Strategic Account Executive (Central Government)

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced sales professional, ideally with open source experience, who will be selling into Central Government departments and public sector agencies. The ideal candidate has been a part of the sales efforts for other early-stage enterprise products in an entrepreneurial setting and understands the unique complexities of public sector procurement. The Strategic Account Executive will be integral to our growth plan and in acquiring new public sector accounts. Kong’s Account Executive will be the primary point of contact and the face of Kong for our prospects.

What You'll Be Doing

• Sell the Kong Enterprise Platform to Central Government and broader public sector customers.
• Meet individual quota and objectives.
• Take ownership of your territory, which includes understanding and navigating government procurement processes, framework agreements, and buying criteria, ensuring pipeline accuracy based on evidence, and working opportunities to closure.
• Provide account leadership and direction in the pre- and post-sales process, maintaining a deep understanding of public sector mission objectives, and contribute to analysis on wins/losses.
• Ability to travel to customer and partner sites as required (30% - 50%).
• And any additional tasks required by manager.

What You'll Bring

• A true desire to see citizens and public sector organizations benefit from the investment they make with Kong.
• 10+ years of experience in selling enterprise software, with a proven track record of hitting targets within Central Government/Public Sector; experience with open source, APIs, and/or infrastructure software a big plus.
• Ability to leverage established relationships within government departments and utilize proven sales techniques for success.
• Effective communicator and strong interpersonal skills, capable of building trust with government stakeholders and digital transformation leaders.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and closing skills within complex public sector buying environments.
• Motivated, driven, and results-oriented.

Bonus Points

• Experience with fast-growing startups is a plus.
• Familiarity with public sector frameworks (e.g., G-Cloud, Crown Commercial Service, or equivalent procurement vehicles).