Commercial Account Executive - West Coast

Commercial Account Executive – West Coast

SUSE is a global leader of enterprise open source software. By transforming community innovations into secure, sovereign and AI‑ready solutions, SUSE empowers customers to escape vendor lock‑in and regain control of their IT destiny.

Drive strategic growth for SUSE by managing a portfolio of key accounts within a specified territory or industry. The Account Executive is responsible for identifying and capitalising on new business opportunities, deepening customer relationships, and aligning SUSE’s comprehensive value proposition with customer objectives. The role demands a high level of strategic thinking, the ability to collaborate with cross‑functional teams, and a focus on delivering high‑value solutions that enhance customer success and drive market share.

Success in this role is measured by revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and the ability to effectively navigate large‑scale account dynamics.

• Establish and enhance strong relationships with key stakeholders, including CXO‑level executives.
• Build key relationships with Economic Buyer (internal customer), Technical Buyer (our liaison), Coach & Executive Buyer (Champion).
• Apply consultative‑selling techniques to develop a deep understanding of client goals, challenges, and ambitions related to mission‑critical workloads and innovation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor by aligning SUSE's offerings with client needs, curating a precise mix of products, services, and solutions to address their challenges and deliver long‑term value.
• Take proactive ownership of professional development by staying curious and embracing a growth mindset.
• Identify and capitalise on upselling and cross‑selling opportunities, leveraging customer knowledge, expertise on SUSE’s market presence and capabilities, and the competitive landscape.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activities to refine sales strategies and stay competitive.
• Maintain CRM hygiene by updating all activity, opportunities & deals regularly to manage the sales pipeline, provide accurate sales forecasts, and track performance.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, managing all aspects of the sales process from initial contact, through negotiation and closing of complex sales deals, to handover to Customer Success for implementation and post‑sale support, ensuring long‑term value‑based relationships.
• Partner with the SUSE ecosystem of partners to enhance and bundle solution offerings, leveraging their relationships with customers and extending business opportunities.
• Collaborate on Account Plans with counterparts across Pre‑Sales, Inside Sales, Partner Ecosystem, Specialist Sales teams to deliver comprehensive solutions and help drive traction.
• Identify and prioritise key accounts each quarter that have a strong potential for adopting SUSE products and solutions, setting clear milestones and timelines to maximise opportunities for significant market share growth.

• Experience in sales and account management, with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets.
• Knowledge of the enterprise software industry – particularly solutions such as Linux Infrastructure, Hybrid Cloud, Container Management, Edge, Artificial Intelligence and Security.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders – presenting complex technical solutions in a clear and compelling manner.
• Analytical skills to understand market trends and apply insights to sales strategies.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with a focus on finding innovative solutions to client challenges.
• Proven ability to work cross‑functionally, collaborating with internal teams and external partners.
• Experience working with CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, Clari) to manage pipelines and forecast sales accurately.
• Ability to apply enterprise sales methodologies, particularly MEDDPICC, Challenger or similar frameworks.
• Industry certifications in sales or IT are a plus.
• Understanding of Open Source and transformation topics, such as cloud‑native application development and cloud migration.

US Pay…