Director, Sales

DigitalOcean • New York City, NY

3d • Remote

About The Position

DigitalOcean is seeking a Director of Sales for its core services to build and lead a high-performing team of Account Executives and front-line managers. The team will acquire and expand relationships with promising SaaS, FinTech, AI, and other digital-native startups, from stealth-stage founders to rapidly scaling companies. The role combines hands-on deal involvement with team leadership, and is responsible for revenue through new customer acquisition and existing account expansion.

The Director will lead the direct sales strategy for the segment, own pipeline and revenue attainment, coach the team on negotiations and key deals, and help sellers communicate the value of DigitalOcean’s cloud platform. The role partners across Marketing, Product, Revenue Operations, Engineering, AI GTM, and other functions to develop predictable pipeline, share customer insights, and improve sales execution. It also owns team development, forecasting, operational KPIs, and sales processes.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in technical sales or business development within cloud infrastructure, SaaS, or AI/ML.
• 5+ years leading sales teams and managers with measurable revenue impact.
• Proven success recruiting, onboarding, and coaching Account Executives, and working alongside solution architects and technical account managers.
• Understanding of cloud concepts and technologies, including IaaS, PaaS, containers, Kubernetes, developer tools, AI/ML frameworks, and GPU workloads, with the ability to engage credibly with technical and commercial stakeholders.
• Familiarity with the needs and buying behaviors of digital-native companies, such as SaaS startups, AI-first businesses, e-commerce platforms, Web3 companies, and developer-centric teams, and experience with go-to-market motions targeting them.
• Comfort operating as a player-coach, leading a team while staying close to key deals.
• Strong business acumen and operational discipline, including pipeline management, forecasting, and sales performance metrics.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Legal, Finance, and Customer Success.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive engagement skills, with the ability to influence internally and externally.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfort navigating ambiguity and executing quickly in a fast-scaling environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute the direct sales strategy for the segment, acquiring, growing, and retaining customers across startups, SaaS, generative AI, Web3, and other digital-native verticals.
• Own pipeline and revenue attainment for the team, from lead to close.
• Coach and support the team on negotiations, deal structuring, and closing key accounts; participate in strategic deals as needed.
• Enable the team to articulate the value of DigitalOcean’s platform, including Droplets, Kubernetes, App Platform, and GPU offerings, to technical and business decision-makers.
• Build relationships with key customers, prospects, and ecosystem influencers.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, and Revenue Operations on go-to-market strategy and predictable pipeline, including targeted campaigns, ABM programs, and events.
• Represent the voice of the customer to Product, Engineering, and AI GTM teams by sharing field insights on product-market fit and new opportunities.
• Recruit, hire, and develop Account Executives and front-line managers, fostering high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Enablement on onboarding, product and sales methodology training, and career development.
• Implement and reinforce a consistent sales methodology and process.
• Deliver accurate forecasts to sales leadership and own the team’s operational KPIs.
• Manage territories, quota allocation, and performance against targets in partnership with Sales/Revenue Operations.
• Track and report on pipeline generation, conversion rates, deal velocity, average contract value, and cost of sale to support data-driven decisions.
• Work with Revenue Operations to refine sales processes, optimize CRM usage, and ensure the team has appropriate tools and data.

Benefits

• Annual bonus plan eligibility, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• Sales incentive compensation may be available under the applicable sales compensation plan.
• Potential new-hire equity grant, subject to plan terms and local eligibility.
• Employee Stock Purchase Program opportunity in participating countries.
• Reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education, subject to company policy.
• Benefits may include flexible time off, local team meetups, and mental health and well-being support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed