Account Executive, Private Equity

Rippling; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 270,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

Rippling is seeking a Private Equity Account Executive to build and scale the go-to-market channel within the PE ecosystem. You will forge strategic relationships with Fund Partners, Operating Partners, and Value Creation teams to drive referral-based pipeline and portfolio-wide adoption of Rippling.

As a founding member of the PE team, you will lead executive-level discussions, forecast revenue in Salesforce, close multi-million deals, and collaborate with legal and sales leadership to

Qualifications

• 4+ years sales experience in SaaS markets selling B2B.
• Experience carrying a $800k+ annual quota; sold $1M+ ARR in a year.
• Direct experience with Private Equity firms, M&A teams, or financial institutions is highly preferred.
• Experience selling Payroll and HRIS/HCM software and/or a B2B platform to business users.
• Experience negotiating deals with C-Suite executives.

Responsibilities

• Establish and grow strategic relationships with key stakeholders across target PE firms.
• Manage pipeline in Salesforce to forecast revenue monthly and quarterly.
• Close business and achieve quota attainment consistently.
• Design and execute partnership agreements that drive referrals from PE firms.
• Serve as Rippling SME for the PE vertical and articulate value across the investment lifecycle.
• Generate qualified pipeline for Rippling's core sales organization by working with PE teams.
• Collaborate with sales leadership, sales engineering, and legal to structure complex portfolio-wide master service agreements.
• Forecast PE-influenced revenue in Salesforce and track strategic health of partnerships.
• Lead executive-level presentations with PE stakeholders on Rippling's value proposition.
• Achieve revenue targets based on PE-sourced and PE-influenced pipeline.
• Travel to meet referral partners at least 1–2 times per week.

Skills

SaaS sales

B2B sales

Quota attainment

Private Equity market knowledge

Executive stakeholder management

Sales forecasting

Travel willingness

Communication skills

Education

BA/BS Degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

About the role

The Private Equity Account Executive role at Rippling is a highly strategic position focused on building the go-to-market channel motion in the PE ecosystem from the ground up. We're looking for an ambitious, partnership-focused executive to establish and nurture relationships within Private Equity (PE) firms, driving long-term value creation for Rippling, our customers, and the broader PE ecosystem.

This is a critical role that requires a deep understanding of the Private Equity landscape, strategic account management, and the ability to influence large volumes of transactions across portfolio companies. You will be responsible for creating the referral motion that generates your own qualified pipeline, navigating sales processes and closing new customers.

As a founding member of the PE team, you get to help shape the future of the program. With Rippling investing significantly in the PE channel, your role has an incredible impact on the future of the company. Private Equity AEs are expected to build relationships with partners through events such as dinners, lunches, sporting events, concerts, etc.

What you will do

• Establish and grow strategic relationships with key stakeholders across target Private Equity firms, including Fund Partners, Operating Partners, and Value Creation Teams.
• Manage pipeline in Salesforce to accurately forecast revenue on a monthly and quarterly basis
• Close business and achieve quota attainment consistently
• Design and execute partnership agreements that drive referrals from PE firms to their portfolio companies (portcos) for Rippling's platform adoption.
• Serve as the Rippling subject matter expert (SME) for the PE vertical, articulating how Rippling drives efficiency, mitigates risk, and maximizes valuation for portcos throughout the investment lifecycle (diligence, acquisition, optimization, exit).
• Generate qualified pipeline for Rippling's core sales organization by actively working with PE teams to influence technology decisions across their portfolio.
• Collaborate internally with sales leadership, sales engineering, and legal teams to structure complex portfolio-wide master service agreements.
• Track, manage, and forecast PE-influenced and sourced revenue in Salesforce, focusing on the strategic health of the PE partnerships and their impact on the broader organization's pipeline.
• Lead executive-level presentations and discussions with PE stakeholders on the value proposition of Rippling as a preferred platform partner.
• Achieve revenue targets based on PE-sourced and PE-influenced pipeline generation
• Travel and connect in person with referral partners at least one or two times a week to strengthen the partnership for long-term success

What you will need

• BA/BS Degree
• 4+ years sales experience, particularly in SaaS markets selling B2B
• Experience carrying a $800k+ annual quota, but sold $1M+ ARR in a year.
• Proven track record of exceeding annual quota (top 10% of sales org)
• Direct experience selling into or working with Private Equity firms, M&A teams, or financial institutions is highly preferred.
• Deep understanding of the Private Equity investment lifecycle and key value drivers for Operating Partners and portfolio company CFOs/HR Leaders.
• Experience selling Payroll and HRIS/HCM software and or a B2B platform to business users
• Experience negotiating deals with a variety of C-Suite Executives to close opportunities
• Ability to thrive in a very fast paced environment
• Strong verbal and written communication and organizational skills

Additional Information

Rippling is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected characteristics, Rippling is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities who need assistance during the hiring process. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email [e-mail].

Rippling highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. For office-based employees (employees who live within a defined radius of a Rippling office), Rippling considers working in the office, at least three days a week under current policy, to be an essential function of the employee's role.

This role will receive a competitive salary + benefits + equity. The salary for US-based employees will be aligned with one of the ranges below based on location; see which tier applies to your location here.

A variety of factors are considered when determining someone’s compensation–including a candidate’s professional background, experience, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed below.

*Commission is not guaranteed

The pay range for this role is:

$300,000 - $300,000 USD per year