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 looking for an experienced sales professional, ideally with open source experience who will be selling into global enterprise accounts. The ideal candidate has been a part of the sales efforts for other early-stage enterprise products in an entrepreneurial setting. The Strategic Account Executive will be integral to our growth plan and in acquiring new customers. Kong’s Account Executive will be the primary point of contact and the face of Kong for our prospects.
What You'll Do:
Sell Kong Enterprise Platform to enterprise customers.
Meet individual quota and objectives.
Take ownership of your book of business, which includes understanding and documenting the buying criteria and process, determining the appropriate motion and patterns, ensuring pipeline accuracy based on evidence, and working the leads to closure.
Provide account leadership and direction in the pre- and post-sales process and contribute to analysis on wins/losses.
Ability to travel to customer sites as required (30% - 50%).
And any additional tasks required by manager.
What You'll Bring:
A true desire to see customers benefit from the investment they make with Kong.
10+ years of experience in selling enterprise software; experience with open source, APIs, and/or infrastructure software a big plus.
Ability to leverage established relationships and proven sales techniques for success.
Effective communicator and strong interpersonal skills.
Excellent negotiation, presentation and closing skills.
Motivated, driven and results oriented.
Bonus Points
Experience with fast growing startups is a plus.
#LI-JM3
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
- 10+ years selling enterprise software with a proven track record
- Experience selling into Central Government and public sector procurement
- Knowledge of government procurement processes, framework agreements, and buying criteria
- Experience with open source, APIs, and/or infrastructure software
- Ability to travel to customer and partner sites as required (30% - 50%)
- Proven ability to manage a territory, maintain pipeline accuracy, and close deals
- Strong negotiation, presentation, and closing skills within complex buying environments
- Effective communication and ability to build trust with government stakeholders and digital transformation leaders
- Experience with fast-growing startups
- Motivated, driven, and results-oriented
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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