Account Executive - SF Bay Area

Zilliz; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) matching/retirement plans

Paid time off

Job summary

Zilliz, a fast-growing startup, is seeking an Account Executive to expand US sales from the San Francisco Bay Area. You will drive strategic, high-value enterprise deals, engage CIOs and executives, and collaborate across Marketing, CSM, and SDRs to fuel growth.

A results-driven, open-source/AI mindset is essential in this high-energy environment. In this role, you will own the full sales cycle for 250K+ ACV opportunities, leverage MEDDIC, and help customers realize ROI through Zilliz vector

Qualifications

• 5+ years of total sales experience in SaaS/PaaS or Big Data.
• Experience selling $250K+ ACV deals to cloud/digital native companies and AI startups.
• Experience in an early-stage company and navigating fast growth.

Responsibilities

• Prospect for new customers via email, social media, cold-calling and events.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Customer Success and SDRs to generate pipeline.
• Qualify inbound leads and create qualified opportunities.
• Use MEDDIC to manage the sales process and close complex enterprise deals.
• Engage with CIOs and executives to align Zilliz value with business priorities.
• Forecast ACV/TCV accurately and help drive product adoption with existing customers.

Skills

SaaS sales

Enterprise deals

MEDDIC

Executive engagement

Cold prospecting

Open-source/AI interest

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

CRM (Salesforce)

Job description

Zilliz is a fast-growing startup developing the industry’s leadingvector databasefor enterprise-grade AI. Founded by the engineers behind Milvus, the world’s most popularopen-source vector database, the company builds next-generation database technologies to help organizations quickly create AI applications. On a mission to democratize AI, Zilliz is committed to simplifying data management for AI applications and making vector databases accessible to every organization.

About the Role:

Zilliz is seeking a skilled and experienced Account Executive to assist with expanding our US sales efforts from the San Francisco Bay Area. Our Sales Team at Zilliz is committed to promoting growth through innovative and strategic partnerships with our clients. We aim to assist businesses in thriving by providing solutions to the world's most challenging issues. As an Account Executive, you will inspire and guide customers on their data journey, resulting in more collaborative and productive organizations. Your role in the company is integral, as you can collaborate closely with business leaders to strategically develop your territory. With your passion for technology and determination to succeed, you will aid businesses in realizing their full potential through the strength of Zilliz.

What you will do

• Proactively prospecting for new customers via email, social media, cold-calling and events
• Collaborating with Marketing, Customer Success and SDRs to generate sales pipeline
• Fielding inbound leads to qualify and create qualified opportunities
• Using a solution selling approach to help customers identify, quantify and address their business problems with Zilliz' value proposition
• Orchestrating and working with teams to provide the optimal customer experience
• Leveraging the MEDDIC sales methodology to manage the sales process
• Engaging existing customers to drive product adoption and identify new growth strategies
• Successfully negotiating and closing complex enterprise sales deals
• Evangelizing the value of Zilliz and key differentiators to help customers quantify the impact to business priorities
• Consistently delivering an accurate ACV/TCV forecast
• Being an awesome teammate that encourages and inspires the broader team to deliver results

What we are looking for

• A self-starter attitude who truly enjoys working in a fast-paced, innovative startup environment
• Innate ability to persevere and recover quickly from setbacks with a never give up attitude
• A passion for open-source and AI/ML products
• 5+ years of total sales experience in SaaS/PaaS or Big Data companies
• You have previously worked in an early-stage company and know how to navigate within a fast-growing organization
• Consistent track record of exceeding sales quotas
• Prior customer relationships with CIOs and executive decision-makersExperience selling $250K+ ACV deals to cloud/digital native companies and AI startups
• Hunger to deliver exceptional results
• Humility to be self-critical, seek out coaching and embrace a growth mindset
• Demonstration of high EQ internally with teammates and externally with customers
• Bachelor's Degree

Benefits

• Competitive compensation (cash + equity)
• Regular bonus and equity refresh opportunities
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and global well-being days
• Generous 401(k) and regional retirement plans

Zilliz is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.