Senior Account Executive / Business Development Director

Talantir; Düsseldorf; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognite is seeking a driven Account Executive to lead high‑impact sales engagements in Germany. You will qualify and close in‑flight deals, develop relationships with C‑suite sponsors, and coordinate with product, services and deal desks to win strategic opportunities.

You’ll travel to client sites, conferences and events 40–50% of the time, building detailed account plans and forecasts while delivering value across the customer value chain. Fluency in German and English is required.

Qualifications

• Fluent in German and English.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred.
• 4–7 years of experience in high‑pace sales or related roles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; strong presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Qualify and close in‑flight deals; generate pipeline and close opportunities.
• Develop direct relationships with C‑suite and key stakeholders; collaborate with internal teams.
• Build and execute account plans; meet or exceed sales targets.
• Maintain accurate forecasts and detailed opportunity plans.
• Travel frequently to client sites, conferences and events as needed.

Skills

German language

English language

C-level selling

Sales negotiation

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

MEDDPICC

Salesforce

Job description

Cognite operates at the forefront of industrial digitalization, building AI and data solutions that solve some of the world’s hardest, highest-impact problems. With unmatched industrial heritage and a comprehensive suite of AI capabilities, including low-code AI agents, Cognite accelerates the digital transformation to drive operational improvements.

Our moonshot is bold: unlock $100B in customer value by 2035 and redefine how global industry works.

What Cognite is Relentless to achieve

We thrive in challenges. We challenge assumptions. We execute with speed and ownership. If you view obstacles as signals to step forward - not step back - you’ll feel at home here. Join us in this venture where AI and data meet ingenuity, and together, we forge the path to a smarter, more connected industrial future.

How you’ll demonstrate Ownership

• Qualifying and closing existing in-flight dealsThrough active prospecting, generate new pipeline and provide insights and advise to prospective clients on how Cognite’s solutions will address the most important areas of their value chain.
• Developing direct relationships with key stakeholders in Digital, IT, Business etc, including C-suite relationships in assigned priority accountsLeading qualified opportunities coordinating with, internal Tech Sales, Services, Product Management, Dealdesk, Executives and partners etc.
• Building and executing effective account and opportunity pursuit and close plans
• Meeting and exceeding sales targets
• Maintaining accurate forecasts
• Maintaining detailed account and close plans
• Be “on the road” a lot. It is expected that as an Account Executive you will spend 40-50% of your time on client sites, conferences, events or other activities.

The Impact you bring to Cognite

• 4-7 years of experience in a high-paced environment (e.g. business development, start-up, sales, consulting, strategy, or similar).
• High level of energy, drive, ambition, and ability to thrive in ambiguity.
• Curiosity and coachability – eager to learn, willing to take feedback, and open to new ways of working.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills including comfort with numbers and business cases – Excel/PowerPoint savvy.
• Detail oriented, strong relationship-building skills and a focus on a high level of customer service.
• Self-motivated, who can work independently and proactively to resolve issues and take ownership of processes and results with minimal supervision.
• Familiarity and high interest in relevant technology, such as Big Data, IoT, Generative AI, Machine Learning, and Business Intelligence.

Required Qualifications

• Previous training in Command of the Message, MEDDPICC and Salesforce is a plus, but not a requirement.
• Proven experience of selling at C-Level both in business and IT is an advantage, but not required.
• Fluency in German and English are required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including good presentation skills.

Preferred Experience

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree.
• A relevant Master’s degree is preferred.

Equal Opportunity

Cognite is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment at work and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive the same level of consideration for employment.