Strategic Account Executive

Aptiv; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Wind RiverX seeks an experienced Strategic Account Executive to lead federal civilian market engagement, develop capture plans, and drive bookings across ADG accounts. You will coordinate with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Services to secure opportunities and ensure delivery success.

You will build relationships with government stakeholders, create long-term account plans, and evangelize technologies at industry events. A deep background in Linux and virtualization is valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and minimum of 8 years of experience in U.S. Public Sector Account Management.
• Strong preference for 5 years minimum experience with selling software infrastructure technology.
• Must have an established network within federal and civilian government agencies.
• Experience with building new territory business in Federal Civilian sector.
• Strong background with Linux operating systems and Enterprise virtualization technologies, including both bare metal and cloud native environments.

Responsibilities

• Account Management: Develop strategies to execute plans for the Federal Civilian marketspace. Create high-value revenue generating opportunities and establish short and long-term customer success and revenue results with continued interaction.
• Grow and maintain a dynamic ecosystem of partners, fostering relationships that enhance our market presence and technological capabilities while ensuring integrity, brand, growth, and consistent business results within our customers.
• Ensure the delivery of highly secure, performant solutions tailored to the specific needs of Federal Civilian government clients. Utilization and upkeep of client and opportunity data in our internal tracking systems.
• Collaborate with your extended team to ensure a cohesive approach to market penetration and customer satisfaction.
• With Federal Civilian agencies to understand and influence unique requirements, goals, objectives related to new programs and product lifecycles relevant to Wind River.
• Align Wind River's overall strategic direction and product strategies with Federal / Civilian Government needs to build capture plan for each agency or group.
• Look across the U.S. Government (non-defense) market to determine who WR should be talking with and how WR can influence requirements for future opportunities.
• Develop and maintain deep relationships with key stakeholders across the Federal Civilian agencies, industry partners, and influencers.
• Scout, assess, and develop strategic partnerships and alliances with companies that can enhance WR's position for major opportunities.
• Influence technology decisions by educating customers about WR.
• Develop a deep understanding of various government federal civilian needs, budgetary constraints, and procurement processes that lead to shorter time to revenue for WR.
• Provide strategic direction to WR Field Application Engineers (FAE's) who will help navigate programs technically with pre-sales activities.
• Develop comprehensive opportunity plans to support sales growth.
• Evangelize various technologies at federal events, conferences, and industry gatherings.

Skills

Federal Civilian sales

Relationship building

Executive communication

Willingness to travel

Linux basics / virtualization

Education

Bachelor's Degree

MBA preferred

Job description

We keep this role open year-round because we're excited to meet exceptional talent. If you don't see an immediate opening, your application will be considered for upcoming opportunities.

ABOUT WIND RIVERX

Wind RiverX (WRX) is a mission-driven software company focused on delivering advanced, secure, and resilient solutions that support U.S. defense and national security missions. As a wholly-owned FOCI mitigated subsidiary of Wind River, a global leader in intelligent systems software with over four decades of proven success in aerospace and defense, WRX builds upon a trusted legacy of innovation, reliability, and mission assurance.

Wind River's software has powered some of the world's most critical systems - from the Mars rovers and commercial aircraft to advanced military platforms and autonomous defense technologies. Building on this heritage, WRX extends that technical excellence to accelerate innovation at the edge, combining agility, security, and modern software practices tailored to the unique needs of defense customers.

At WRX, we partner closely with government, defense, and industry leaders to provide secure and reliable systems to the most critical missions, enhance interoperability, and strengthen digital resilience.

Our team brings deep expertise in systems integration, open architecture, customer needs, and software-defined solutions that empower our warfighters and critical partners across air, land, sea, and cyber domains.

We are a fast-growing organization that values collaboration, integrity, and technical mastery. Our culture is rooted in innovation and purpose - we move quickly, think boldly, and take pride in delivering solutions that matter. If you believe you would be an asset to a high-powered team with an energetic culture where you will contribute to reducing the definition of impossible, we would like to talk to you.

Strategic Account Executive

Account Executive (AE) is the accountable sales leader, owning and driving business bookings (& revenue) growth, developing customer relationships (Executive to Engineer) and ensuring delivery success across a portfolio of aerospace, defense, and government (ADG) accounts.

This role requires disciplined execution of sales fundamentals, deep customer engagement, and close coordination with internal (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Services) and external partner teams to close business, drive adoption, and expand account value over time.

Responsibilities:

• Account Management: Develop strategies to execute plans for the Federal Civilian marketspace. Create high-value revenue generating opportunities and establish short and long-term customer success and revenue results with continued interaction. Lead efforts with key internal and external partners along with business and technical decision makers in developing, long-term, tailored account plans to grow sales and partner impact, leveraging relationships, influence, and industry knowledge. Build relationships with the broader ecosystem to shape ability and opportunity while leveraging knowledge of customer business. Shape relationships and run a regular account governance with the extended account team. Provide feedback to the account team members and relevant managers.

• Customer & Partnership Engagement: Grow and maintain a dynamic ecosystem of partners, fostering relationships that enhance our market presence and technological capabilities while ensuring integrity, brand, growth, and consistent business results within our customers.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure the delivery of highly secure, performant solutions tailored to the specific needs of Federal Civilian government clients. Utilization and upkeep of client and opportunity data in our internal tracking systems.
• Collaborative Execution: Collaborate with your extended team to ensure a cohesive approach to market penetration and customer satisfaction.

• Develop Relationships: With Federal Civilian agencies to better understand and influence unique requirements, goals, objectives related to new programs and product lifecycles relevant to Wind River.
• Create Capture Plans: Align Wind River's overall strategic direction and product strategies with Federal / Civilian Government needs and requirements, in order to build capture plan for each agency or group.

• Pursue growth opportunities: Look across the U.S. Government (non-defense) market and determine who WR should be talking with and how WR can influence requirements for future opportunities.

• Develop and maintain deep and productive relationships with key stakeholders across the Federal Civilian agencies, industry partners, and influencers.

• Scout, assess, and develop strategic partnerships and alliances with companies that can enhance WR's position for major opportunities.

• Influence technology decisions by educating customers about WR.

• Develop a deep understanding of various government federal civilian needs, budgetary constraints, and program procurements that lead to shorter time to revenue for WR.

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to WR Field Application Engineers (FAE's) who will help navigate various programs technically with pre-sales activities.

• Develop comprehensive opportunity plans to support sales growth.

• Evangelize various technologies at federal events, conferences, and industry gatherings.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship is required. The ability to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance is a plus.
• Bachelor's Degree and minimum of 8 years of experience in U.S. Public Sector Account Management.
• Strong preference for 5 years minimum experience with selling software infrastructure technology.
• Must have an established network within federal and civilian government agencies.
• Experience with building new territory business in Federal Civilian sector.
• Strong background with Linux operating systems and Enterprise virtualization technologies, including both bare metal and cloud native environments. Otherwise, strong ability to learn and experience with understanding and promoting technology products and services.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategies, build ecosystems, and foster partnerships.
• Knowledge of Public Sector Federal Civilian related regulations, procedures, legal frameworks, programs, and procurement, including FAR.
• Exceptional track record with communication, and interpersonal skills, capable of engaging with stakeholders at all levels of a customer, to deliver business results.
• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent work experience. An advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) is highly preferred
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting at executive levels.
• Must be willing to travel domestically for customer meetings and internal meetings as needed.

SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

Successful candidates must engage in a security clearance process in regard to their citizenship in order to perform fundamental job duties, as per applicable law. In particular, candidates with certain citizenship may not be able to perform such fundamental job duties. Currently, this includes citizens of the following countries: Belarus; Burma; China; Cuba; Iran; North Korea; Syria; Venezuela; Afghanistan; Cambodia; Central African Republic; Cyprus; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Eritrea; Haiti; Iraq; Lebanon; Libya; Russia; Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Zimbabwe. The security clearance process may take a significant amount of time to complete, and any offer of employment will be contingent on the candidate's legal ability to perform the fundamental job duties. Wind River is committed to meeting its obligations to candidates under applicable human rights law and privacy law in this regard.

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Aptiv is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.