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Account Executive job description template

An account executive owns qualified sales opportunities and works them through a longer, multi-stakeholder buying process to a signed contract. They run demos, build business cases, negotiate terms, and forecast revenue for their book of deals. Copy this template, replace the bracketed parts, then run it through the free JD Analyzer.

Check it for bias

Account Executive

About the role

[Company Name] is hiring an Account Executive to win new customers and grow revenue across a defined segment. You will take qualified opportunities from discovery through negotiation and close, working with several stakeholders on the buyer's side. You will lead a small deal team that may include solutions engineers and customer success partners. We value accurate forecasting, honest customer relationships, and deals that set customers up to succeed.

Responsibilities

Manage a pipeline of qualified opportunities through every stage to close
Run discovery and tailored demos for multiple stakeholders
Identify and engage economic buyers, champions, and technical evaluators
Build business cases and ROI summaries using customer data
Create mutual action plans and drive deals to agreed timelines
Negotiate pricing, terms, and contract language within approval guidelines
Coordinate with legal, finance, and procurement to finalize agreements
Forecast pipeline and revenue accurately each week
Partner with sales development and marketing on account strategy
Transition new customers to onboarding with a complete handoff

Requirements

Track record of closing deals in a quota-carrying sales role
Experience selling to multiple decision-makers in a consultative sales process
Strong discovery, presentation, and written proposal skills
Comfort negotiating pricing and commercial terms
Disciplined use of a CRM and sales forecasting tools
Ability to manage several active opportunities at once
Clear, professional communication with executives

Nice to have

Experience in our industry or selling a similar product
Training in MEDDIC, Command of the Message, or a similar methodology
Experience with security reviews and procurement processes
Experience selling into regulated industries

Pay

[Pay range] · [Benefits summary]

Pay transparency

Many states, including CA, CO, NY, WA, and IL, require a good-faith pay range in job postings, which for this role often means listing base salary and describing on-target earnings; check your state's rules.

See the rules for your state in HR laws by state.

Write a more inclusive posting

Avoid 'work hard, play hard' or 'fraternity-style' culture language, which can signal an exclusionary environment to women and older candidates.
Specify years of experience only if you can justify them; describing the deal size and sales cycle you need is more accurate and less likely to screen out capable candidates.
Replace 'must be a closer who never takes no for an answer' with 'skilled at moving complex deals to a decision', which describes the skill without aggressive coding.

Hiring a account executive?

Prepare the interview too: 15 questions, red flags and questions to avoid.

Account Executive interview questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an account executive and a sales representative?

Titles vary by company, but account executives usually handle larger, longer deals with several decision-makers, while sales representatives often work shorter, more transactional cycles. Your job description should describe the deal size and cycle so candidates can self-select.

How can I test an account executive's skills in an interview?

Use a mock discovery or negotiation with a realistic scenario and a colleague playing the buyer. Then ask the candidate to talk through how they would forecast that deal.

Should I include on-target earnings in an account executive job posting?

Many candidates expect it, and some state pay transparency laws may require describing variable pay along with the base range. Check your state's rules and be consistent across postings.

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