Account Executive - Local Travel Only

Kong; Clifton (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kong is seeking a Commercial Sales Executive to own the full sales cycle, from prospecting to close, targeting commercial and mid-market enterprise customers. The role emphasizes building a robust pipeline, closing deals, and expanding existing accounts within an entrepreneurial environment.

You will collaborate with product, marketing, and customer success teams to tailor solutions, deliver compelling demos, and maintain strong relationships with C-level stakeholders, driving long-term growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in sales and account management.
• 2+ years closing deals independently, preferably in Commercial & Mid-Market.
• Strong consultative selling skills and ability to articulate value.

Responsibilities

• Own the full sales cycle from prospecting to closing.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline to drive revenue growth.
• Collaborate with product, marketing, and customer success teams.
• Deliver customized demos and presentations to C-level executives.
• Forecast opportunities accurately and maintain CRM records.
• Represent Kong at industry events and meetings to drive expansion.

Skills

Consultative selling

Enterprise sales

Pipeline management

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Are you ready to unlock intelligence? We are seeking a committed Commercial Sales Executive with a successful background in sales and account management, ideally within open source or similar enterprise software environments.

This position is ideal for a sales professional who has experience in landing new clients, retaining existing customers, and driving account expansion for early-stage enterprise products in a dynamic, entrepreneurial setting.

Develop and execute sales strategies to target commercial customers, focusing on building and maintaining a robust pipeline that drives long-term growth.

Own the entire sales cycle, from prospecting and initial outreach to contract negotiations and closing deals, while consistently meeting or exceeding revenue targets.

Collaborate with internal teams, including product, marketing, and customer success, to ensure a seamless sales experience and alignment on customer needs.

Identify customer pain points and align our solutions to address these, delivering customized product demos and presentations tailored to their specific business needs.

Build and nurture relationships with C-level executives and key decision-makers within target accounts, establishing yourself as a trusted advisor and ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.

Lead account planning efforts by researching potential customers, understanding industry trends, and developing strategies to win new business and grow existing accounts.

Monitor and manage sales activities and results, accurately forecasting opportunities and keeping detailed records of interactions and progress in CRM systems.

Represent Kong with professionalism, acting as a brand ambassador at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in sales (
• 2+ years closing deals independently, preferably in Commercial & Mid-Market.
• Strong consultative selling skills, with the ability to understand customer needs and present compelling solutions that drive business outcomes.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, capable of managing high-stakes conversations and building lasting relationships with stakeholders.
• A results-driven mindset, with a passion for meeting and exceeding sales goals and revenue targets.
• Experience working with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and leveraging data to forecast accurately and track sales metrics.
• Knowledge of open-source software, APIs, or infrastructure software is highly advantageous.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, taking ownership of your sales territory and adapting to changing market dynamics.
• Analytical and strategic thinking, with a knack for identifying business growth opportunities and devising plans to capitalize on them.

#the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500® and AI-native startups alike, Kong’s unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic — on any model, any cloud.