Enterprise Account Executive, Southeast

Kong Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

UNCAPPED COMMISSIONS

MASSIVE UPSIDE

Equity

Job summary

Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is seeking an Enterprise Sales Executive to drive growth in large-scale SaaS accounts. You will own the full sales cycle, build a strong pipeline, and collaborate with product, marketing, and customer success to deliver tailored demos and outcomes.

Candidates with 7+ years in enterprise software sales, a track record of closing multi-million deals, and familiarity with open-source ecosystems will thrive in our fast-paced, equity-inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in enterprise SaaS sales with large accounts.
• Proven track record closing complex deals with senior execs.
• Strong consultative selling and negotiation skills.
• Experience using CRM data to forecast and drive revenue.
• Familiarity with open-source ecosystems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute enterprise sales strategies to build a robust pipeline.
• Own the full sales cycle from prospecting to closing deals.
• Collaborate with product, marketing, and customer success teams.
• Deliver customized demos and align solutions to customer needs.
• Build relationships with C-level executives and decision-makers.
• Lead account planning and forecast sales activity in CRM.

Skills

Enterprise sales

Consultative selling

Negotiation

CRM knowledge

Pipeline management

Account planning

Stakeholder management

Open-source familiarity

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Are you ready to unlock intelligence?

We are seeking a committed Enterprise Sales Executive with a successful background in sales and account management, ideally within open source or similar enterprise software environments. In this role, you will be a key driver of our growth strategy, directly impacting the stability and expansion of our recurring revenue. 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.

At Kong, we offer UNCAPPED COMMISSIONS with MASSIVE UPSIDE, competitive benefits, and equity in a company with huge growth potential.

What You'll Do:

• Develop and execute sales strategies to target enterprise 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.

• Stay updated on industry trends, competitor offerings, and market changes to position our product effectively and maintain a competitive edge.

• Contribute to business growth initiatives, providing feedback to product and marketing teams to influence product development and go-to-market strategies.

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

What You'll Bring:

• 7+ years of experience in enterprise sales (>5k employees), with a proven track record of closing complex deals in a SaaS, cloud, or enterprise software environment.

• Demonstrated success in selling to large enterprises, particularly to senior-level executives and across multiple departments.

• 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.

About Kong:

Kong Inc., 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. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.