Suggested rewrite: Led a cross-functional initiative that improved [business outcome] by [measurable result], demonstrating experience relevant to this role...
Enterprise Account Executive – Chicago
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The role, at a glance.
Kong is seeking a senior Enterprise Account Executive to win and expand large enterprise accounts in the Chicago, Illinois market. The role owns the complete enterprise sales cycle, including prospecting, pipeline development, executive engagement, negotiation, closing, forecasting, and expansion. Candidates need at least seven years of enterprise sales experience and a record of closing complex SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, or enterprise-software deals. Success depends on consultative selling, strategic account planning, C-level relationship management, and close collaboration with product, marketing, customer success, and technical teams.
Role DNA
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Pace & Pressure
5/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I segment accounts by strategic fit, business triggers, technology environment, and potential deal size. I create multithreaded outreach plans for executive, business, and technical stakeholders, use targeted value hypotheses, and review pipeline quality weekly to focus effort on opportunities with clear urgency and mutual action plans.
I map the buying committee early, identify the economic buyer, champion, technical evaluators, and potential blockers, and validate their individual success criteria. I then align the account team around a documented mutual action plan, maintain executive sponsorship, and continuously confirm business impact, procurement steps, and decision timing.
I would begin with the executive’s priorities rather than product features, such as accelerating AI initiatives, reducing integration risk, improving governance, or controlling operational cost. I would quantify the impact where possible and connect the platform’s capabilities to measurable outcomes, while ensuring technical stakeholders can validate the architecture and implementation path.
I use evidence-based qualification, including confirmed business pain, identified decision process, stakeholder alignment, technical validation, commercial path, and a dated mutual close plan. I distinguish between pipeline potential and forecast commitment, flag risks early, and update forecast categories only when customer actions support the change.
I protect time for both motions through account segmentation and clear territory plans. For new logos, I prioritize accounts with strong fit and active business triggers; for existing accounts, I build expansion roadmaps tied to adoption, additional use cases, and executive outcomes. In both cases, I work closely with customer success and technical partners to create durable value and identify the next opportunity.
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:
Kong is looking for an experienced Enterprise Account Executive to drive new business and expansion across large enterprise accounts. You’ll own the full sales cycle — from prospecting and pipeline generation through executive engagement, negotiation, and close.
This is an opportunity for a proven enterprise seller who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and knows how to navigate complex SaaS, cloud, or infrastructure sales.
At Kong, we offer uncapped commissions with significant upside, competitive benefits, and equity in a company with strong growth potential.
What You’ll Do:
Own the full enterprise sales cycle from prospecting through close and expansion.
Build and maintain a strong pipeline while consistently delivering against revenue targets.
Develop relationships with C-level executives and key decision-makers, becoming a trusted advisor.
Lead strategic account planning and identify new opportunities within enterprise accounts.
Partner across Product, Marketing, Customer Success, and technical teams to deliver the right solutions for customers.
Maintain accurate forecasting and pipeline management while staying ahead of market and competitive trends.
What You’ll Bring:
7+ years of enterprise sales experience, ideally selling into organizations with 5,000+ employees.
Proven success closing complex, high-value deals within SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, or enterprise software.
Strong new-logo/hunter mentality with experience building pipeline and expanding strategic accounts.
Experience selling to C-level executives and navigating multiple stakeholders.
Strong consultative selling, negotiation, forecasting, and account-planning skills.
Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.
Knowledge of APIs, open source, cloud, or infrastructure technology is a plus.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and take ownership of your territory.
Benefits & Growth at Kong
Uncapped Earning & Equity: Competitive base compensation, uncapped commissions, and equity opportunities to share in our long-term growth.
Recognition & Rewards: Top performers earn a spot in our annual President’s Club.
Career Growth & Support: Structured onboarding, MEDDPICC training, ongoing enablement, and dedicated coaching.
Global Scale & Impact: Partner with enterprise customers across AMER, EMEA, and APJ as we shape the future of API and AI connectivity.
Award-Winning Culture: 4x Great Place To Work Certified™ (95% employee satisfaction).
Comprehensive Benefits: Health, wellness, retirement, parental leave, and generous time-off programs tailored by region.
Benefits, compensation, equity eligibility, and incentive programs may vary based on location and role.
Benefits, compensation, equity eligibility, incentive programs, and other offerings may vary based on location, role, and employment type.
#LI-MM2
About Kong:
Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500® and AI-native startups alike, Kong’s unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic — on any model, any cloud. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.
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