Account Executive - US Federal

Workday; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Job summary

Workday is seeking an Account Executive to drive strategic sales to the U.S. Federal market, focusing on the Department of Defense within large Enterprise accounts.

You will apply consultative selling skills to position Workday solutions, align with pre-sales and other teams, and help customers achieve lasting value. The role emphasizes building long-term relationships, managing complex deals, and delivering outcomes that meet security and compliance requirements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience selling into the DoD and related agencies.
• 12+ years selling SaaS/Cloud ERP/HCM/Financial/Planning/Analytics to C-levels in field sales.
• 10+ years negotiating deals with C-suite executives to close opportunities.
• 10+ years building relationships with existing customers for add-on or incremental business.
• 10+ years developing long-term account strategies with existing customers.
• 3+ years with DISA and IL4/IL5 accreditations as DISA sponsor.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy for prioritizing, targeting, and closing key opportunities in assigned territory, notably for the Department of Defense.
• Be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with existing customers with a focus on upselling via deal management.
• Perform account planning for assigned accounts, coordinating with pre-sales and other resources to ensure strategic alignment.
• Drive strategic add-on and renewal business of Workday solutions within Large Enterprise customers.
• Coordinate cross functionally with Workday’s internal teams (pre-sales, digital, value & bid-management, marketing, technical and sales support).

Skills

DoD sales

SaaS/ERP sales

Executive negotiation

Account management

Strategic account planning

DISA accreditation

Job description

Your work days are brighter here. We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About The Team

Workmates pride themselves on winning while having fun! That means supporting each other while driving accountability for amazing results and performance. This team is no different. Everything we do inspires a brighter work day for all. The Enterprise Sales team at Workday helps the company to continue to grow by balancing integrity and innovation, ensuring Workmates have the environment to bring their best self, and get better by pushing and developing themselves and the Workmates around them.

About The Role

This role will support one or more direct or indirect contracts with the U.S. Federal Government which, due to federal government security requirements, mandates that all Workday personnel working on the contracts be United States citizens (naturalized or native).

Here at Workday, our Account Executives are key players in our Field Sales organization. Our Customer Base sales team uses their extensive experience and consultative selling skills to initiate and support sales of Workday Solutions within Workday’s existing customers. This fantastic team of hardworking professionals play a key role in driving incremental add‑on business into strategic named accounts. As a team, we believe that partnering with our customers to craft relevant solutions that deliver long‑lasting value is super important. We want to make sure that our customers are positively satisfied from day one and forever ongoing.

In this role, you will:

• Develop strategy for prioritizing, targeting, and closing key opportunities in assigned territory, namely for the Department of Defense.
• Be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with existing customers with a focus on upselling via deal management.
• Perform account planning for assigned accounts, coordinating with pre-sales and other resources to ensure strategic alignment.
• Drive strategic add‑on and renewal business of Workday solutions within Large Enterprise customers.
• Coordinate cross functionally with Workday’s internal teams (pre-sales, digital, value & bid‑management, marketing, technical and sales support).

About You

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience selling into the Department of Defense and/or related agencies.
• 12+ years of experience selling SaaS/Cloud based ERP / HCM / Financial / Planning / or Analytics solutions to C-levels from a field sales position.
• Experience (10+ years) negotiating deals with a variety of C‑Suite Executives to close opportunities
• Experience (10+ years) with building relationships with existing customers for add‑on or incremental business
• Experience (10+ years) in developing long‑term account strategies with existing customers
• Experience (3+ years) with DISA as well as IL4 / IL5 accreditations as DISA is Workday’s IL4 sponsor

Other Qualifications (preferred)

• Top Secret security clearance (preferred)
• Experience with managing longer deal cycles beyond 6 months, with large deal sizes
• Understanding of the strategic competitive landscape of the industry by staying up to date with trends and customer needs so you can effectively position Workday solutions within accounts
• Experience leveraging and partnering with internal team members on account strategies
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Workday Pay Transparency Statement

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role‑specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Recruiters can share more detail during the hiring process. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need, among other things. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.VA.Reston

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $147,700 USD - $221,600 USD

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $147,700 USD - $221,600 USD

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we’re combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote "home office" roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.

Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Workday is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals during our application process, in order to perform one or more essential functions of their job, as well as regarding the use of AI tools for employment decision-making to any degree. Please see below for more details including how to request an accommodation as a qualified veteran, due to a disability or for religious reasons, or as otherwise provided under applicable law.

Workday prohibits taking adverse action against any candidate or employee for reporting a possible violation of this policy, requesting one or more work accommodations, exercising a privacy right, or cooperating in an investigation in accordance with applicable law. Any employee who retaliates against a candidate or employee for doing so may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, to the fullest extent allowable under applicable law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation, you may email [e-mail], as far in advance as possible.