VP of Sales - Public Sector

Cohere Inc.; Toronto; Remote; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lunch stipend

Health and dental benefits

RRSP matching

Parental leave

Enrichment benefits

Vacation days (6 weeks)

Travel budget

Company offsite

Home office stipend

Job summary

Cohere Inc. is seeking a VP of Sales - Public Sector to spearhead enterprise level PUBSEC growth across North America. You will lead the sales team, develop go-to-market plans, and work with marketing, product, and engineering to align efforts with Cohere’s strategic priorities.

You will engage with government agencies and prime contractors to close high-value deals. The role requires a deep PUBSEC network, strategic leadership, and willingness to travel 25-40%.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of PUBSEC sales and leadership experience.
• Established network with federal agencies, prime contractors, and industry associations.
• Proven track record in capture and sales for consultative solutions and BD.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Comfortable in a matrix environment and entrepreneurial mindset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive go-to-market growth strategy for Public Sector.
• Provide sales and operational leadership to the PUBSEC sales team.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Engineering to align efforts with company goals.
• Represent Cohere at PUBSEC events, regulators, and government agencies.
• Manage relationships with government decision-makers and partners; pursue new opportunities and close high-value deals.
• Coordinate with global teams to strengthen anchor relationships and best practices.

Skills

PUBSEC sales

Enterprise sales

Government contracting

Strategic partnerships

Leadership

Job description

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company headquartered in Toronto with key offices in London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul. Join us!

Role Overview

As our VP of Sales - Public Sector, you will spearhead year-over-year revenue growth by developing and executing on enterprise level PUBSEC customer acquisition strategies across the region. You will drive long-term success through strategic development, coaching, and expanding Cohere’s presence in the public sector. In this pivotal leadership role, you will cultivate and guide our sales team to exceed revenue targets and organizational goals, while fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Candidates must be based in North America to be considered for this career opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

As our VP of Public Sector Sales you will:

• Develop, execute, and lead a comprehensive go-to-market growth strategy and sales plan for the Public Sector, driving revenue growth and market expansion working with other regional sales teams.

• Provide sales and operational leadership to Cohere’s PUBSEC sales team, ensuring alignment with company objectives and priorities.

• Partner with Marketing, Product, and Engineering teams to synchronize sales efforts with broader company goals.

• Represent Cohere at PUBSEC industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities, as well as with regulators and government agencies, in collaboration with other regional and global leaders in Cohere.

• Manage and nurture relationships with government decision-makers and partners to ensure Cohere’s success in the region. Identify and pursue new business opportunities, negotiating and closing high-value deals.

• Collaborate with global teams to strengthen anchor relationships and establish best practices for enterprise-level project implementations, ensuring strong client engagement throughout project lifecycles.

Qualifications

This career opportunity may be a good match for you if you:

• Have 10+ years of PUBSEC sales and leadership experience leading go-to-market efforts and driving revenue growth for fast paced technology organizations.

• Have an established network, including federal agencies, prime contractors, and industry associations.

• Possess a proven track record of leading capture and sales efforts for consultative solution sales and business development efforts, with a deep understanding of regional procurement and budget cycles, customer success, and resource allocation.

• Have exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the ability to build cross-functional relationships and influence at all levels.

• Are comfortable operating in a matrix environment, coordinating efforts across cross-functional teams and regions without the need for a large direct organization.

• Are a self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset, capable of working independently, rolling up sleeves, and driving impact as a ‘builder.’

• Experience in AI or a related industry is highly desirable.

• Must be based in North America with willingness to travel (25-40%).

Working Location:

This role can be based remotely or from one of our office locations listed on the job description - there is no minimum in-office qualification requirement. We care most about hiring exceptional people regardless of locations, though please check the location listed on the posting for guidance around the core time zone or working hours alignment expected for the role.

Full-Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.

• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.

• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.

• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.

• Annual enrichment benefits:

  Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.

  Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)

• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

How and Where We Work:

• Cohere is remote-friendly, but we also have offices in Toronto, London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul with more opening soon.

• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.

• For those not near an office: a co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.

• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

We may use AI-enabled tools to screen and assess applicants against the criteria for this position. This helps our recruiters identify potentially qualified candidates, but it doesn't limit the applications our recruiters may review or consider.