Senior Federal Account Executive (DC/MD/VA)

Cohesity; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 287,000 - 359,000; Full time

Job summary

Cohesity, Inc. is seeking a Senior Account Executive to own and grow a defined territory, driving net-new logos and expanding accounts with Cohesity as mission-critical data security and resilience infrastructure.

You will navigate multi-stakeholder buyers and close large, strategic deals. The role emphasizes territory planning, executive presence, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to deliver compelling business value and secure long-term partnerships.

Qualifications

• Approximately 8+ years of relevant sales experience in a quota-carrying, customer-facing role selling complex technology solutions.
• Experience selling into Information Security / Cybersecurity teams and aligning solutions to customer security and risk requirements.
• Experience selling into accounts with multiple stakeholders and complex sales cycles.
• Strong knowledge of data security architectures, ransomware resilience, and competitive landscape.
• Proven ability to negotiate and close high-value contracts.
• Excellent executive-level communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working with channel partners and cross-functional deal teams.
• Proficiency with the sales stack (Salesforce, forecasting tools) and using AI tools to boost productivity.
• Professional English language proficiency for customer and internal communication.
• Willingness to travel as required within assigned territories.

Responsibilities

• Target and land strategic new logos, including competitive displacements, and meet annual quota with a balance of new-logo and account expansion.
• Own a strategic territory and build multi-quarter pipeline against large-deal targets with executive coverage.
• Lead discovery to reframe security problems and build strategies for large, multi-year cycles.
• Build and sustain CISO/CIO relationships; coordinate cross-functional deal teams for long sales cycles.
• Structure and negotiate complex, competitive deals including ELAs, ramps, and partner-involved structures.
• Lead multi-product, platform-level deals and integrate security and AI into resilience strategy.
• Own the commercial relationship and expansion plan with Customer Success and Renewals; manage risk and escalations.
• Lead joint account strategies with channel partners and technology alliances.
• Forecast large deals with confidence, manage quarter risk, and maintain pipeline hygiene in Salesforce.
• Provide enablement feedback and model effective use of tools and AI to the field.

Skills

Sales experience

Cybersecurity sales

Complex sales cycles

Data security

Contract negotiation

Executive communication

Channel partnerships

English proficiency

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

Cohesity DataProtect

Cohesity DataHawk

Cohesity SmartFiles

NetBackup

Backup Exec

InfoScale

Salesforce

Forecasting tools

Job description

Cohesity is a leader in AI-powered data security and management. Aided by an extensive ecosystem of partners, Cohesity makes it easy to secure, protect, manage, and get value from data — across the data center, edge, and cloud. Cohesity helps organizations defend against cybersecurity threats with comprehensive data security and management capabilities, including immutable backup snapshots, AI-based threat detection, monitoring for malicious behavior, and rapid recovery at scale.

We’ve been named a Leader by multiple analyst firms and have been globally recognized for Innovation, Product Strength, and Simplicity in Design.

Join us on our mission to shape the future of our industry.

We’re seeking a Senior Account Executive to own and grow a defined territory. This is an individual contributor role for a proven seller who thrives in complex, competitive environments. You will drive net-new logo acquisition and expand accounts by positioning Cohesity as mission-critical infrastructure for cyber resilience and data security. This role requires disciplined territory planning, strong executive presence, and the ability to navigate multi-stakeholder buying groups while consistently closing large, strategic deals.

HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME HERE:

• Target and land strategic new logos, including competitive displacements, and deliver against an annual quota through a balanced focus on new-logo acquisition and account expansion

• Own a strategic territory(DOT & Dept of Commerce) and build multi-quarter pipeline against large-deal targets, maintaining annual and quarterly plans for top accounts that cover targets, whitespace, and executive coverage

• Lead discovery that reframes the customer’s security and resilience problem; build win strategies for large, competitive, multi-year cycles, and sharpen qualification on peers’ deals

• Build and sustain CISO and CIO relationships; orchestrate cross-functional teams on complex deals and maintain resilience through long sales cycles and competitive pursuits

• Build financial business cases independently, connecting Cohesity’s AI-powered data security platform to outcomes across security, resilience, compliance and cost; structure and negotiate complex, competitive deals, including ELAs, ramps, and partner-involved structures, trading value rather than discounting

• Lead multi-product, platform-level deals and build security and AI into the customer’s resilience strategy; position competitively with depth in regulated verticals

• Own the commercial relationship and expansion plan alongside Customer Success and Renewals; step in on risk and escalations, and develop customer references and advocates

• Lead joint account strategies with channel partners and technology alliances

• Forecast large deals with high confidence, model quarter risk, and maintain territory plans and pipeline hygiene in Salesforce

• Be the voice of the field to Product and Marketing, mentor AEs, model effective use of tools and AI, and give enablement feedback

WE’D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU IF YOU HAVE MANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Approximately 8+ years of relevant sales experience, with extensive success in a quota-carrying, customer-facing role selling complex technology solutions

• Demonstrated experience selling into and partnering with Information Security / Cybersecurity teams, with a strong understanding of enterprise security frameworks, compliance standards, and the ability to align solutions to customer security and risk requirements

• Demonstrated experience selling into accounts with multiple stakeholders and complex sales cycles

• Strong knowledge of data security architectures, ransomware resilience, and the competitive landscape

• Experience with Cohesity solutions (DataProtect, DataHawk, SmartFiles) strongly preferred; expertise with NetBackup, Backup Exec, and InfoScale, including immutable storage, hardened media servers, ACL-based controls, and encryption

• Strong track record of negotiating and closing high-value contracts

• Executive-level communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate technical and business value clearly

• Experience working with channel partners and cross-functional deal teams

• Proficiency with the sales stack (Salesforce, forecasting tools) and demonstrated use of AI tools to improve productivity, organization, and sales effectiveness

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field, or equivalent experience

• Professional English language proficiency for customer and internal communication

• Willingness to travel as required within the assigned territories

#LI-CC1

Disclosure Pursuant to Applicable State Equal Pay Transparency Laws - This position has a starting pay range as listed below. Actual salary depends upon many factors, including a candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience, location, and salary expectations, and therefore a starting salary at the low end, high end, or even above the stated range may be offered. This position may also be eligible for bonus compensation, commission (if in a sales function), and/or equity grants. Additionally, full-time employees are eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefits framework, including health and wellness benefits, vacation, paid holidays and refresh days, 401(k) retirement plan, life and disability insurance coverages, and other benefits the Company may offer from time to time.

Pay Range :

$287,280.00-$359,100.00

The compensation noted above is based on an annualized hourly rate assuming normal full-time employment.

Current pay transparency shows the OTE (On-Target Earnings) for commission-based roles.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEOE)

Cohesity is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or nationality, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status or any other category protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact us at 1-855-9COHESITY or [e-mail] for assistance.

In-Office Expectations

Cohesity employees who are within a reasonable commute (e.g. within a forty-five (45) minute average travel time) work out of our core offices 2-3 days a week of their choosing.

We strongly prefer candidates who are currently located in or near the designated job location. Candidates outside the area should apply only if they are committed to relocating prior to their start date and have the legal right to work in the job location.