Account Executive

Accountabilities: As a new business-focused sales professional, you will own your territory and drive opportunities from initial engagement through successful closing, while helping establish repeatable sales practices for a growing market segment. Develop and execute creative prospecting strategies to build a consistent pipeline of qualified opportunities within the assigned territory. Own the complete B2B sales cycle, including initial outreach, discovery, qualification, stakeholder alignment, negotiations, and closing. Engage economic buyers, internal champions, CISOs, and security stakeholders to communicate product differentiation and establish business value. Build strong relationships across the partner ecosystem, including value-added resellers (VARs), global systems integrators (GSIs), strategic alliances, and hyperscalers. Collaborate with partners to access prospective customers, generate pipeline, and accelerate opportunities through a partner-led sales approach. Maintain control and ownership of opportunities while coordinating partner contributions throughout the sales process. Work closely with Sales Engineers to lead business and technical discovery and manage proof-of-value (POV) engagements from kickoff through technical validation and closed-won outcomes. Coordinate internal resources and cross-functional teams at the right stages to address customer needs and advance deals. Win new customer accounts within the upper mid-market and lower enterprise segment, targeting organizations with annual revenues of $750 million to $5 billion. Contribute to the development of the sales playbook by sharing feedback on objections, ideal customer profile (ICP) fit, messaging, and effective sales strategies. Use disciplined qualification methodologies, such as MEDDPICC, to assess opportunities and maintain pipeline quality. Travel within the assigned territory as needed to strengthen customer relationships and move opportunities forward. Establish pipeline momentum during the first 90 days and work toward closing initial deals within the first three months to validate sales cycle and deal-size assumptions. Requirements The ideal candidate is an experienced B2B software sales professional with a strong hunter mentality, proven success in mid-market or enterprise sales, and the ability to build relationships with senior business and technical stakeholders. At least 5 years of sales experience, including a background in business development or sales development before progressing into a closing role. Demonstrated success closing full-cycle B2B software deals within mid-market or enterprise accounts. Experience carrying an annual quota between $800,000 and $1 million. Proven track record of selling software platforms and acquiring approximately 8–10 new customer accounts annually. Experience managing average closed deal values between $75,000 and $100,000, with sales cycles typically lasting 3–6 months. Previous experience selling cybersecurity software. Exposure to artificial intelligence, whether through selling AI solutions, securing AI technologies, or working closely with teams adopting AI. Confidence engaging with CISOs, security teams, executive decision-makers, and complex enterprise buying groups. Strong prospecting, pipeline generation, qualification, and deal management capabilities. Experience building and closing opportunities through channel and strategic partners while maintaining ownership of the sales process. Familiarity with structured sales qualification frameworks such as MEDDPICC or equivalent methodologies. Ability to conduct business and technical discovery and coordinate technical evaluations or proofs of value alongside Sales Engineers. Experience at an early-stage, high-growth, or venture-backed company, particularly in helping establish a sales motion or develop a sales playbook, is a strong advantage. Clear communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical solutions to both business and technical audiences. Entrepreneurial mindset, adaptability, accountability, and comfort operating in an environment where processes are still being developed. Strong ownership mentality, with a focus on measurable outcomes rather than activity alone. Must be based in the Chicago metropolitan area. Benefits Expected total on-target earnings (OTE) of $225,000–$270,000 , depending on experience, skills, and location. Potential eligibility for equity compensation. Opportunity to join an early sales team and help establish a new go-to-market strategy in a rapidly expanding technology market. Significant autonomy and direct influence over territory strategy, sales processes, and the development of the segment's sales playbook. Opportunity to work with enterprise customers and strategic partners on emerging AI security challenges. Collaborative environment with Sales Engineering and cross-functional teams.