Key Account Executive

People.ai; United States; On-site; USD 350,000 - 400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

OTE bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Backstory is seeking a seasoned Key Account Executive to partner with Fortune 500 executives and lead strategic sales cycles from discovery to close. You will collaborate across Marketing, Sales and Finance to deliver value‑based solutions and shape go‑to‑market strategies.

We value a proven track record in high‑value enterprise sales, strong communication, and the ability to navigate complex organizations with multiple stakeholders. Competitive compensation with equity and benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of enterprise software sales experience.
• Proven success selling into Fortune 500 enterprises.
• Strong technical aptitude and executive communication.
• Outstanding relationship-building with executive buyers.
• Experience partnering with Sales and Marketing Operations.
• Familiarity with modern Sales and Marketing technology stacks.

Responsibilities

• Close large seven‑ to eight‑figure enterprise deals with C‑suite executives.
• Navigate complex buying journeys using structured sales processes.
• Sell cross‑functionally across Marketing, Sales, Finance, Operations.
• Drive value‑based solutions and disciplined opportunity qualification.
• Build predictable pipeline and accurate forecasting.
• Collaborate with internal teams to drive complex deals to close.
• Maintain high activity, persistence, and executive presence.

Skills

Enterprise sales

Fortune 500

Executive stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Value-based selling

Sales process discipline

Relationship building

Technical aptitude

Strong communication

Ambiguity tolerance

Tools

CRM

RevOps

Marketing Automation

Job description

About Backstory

Backstory (formerly People.ai) is the leading AI answers platform for sales teams. With more than a decade of training AI models on billions of sales interactions, Backstory enables modern sales teams to ask questions and get the right answer in the moment directly within their existing AI workflows. Sales leaders from companies like Red Hat, Five9, Palo Alto Networks, Iron Mountain, TransUnion, Randstad and others rely on Backstory to get trusted answers wrapped in real business context helping them orchestrate deals more effectively and drive revenue. By connecting every signal to the right accounts and opportunities, Backstory shows teams exactly what is happening and what to do next. Customers across industries, including enterprise, cybersecurity, data and analytics, and defense, use Backstory to drive trillions in pipeline and revenue. Recognized by Gartner and Forrester, the Inc. 5000, Y Combinator Top Companies, and the Forbes AI 50, Backstory is based in San Francisco and backed by ICONIQ Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Akkadian Ventures and Mubadala Capital.

The Role

As a Key Account Executive, you will partner with Fortune 500 executives to solve complex go‑to‑market challenges, leading strategic sales cycles from discovery through close. You'll collaborate cross‑functionally with internal teams to deliver value‑based solutions, navigate sophisticated buying committees, and drive predictable revenue growth. As a key member of a high‑performing team, you'll help shape sales strategy, build lasting executive relationships, and contribute to the continued growth of a fast‑moving, high‑growth company.

Responsibilities

• Proven track record of closing high seven‑to‑eight‑figure enterprise deals with C‑suite executives.
• Expertise in navigating complex customer buying journeys using CoMessage and CoBuyer methodologies.
• Skilled at selling cross‑functionally, building consensus across Marketing, Sales, Finance, Operations, and other executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success with value‑based selling, disciplined opportunity qualification, and consistent execution of a structured sales process.
• Builds predictable pipeline through rigorous sales methodology, strong qualification, and accurate forecasting.
• Excels in team selling, partnering effectively across internal functions to drive complex enterprise deals to close.
• Maintains a high level of activity, persistence, and urgency while demonstrating strong executive presence and disciplined business management.

Requirements

• 10+ years of enterprise sales experience within a software (preferably SaaS) company, management consultancy (e.g., Deloitte, Accenture, KPMG), or related technology organization.
• Proven success selling into Fortune 500 enterprises, navigating complex organizations with multiple stakeholders across business functions.
• Strong technical aptitude, exceptional communication skills, intellectual curiosity, and keen attention to detail.
• Outstanding relationship‑building skills with the ability to establish credibility and serve as a trusted advisor to executive buyers.
• Experience partnering with or selling to Sales and Marketing Operations teams is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with modern Sales and Marketing technology stacks (CRM, RevOps, Marketing Automation, etc.) is preferred.
• Thrives in a fast‑paced, high‑growth startup environment, demonstrating adaptability, ownership, and comfort with ambiguity.

$350,000 - $400,000 a year

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Backstory is backed by Y Combinator and Silicon Valley’s top investors, including ICONIQ Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Akkadian Ventures, and Mubadala Capital. Backstory is listed in the top 20 percent of Inc 5000 companies, is a regular leader in our key categories on G2, and is on the Forbes list of America’s Best Startup Employers. For more information, please visit www.Backstory.ai.

Regular employees may be eligible for commissions or bonus programs (target included in OTE), equity, and benefits. The range is subject to change. Backstory takes into a wide range of factors into account when determining an individual’s pay. These factors can include skill set, training and experience, licensure and certifications, and location and metropolitan area.

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.