SMB Account Executive - Expansion

Zendesk • San Francisco, CA

2d • $134,000 - $200,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Zendesk is seeking an AI-savvy SMB Account Executive to grow its small and midsize business customer base through new customer acquisition, account expansion, and SaaS sales. The role uses AI-driven insights and solutions to develop pipeline, personalize customer engagement, support customer goals, and accelerate revenue growth. It includes managing complex sales cycles, developing value and ROI cases, discussing AI product architecture and integrations, and working with customers and internal specialists to shape solutions and transformation roadmaps.

The Account Executive manages a pipeline of qualified opportunities, forecasts performance, pursues cross-sell and upsell opportunities, handles renewals, and collaborates with Marketing, Business Development, Customer Success, Solutions Engineers, AI Specialists, and product specialists. The role also involves monitoring AI market trends and local customer dynamics, supporting onboarding and expansion, and advocating for customer needs and AI-powered sales excellence. Zendesk describes its working arrangement as hybrid, with employees coming together in person at an office while working remotely for part of the week. Travel is required as needed.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of B2B sales or solution engineering experience in SaaS, with a proven record of exceeding targets.
• Experience engaging and expanding relationships across various customer levels; technology-driven environment experience is preferred.
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to discuss AI product architecture and integrations in detail.
• Demonstrated success in account research, prospecting, customer outreach, and closing deals using AI-assisted and traditional methods.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage a high volume of opportunities, multiple priorities, and detailed forecasts using Salesforce or similar CRM tools.
• Entrepreneurial spirit, collaborative mindset, and strong drive for learning and growth, especially regarding AI and automation trends.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and negotiation abilities.
• Experience creating and executing territory or account plans and using sales tools such as Salesforce, Outreach, and Clari.
• BA/BS degree or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building and expanding relationships in a technology-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Acquire new SMB customers and drive revenue growth through AI-powered pipeline development and account expansion.
• Manage customer relationships to support satisfaction and retention, personalizing outreach and automating workflows with AI tools.
• Lead complex sales cycles and use AI insights and customer data to develop tailored, outcome-driven solutions.
• Work with customers to create AI transformation roadmaps grounded in measurable KPIs and address their business challenges.
• Develop and communicate data-backed ROI and value cases, track realized outcomes, and identify opportunities to build loyalty and drive upsells.
• Hold consultative technical discussions about AI product architecture and integrations in collaboration with Solutions Engineers, AI Specialists, and cross-functional teams.
• Identify and pursue cross-sell and upsell opportunities based on customer needs and adoption history.
• Monitor AI market trends, competitor activity, local market dynamics, and customer behaviors; use findings to inform sales strategies and go-to-market efforts.
• Maintain a qualified pipeline in Salesforce, provide weekly, monthly, and quarterly forecasts, and meet or exceed revenue targets and activity KPIs.
• Apply sales qualification frameworks and consistent forecasting to improve deal velocity and accuracy.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Business Development, Customer Success, product specialists, and other internal teams to improve campaigns, customer engagement, onboarding, renewals, and account expansion.
• Represent the customer voice and promote AI-powered sales excellence, share knowledge, and contribute to peers’ AI fluency.
• Create and execute territory and account plans.
• Travel as needed.

Benefits

• The position may be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives.
• Hybrid working arrangement that provides flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level