Business Development Executive – Iberia, Italy

SANS Institute

. Identify, prospect and pursue new opportunities across Italy, Spain and Portugal from first contact through closed business and long-term partnership .

Posted 10/23/2026full-timeAmsterdam • NetherlandsMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in B2B sales and business development within the technology and cybersecurity sectors, with a strong focus on account management, pipeline generation, and customer relationship building. Proficient in translating cybersecurity trends into actionable solutions while maintaining accurate sales forecasting and CRM management.

Highest-signal resume keywords

B2B Sales ExperienceSalesforce CRM ManagementCybersecurity KnowledgeAccount ManagementFluent English and Spanish

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Sales Pipeline ManagementProposal PreparationAccount PlanningNegotiation SkillsSales Forecasting

Soft Skills

Communication SkillsRelationship BuildingOrganisational SkillsAnalytical SkillsProblem-Solving Skills

Tools & Technologies

SalesforceCRM Platforms

Certifications & Qualifications

GIAC Certifications

Industry Keywords

CybersecurityNIS2DORAB2B SalesProfessional TrainingIberian Business EnvironmentConsultative SellingMarket Trends

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Cyber Security

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Identify, prospect and pursue new opportunities across Italy, Spain and Portugal from first contact through closed business and long-term partnership
Generate net-new pipeline and open new logos using marketing activities, campaigns and events
Qualify opportunities by understanding customer needs, decision-makers, budgets and buying processes
Translate cybersecurity trends, regulatory drivers such as NIS2 and DORA, and customer challenges into SANS training, certification and workforce development solutions
Prepare proposals, quotations and tender responses with internal teams
Maintain knowledge of the SANS portfolio, including SANS Training, GIAC Certifications, Cyber Ranges and Security Awareness
Manage and grow Tier 2, 3 and 4 accounts across Italy and Iberia, identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities
Develop account plans, support training continuity and renewals, and grow smaller and mid-sized accounts
Build pipeline coverage for predictable revenue and accurate forecasting
Build relationships with customers ranging from security practitioners and team leads to CISOs and L&D/HR decision-makers
Conduct customer account reviews and identify further opportunities
Coordinate with Customer Success, Operations and other internal teams to deliver a consistent customer experience
Build the SANS brand in the cybersecurity community through industry events and community forums
Support event success and delegate engagement through invite calls, pipeline checks and follow-up
Maintain an accurate Salesforce pipeline and deliver monthly sales forecasts
Own assigned revenue targets and KPIs
Collaborate with sales, marketing and events teams across Mainland Europe and EMEA
Travel across Italy, Spain and Portugal, and internationally where required, to meet customers and support events
Undertake other reasonable responsibilities requested by the Management Team

Requirements

What you’ll need

Proven experience in B2B sales or business development, ideally within technology, software, cybersecurity or professional training
Track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets
Experience managing and growing a portfolio of existing accounts while also generating net-new pipeline and winning new logos
Experience converting marketing-generated and qualified leads into opportunities and closed business
Experience managing a sales pipeline and forecasting in Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform
Experience selling to organisations in Spain, Portugal and/or Italy
Understanding of the Italian and Iberian business environments, including commercial and public sector buying processes
Awareness of the cybersecurity landscape and key drivers of demand for cyber skills, including NIS2, DORA and the cyber skills gap
Understanding of consultative or solution-selling approaches and account planning
Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills
Strong prospecting, qualification and negotiation skills
Ability to translate cybersecurity trends and customer challenges into relevant SANS solutions
Disciplined sales execution and CRM hygiene, with accurate pipeline management and forecasting
Effective collaboration with marketing, events, customer success and operations colleagues
Comfortable representing SANS at events and supporting delegate engagement
Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills
Fluent written and spoken English and Spanish are essential
Italian and/or Portuguese language skills
Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience
Willing and able to travel across Italy, Spain and Portugal, and internationally where required