Senior Account Executive (SLED)

Equinix • Ashburn, VA

7d

About The Position

Who are we? Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company®, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet. A place where bold ideas are welcomed, human connection is valued, and everyone has the opportunity to shape their future. A career at Equinix means being at the center of shaping what comes next and amplifying customer value through innovation and impact. You’ll work across teams, influence key decisions, and help shape the path forward. You’ll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you—because when you feel valued, you’re empowered to do your best work. Job Summary The primary responsibility of this role is the acquisition of new State, Local Government, and Education (SLED) customers within the assigned DMV territory (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.). This position is a hunter-focused, new logo sales role with a strong emphasis on outbound prospecting, relationship creation, and pipeline generation. While the role includes responsibility for approximately 25 existing accounts, success is measured by the ability to identify, pursue, and close new opportunities across State, Local, and Education organizations. Time Allocation 85% New Acquisition / 15% Account Management

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience selling into Public Sector / SLED (State, Local Government, Higher Education)
• Proven hunter background with experience driving net‑new logo acquisition
• Track record of success selling colocation and/or digital infrastructure solutions
• Experience with technologies such as Colocation, SD‑WAN, Virtualization, Cloud Service Providers, and Cloud Platforms
• Strong experience leveraging channel partners in complex enterprise sales
• Proven ability to develop and execute territory and acquisition strategies
• Bachelor’s Degree required

Responsibilities

• Own and execute a new customer acquisition strategy across the DMV SLED territory, including: State of Delaware, State of Maryland, Commonwealth of Virginia, and Washington, D.C. local government and education entities across the region
• Target net‑new agencies, institutions, and buying centers within assigned and whitespace accounts
• Drive new colocation and digital infrastructure sales within the assigned Equinix territory
• Play an integral role in defining account strategies and identifying priority target accounts
• Focus on opportunities that originate through outbound prospecting and hunting activities, which then convert into owned territory accounts
• Maintain a high level of outbound sales activity including: Cold calling and proactive outreach, Partner‑led prospecting, Attending industry conferences, trade shows, and regional SLED events
• Pursue highest‑propensity prospects and consistently fill the sales funnel
• Pitch primarily to C‑level and senior government stakeholders
• Leverage industry relationships, channel partners, and ecosystem connections to create new opportunities
• Coordinate with Opportunity Development teams to strategize lead qualification and opportunity advancement
• Actively monitor and maintain opportunity status in Salesforce, following best‑practice forecasting principles
• Identify at‑risk opportunities, expiring contracts, and churn risks
• Provide accurate sales forecasts using Salesforce and Clari
• Utilize modern sales tools to drive prospecting, pipeline management, and territory execution, including: Outlook, Salesforce (SFDC), Clari, LinkedIn Navigator, eRepublic / GovTech Navigator, AI‑driven tools (e.g., ChatGPT) for research, messaging, and productivity
• Plan, build, and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across SLED organizations
• Lead and participate in Executive Briefings
• Facilitate customer relationships to ensure timely resolution of issues
• Conduct Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) to uncover expansion and upsell opportunities
• Lead a coordinated sales approach across internal teams (Sales Engineers, Solutions Architects, Customer Care, SSA, Commercial Solutions, Sales Operations)
• Collaborate with global sales teams to sell the full Equinix global platform
• Demonstrate consistent cross‑region exports
• Work closely with resellers, strategic alliance partners, and channel partners to penetrate accounts and scale opportunity creation
• Research and document a detailed understanding of customer business environments, organizational structures, and buying dynamics
• Develop and execute strategic territory and account plans focused on acquisition and expansion
• Prioritize accounts and prospects for short‑ and long‑term pursuit
• May focus on specific sub‑verticals within the SLED sector
• Identify customer business needs, challenges, and technical requirements
• Map customer needs to Equinix solutions in partnership with Sales Engineers and Solution Architects
• Lead customer presentations and solution pitches, adapting messaging to customer personas
• Demonstrate proficiency across the Equinix portfolio, including global platform and interconnection solutions
• Leverage external partners for solution development within new prospects and use cases
• Proactively address high‑churn‑risk customers using internal and external resources
• Facilitate contract renewals and negotiations to protect revenue
• Lead commercial discussions, understanding pricing, deal structures, and contractual levers
• Partner with sales leadership for regional deal reviews
• Mentor Account Executives and other sales professionals as needed
• Lead special projects and provide guidance on new products, processes, and best practices

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program: An Employee Assistance program is available to all employees.
• Insurance: You may enroll in health, life, disability and voluntary plans that are designed for you and your eligible family members.
• Retirement: You and Equinix may contribute to a retirement plan to help you plan for your financial future.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays: You will receive an accrued amount of PTO each pay period along with various paid holidays for you to rest and recharge.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees