On-site
SaaS
arbeitnow
About this role
Are you ready to unlock intelligence?If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box - we’re looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas, and have some interest and capabilities in others.
About The Role:We are looking for an experienced sales professional, ideally with open source experience who will be selling into global enterprise accounts. The ideal candidate has been a part of the sales efforts for other early-stage enterprise products in an entrepreneurial setting. The Strategic Account Executive will be integral to our growth plan and in acquiring new customers.
Kong’s Account Executive will be the primary point of contact and the face of Kong for our prospects.
What You'll Do:Sell Kong Enterprise Platform to enterprise customers.Meet individual quota and objectives.Take ownership of your book of business, which includes understanding and documenting the buying criteria and process, determining the appropriate motion and patterns, ensuring pipeline accuracy based on evidence, and working the leads to closure.Provide account leadership and direction in the pre- and post-sales process and contribute to analysis on wins/losses.Ability to travel to customer sites as required (30% - 50%).And any additional tasks required by manager.
What You'll Bring:A true desire to see customers benefit from the investment they make with Kong.10+ years of experience in selling enterprise software; experience with open source, APIs, and/or infrastructure software a big plus.Ability to leverage established relationships and proven sales techniques for success.Effective communicator and strong interpersonal skills.Excellent negotiation, presentation and closing skills.Motivated, driven and results oriented.Bonus PointsExperience with fast growing startups is a plus. #LI-JM3About Kong: Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI.
Trusted by the
Selling Motion
Sales Cycle
Enterprise
6–18 month cycles, complex multi-stakeholder deals
Prospecting
Outbound-Heavy
Self-sourced pipeline via cold outreach
Buyer Persona
Manager-Level
Departmental buyers and team leads
Territory
Named Accounts
Pre-assigned list of target companies
Requirements at a Glance
Typical Day — Account Executive
Estimates based on role type and selling motion — actual may vary by company.
SaaS — Interview Intel
Typical Sales Cycle
30–90 days (SMB) · 3–9 months (Mid-Market) · 6–18 months (Enterprise)
Common Buyer Objections
- "We're locked into a contract with [competitor]"
- "We built something in-house already"
- "We don't have budget until next quarter"
- "Our team won't adopt another tool"
Key Industry Metrics
Hot Topics to Reference
- • AI-native product disruption
- • PLG vs sales-led motion debate
- • Vertical SaaS consolidation
- • Usage-based pricing models
Use these insights to speak the buyer's language in interviews.
Tags
Walk me through your discovery process.
Template questionHow do you handle a prospect who goes silent mid-deal?
Template questionTell me about your largest closed deal and the sales cycle.
Template questionHow do you build business cases for stakeholders?
Template questionDescribe a deal you lost and what you learned.
Template questionAs an Account Executive with Kong, you'll own the entire revenue pipeline and be measured on quota attainment.
Expect to work with recurring revenue models where customer retention is as important as acquisition.
Are you a closer?
Interested in SaaS? Build your profile to get matched with roles like this.
Explore More Sales Jobs
Similar Roles
Browse More Jobs
Ready to land your next closing role?
Build your free closer profile to get matched with high-ticket sales opportunities, track applications, and showcase your track record.
Join 500+ closers already on the platform • Free forever