Strategic Account Executive

Aiven • San Francisco, CA

8d • $400,000 - $450,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Aiven is establishing its first sales presence in the Bay Area, focusing exclusively on Digital Natives. The role is designed to engage with AI-native companies that are currently making critical decisions about their data infrastructure, including event backbones, analytics stores, PostgreSQL systems, and indexing solutions. The objective is to be involved from the initial decision-making process through to the scaling phase, acting as a partner to these fast-moving, engineering-led companies. The focus is on selling a product that enables faster shipping of features by offloading infrastructure management, quick production deployment via Terraform and Marketplace private offers, cost scalability with usage, and a flexible data layer built on open-source technology compatible with major clouds or on-premise deployments. The core responsibility is to be an early point of contact and foster durable commercial relationships based on usage.

Requirements

• Closed new logos at technical, high-growth companies selling data, developer, or cloud infrastructure on usage- or consumption-based pricing.
• Demonstrated ability to show quota attainment, deal sizes, and pipeline sourcing.
• Experience building a territory from a standing start.
• Technical depth to engage with platform engineers, understanding Kafka, ClickHouse, PostgreSQL, OpenSearch, AI applications, agents, and Terraform-provisioned evaluations.
• Fluency in MEDDPICC and Command of the Message.
• Ability to influence buyer decisions with technical/business insights.
• Existing presence in the Bay Area AI and developer ecosystem, or proven ability to build such a network.
• Residency in the Bay Area.
• Willingness to work in-person, split between the San Francisco office and customer locations.

Nice To Haves

• If you don't match every line but have built a territory in a technical market and can show the numbers, apply.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic growth by acquiring new Aiven customers and expanding relationships.
• Acquire new logos and grow usage over baseline, increasing customer commitments in the Bay Area market.
• Engage C-level and senior stakeholders (CTO, CIO, VP Engineering, Head of Product) at scale-stage AI-native companies headquartered in the Bay Area.
• Leverage Aiven’s sales methodologies (MEDDPICC, Challenger Sales, Command of the Message) to manage complex sales cycles.
• Work a named list of Bay Area AI-native accounts, engaging in meetups, hackathons, and industry events to identify teams needing streaming, analytics, or Postgres solutions.
• Convert usage into committed contracts once run-rate justifies it.
• Sell infrastructure through channels preferred by AI companies, such as Terraform, APIs, and docs, rather than traditional RFPs.
• Land usage-based customers through self-serve or Marketplace private offers and convert them to committed contracts.
• Identify opportunities for competitive displacement within current and new prospect customers, particularly those on Google Cloud.
• Co-sell with Cloud partners, utilizing Marketplace private offers, startup credit programs, and deal registration.
• Build a network within the Bay Area AI and developer ecosystem, including founders, platform engineers, investors, and their portfolio teams.
• Source speakers and co-hosts for Aiven's Bay Area meetups and developer events.
• Qualify opportunities using MEDDPICC in Salesforce, ensuring a named champion, engaged economic buyer, and quantified impact.
• Close the feedback loop by sharing market learnings with Aiven product and leadership regarding AI-native team needs and competitive landscape.
• Achieve first 90-day goals: fifteen first meetings with priority accounts, five qualified opportunities, first pay-as-you-go customer landed, and deal registration on all Cloud partner co-sell opportunities.
• Achieve six-month goals: ten qualified opportunities, first new Bay Area logos consuming or first competitive displacement win, and first usage-based customer converted to a commitment.
• Achieve twelve-month goals: eight new Bay Area logos consuming, or two competitive displacement wins, with usage-based customers converted to committed contracts.

Benefits

• On-Target Earnings $400K – $450K
• Equity
• Participate in Aiven’s equity plan.
• Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
• Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
• Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
• Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
• Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.

What This Job Offers

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