join Zen Educate?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Zen Educate pay for a Junior Account Manager - Sunderland?
Zen Educate offers a competitive compensation package for the Junior Account Manager - Sunderland role. The salary range is GBP 26k - 30k per year. Apply through Clera to learn more about the full compensation details.
What does a Junior Account Manager - Sunderland do at Zen Educate?
As a Junior Account Manager - Sunderland at Zen Educate, you will: as a Junior Account Manager, you will support schools in their recruitment processes by building relationships and providing consultative guidance. You will collaborate with various teams to ensure schools receive the best possible experience..
Is the Junior Account Manager - Sunderland position at Zen Educate remote?
The Junior Account Manager - Sunderland position at Zen Educate is based in Sunderland, Massachusetts, United States. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.
How do I apply for the Junior Account Manager - Sunderland position at Zen Educate?
You can apply for the Junior Account Manager - Sunderland position at Zen Educatedirectly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process.