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 seeking a committed Enterprise Sales Executive with a successful background in sales and account management, ideally within open source or similar enterprise software environments. In this role, you will be a key driver of our growth strategy, directly impacting the stability and expansion of our recurring revenue. This position is ideal for a sales professional who has experience in landing new clients, retaining existing customers, and driving account expansion for early-stage enterprise products in a dynamic, entrepreneurial setting.
At Kong, we offer UNCAPPED COMMISSIONS with MASSIVE UPSIDE, competitive benefits, and equity in a company with huge growth potential.
What You’ll Do:
Develop and execute sales strategies to target enterprise customers, focusing on building and maintaining a robust pipeline that drives long-term growth.
Own the entire sales cycle, from prospecting and initial outreach to contract negotiations and closing deals, while consistently meeting or exceeding revenue targets.
Collaborate with internal teams, including product, marketing, and customer success, to ensure a seamless sales experience and alignment on customer needs.
Identify customer pain points and align our solutions to address these, delivering customized product demos and presentations tailored to their specific business needs.
Build and nurture relationships with C-level executives and key decision-makers within target accounts, establishing yourself as a trusted advisor and ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.
Lead account planning efforts by researching potential customers, understanding industry trends, and developing strategies to win new business and grow existing accounts.
Monitor and manage sales activities and results, accurately forecasting opportunities and keeping detailed records of interactions and progress in CRM systems.
Stay updated on industry trends, competitor offerings, and market changes to position our product effectively and maintain a competitive edge.
Contribute to business growth initiatives, providing feedback to product and marketing teams to influence product development and go-to-market strategies.
Represent Kong with professionalism, acting as a brand ambassador at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings.
What You’ll Bring:
7+ years of experience in enterprise sales (>5k employees), with a proven track record of closing complex deals in a SaaS, cloud, or enterprise software environment.
Demonstrated success in selling to large enterprises, particularly to senior-level executives and across multiple departments.
Strong consultative selling skills, with the ability to understand customer needs and present compelling solutions that drive business outcomes.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills, capable of managing high-stakes conversations and building lasting relationships with stakeholders.
A results-driven mindset, with a passion for meeting and exceeding sales goals and revenue targets.
Experience working with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and leveraging data to forecast accurately and track sales metrics.
Knowledge of open-source software, APIs, or infrastructure software is highly advantageous.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, taking ownership of your sales territory and adapting to changing market dynamics.
Analytical and strategic thinking, with a knack for identifying business growth opportunities and devising plans to capitalize on them.
#LI-BT1
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.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of experience in enterprise sales (>5k employees)
- Proven track record of closing complex deals in SaaS, cloud, or enterprise software
- Demonstrated success selling to large enterprises and senior-level executives across departments
- Strong consultative selling skills and ability to understand customer needs
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Experience working with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and leveraging data to forecast and track sales metrics
- Knowledge of open-source software, APIs, or infrastructure software
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and take ownership of a sales territory
Kong Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kong and has not been reviewed or approved by Kong.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible PTO, company-wide Unplug Days, and a four‑week paid sabbatical after five years are prominently offered to support rest and work–life balance. These programs are presented as meaningful perks beyond base pay and are highlighted across official materials and third‑party summaries.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. medical, dental, and vision coverage is described as strong, with plan quality drawing positive sentiment. Solid healthcare appears to contribute meaningfully to overall satisfaction with the total package.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Stock options are offered to most employees, creating ownership upside alongside cash compensation. Equity is positioned as a visible component that helps keep offers competitive for certain technical and go‑to‑market roles.
Kong Insights
What We Do
Kong Inc., a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies, is building the connectivity layer for 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. No AI without APIs.
Why Work With Us
It starts with how we show up for each other. We’ve created a workplace that’s intentionally flexible, deeply inclusive, and built for meaningful collaboration — whether virtual or in person. We trust our teams to own their work, and we give them the support, tools, and freedom to grow.
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