Account Executive

DDN; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

DDN is seeking a skilled sales professional to drive enterprise sales in AI infrastructure solutions. You will own and grow enterprise accounts, working collaboratively with technical teams and channel partners.

The ideal applicant will have over 8 years of experience in enterprise sales, especially around HPC and data center solutions, and will thrive in complex sales environments. A competitive base salary of $150,000 - $175,000 is offered, along with additional variable compensation.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of enterprise sales experience.
• Confidence working with executive stakeholders.
• Experience selling AI infrastructure, HPC, cloud, or data center solutions.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow enterprise accounts within your territory.
• Lead complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise sales cycles.
• Build relationships with executive buyers and technical influencers.

Skills

Enterprise technology sales

Negotiation

Communication

Presentation

Job description

Overview

This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global market leader renowned for powering many of the world's most demanding AI data centers, in industries ranging from life sciences and healthcare to financial services, autonomous cars, Government, academia, research and manufacturing.

"DDN's A3I solutions are transforming the landscape of AI infrastructure." – IDC

"The real differentiator is DDN. I never hesitate to recommend DDN. DDN is the de facto name for AI Storage in high performance environments" - Marc Hamilton, VP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering | NVIDIA

DDN is the global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale. Our cutting-edge data intelligence platform is designed to accelerate AI workloads, enabling organizations to extract maximum value from their data. With a proven track record of performance, reliability, and scalability, DDN empowers businesses to tackle the most challenging AI and data-intensive workloads with confidence.

Our success is driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer‑centricity, and a team of passionate professionals who bring their expertise and dedication to every project. This is a chance to make a significant impact at a company that is shaping the future of AI and data management.

Our commitment to innovation, customer success, and market leadership makes this an exciting and rewarding role for a driven professional looking to make a lasting impact in the world of AI and data storage.

Job Description

The market is moving fast. AI is no longer a side conversation — it is a board‑level priority. Companies are rethinking the infrastructure, storage, compute, networking, and data platforms required to support the next generation of applications and workloads. That creates real opportunity for the right seller.

At DDN, you will be positioned at the intersection of:

• AI infrastructure
• HPC and high-performance environments
• Cloud and data center solutions
• Mission‑critical enterprise transformation

If you want to sell something genuinely strategic, with technical depth and executive relevance, this is that opportunity.

What you will do

• Own and grow enterprise accounts within your territory
• Create and convert net‑new business opportunities
• Lead complex, multi‑stakeholder enterprise sales cycles from prospecting through close
• Build relationships with executive buyers and technical influencers
• Partner closely with technical teams to shape compelling AI and data infrastructure solutions
• Work effectively with channel partners, OEMs, and system integrators where relevant
• Maintain accurate pipeline management, forecasting, and deal strategy

What great looks like

You are likely a strong fit if you bring:

• Deep enterprise technology sales experience across storage, compute, networking, infrastructure, cloud, data center, or AI platforms
• A track record of winning complex enterprise deals rather than high‑volume transactional business
• Confidence operating with both executive stakeholders and technical teams
• A clear history of driving net‑new logo acquisition, territory expansion, and strategic account growth
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and forecasting discipline
• The ability to create momentum in competitive, multi‑threaded sales environments

Preferred background

• Experience selling AI infrastructure, HPC, cloud, or data center solutions
• Experience working with channel partners, OEMs, and system integrators
• Approximately 8+ years of enterprise sales experience
• Based in or near one of these preferred markets: New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Raleigh, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Denver, St. Louis, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Portland, or Salt Lake City

Who will love this role

• Sellers who want to be in a market with real urgency and executive attention
• Enterprise hunters who enjoy building territory plans, opening strategic accounts, and converting complex opportunities
• Commercially sharp salespeople who can translate technical capability into business value
• Professionals who want to work on consequential infrastructure conversations, not lightweight point solutions

Who should probably not apply

• Candidates whose experience is mainly SMB or mid‑market rather than enterprise
• People focused primarily on customer success, partnerships, or sales engineering instead of quota‑carrying enterprise selling
• Sellers who prefer highly transactional, short‑cycle environments
• Leaders who are now too removed from direct enterprise selling and no longer want to own the full deal cycle

Base Salary Range

Base Salary Range: $150,000 - $175,000In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for variable compensation (commission)

DDN

Self‑Starter - Takes independent action to identify and solve problems. Seeks out relevant information needed to make decisions. Gets involved with new initiatives.

Success/Achievement Orientation - Delivers quality results consistently. Targets, achieves (or exceeds) measurable results. Sets challenging goals, focuses on critical priorities, and is accountable.

Problem Solving - Recognizes problems and responds with a systematic assessment that identifies and addresses cause of issue. Practical, realistic, and resourceful.

Innovative - Builds and improves key business processes that enhance the effectiveness of DDN. Generates new ideas, challenges the status quo, and solves problems creatively.

DataDirect Networks, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, sex stereotyping, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.