Account Executive - Chicago

Black Kite; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base + uncapped commission

Sales Engineering support

Marketing pipeline contribution

Leadership development opportunities

Job summary

Black Kite is seeking a Commercial Account Executive to own the full sales cycle for Chicago and the Midwest, targeting SMBs and commercial security leaders. You will drive from initial outreach to closing deals, with strong support from SDRs, Marketing, and Sales Engineering.

The role requires a hunter mentality, a consultative selling style, and a robust regional network. Expect a competitive base plus uncapped commissions with accelerators above quota, backed by leadership and a data-driven

Qualifications

• 3+ years of full-cycle sales experience in SaaS, cybersecurity, data, or analytics with a track record of hitting or exceeding quota.
• Experience selling to security or risk leadership (CISO, CIO, CRO, Head of TPRM/TPCRM) at SMB or commercial level.
• Consultative selling approach focusing on customer problems rather than product pitch.

Responsibilities

• Own full sales cycle in the Chicago/Midwest territory from prospecting to close.
• Develop and maintain a healthy pipeline through outbound, channel partnerships, and marketing-sourced leads.
• Engage with security and risk leadership and operational buyers to win deals.

Skills

Full-cycle SaaS sales

Hunter mindset

Consultative selling

CISO/Risk leadership engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce

Outreach

Salesloft

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a Commercial Account Executive covering Chicago and the Midwest, you own the full sales cycle for small and mid-sized businesses in your territory - from first outreach to closed deal. You'll bring Black Kite's third-party cyber risk management platform to security and risk leaders who need a smarter way to manage vendor exposure, and you'll do it with the backing of a product that genuinely differentiates. This is the right role if you're a hunter who thrives in a high-velocity, consultative sales environment and wants to grow with a category leader.

• A defined territory with real whitespace - the Midwest commercial segment is an active growth priority for Black Kite
• A product that solves a real, board-level problem - third-party cyber risk is not a nice-to-have; it's a regulatory and business imperative
• Full sales support: SDR coverage, marketing pipeline contribution, and a Sales Engineering team that knows the product cold
• A leadership team that is accessible, data-driven, and invested in your development
• Competitive base + uncapped commission with accelerators above quota

WHAT YOU'LL OWN

• Full sales cycle ownership: prospect, qualify, advance, and close net-new business across the Chicago/Midwest territory
• Pipeline development: build and maintain a healthy, active pipeline of qualified SMB opportunities through outbound prospecting, channel partnerships, and marketing-sourced leads
• Executive engagement: navigate and sell into security and risk leadership (CISO, CIO, Head of TPRM) as well as operational buyers
• Channel collaboration: partner with regional channel partners to co-sell and expand market coverage across the territory
• Forecast accuracy: maintain clean, current opportunity documentation in Salesforce and deliver reliable forecast reporting to leadership
• Cross-functional partnership: work closely with Sales Engineering, Marketing, and Customer Success to move deals forward and set customers up for long-term success
• Feedback loop: bring field intelligence back to Marketing and Product - your conversations with prospects shape how Black Kite goes to market

WHAT YOU BRING

• 3+ years of full-cycle sales experience in SaaS, cybersecurity, data, or analytics - with a track record of hitting or exceeding quota
• Experience selling to security or risk leadership (CISO, CIO, CRO, Head of TPRM/TPCRM) at the SMB or commercial level
• Consultative selling approach: you lead with the customer's problem, not the product pitch
• Strong regional network in Chicago and the broader Midwest - existing relationships with end-users or channel partners is a plus
• Comfortable managing a high-velocity pipeline across multiple simultaneous opportunities
• Skilled at navigating multi-stakeholder deals and building relationships across levels of an organization
• Clean Salesforce hygiene and strong organizational discipline
• Clear, confident communication - written, verbal, and in front of an executive audience
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience

PREFERRED

• Prior experience in the cybersecurity or third-party risk management space
• Familiarity with TPCRM, vendor risk, or compliance-driven sales cycles
• Established relationships with MSSPs, VARs, or regional channel partners in the Midwest
• Experience using sales engagement tools (Outreach, Salesloft, or equivalent) alongside Salesforce

The expected total compensation range for this role is $180,000-$210,000 (base pay + commission). Compensation at Black Kite extends well beyond base pay - our total rewards program includes performance-based bonuses, equity, flexible healthcare options, paid time off, and retirement savings. This range reflects a nationwide market spectrum and will vary based on qualifications, role scope, complexity, and location.