Account Executive, SMB

<p class="p1"><strong>Account Executive SMB, Austin, TX</strong></p> <p class="p3"><strong>Aiven</strong> - The Trusted Data & AI Platform</p> <p class="p4">We're a global team of over 400 people, working together to push the boundaries of open-source technology and multi-cloud solutions. Our vision is to become the trusted Data & AI Platform for everyone, leveraging the most popular open-source technologies like Apache Kafka®, PostgreSQL®, ClickHouse®, and OpenSearch® to help companies accelerate time-to-market, drive efficiency, and build innovative solutions across any cloud.</p> <p class="p3"><strong>About this Team</strong></p> <p class="p3">Our Customer Growth team plays a crucial role in our growth and profitability. We want to be the trusted data platform for everyone – which, let's face it, is an ambitious target. But thanks to our dedicated sales, pre-sales, and post-sales teams we are growing fast.</p> <p class="p4"><strong>Our customer-first philosophy: </strong>The software we create is merely a means of delivering value. Our thinking is customer-first. That's why our customers are at the front and center of all we do. We're by their side, actively helping them solve their challenges through collaboration, sharing, and innovation.</p> <p class="p3"><strong>Our Crabby Principles</strong></p> <p class="p4">Aiveners use the V2MOM framework to set and align on business goals. In order to achieve those business goals we live by our 'Crabby Principles' which unite us in our ways of working, globally. These principles are embedded in our business processes and support us in collaborating and role modelling positive and productive behaviours in our daily work, something you will have the opportunity to demonstrate throughout your interview journey with us.</p> <p class="p3"><strong>The Role</strong></p> <p class="p5">As an <strong>AE in North America</strong>, you will drive new customer acquisition and revenue growth within high-velocity segments of the North American market. This is a <strong>closing role</strong>—you own the full sales cycle from initial engagement through signed contract for companies under $250M in revenue, as well as PLG conversions from Aiven's self-service and trial user base.</p> <p class="p5">This role operates at the intersection of <strong>product-led growth and inside sales execution</strong>. You will convert high-intent signals—trial activations, self-service usage, consumption spikes—into qualified opportunities and closed revenue. You will also generate pipeline through outbound prospecting, field events, and digital marketing campaigns. The ability to read product usage data, prioritize based on buying signals, and execute fast sales cycles is essential.</p> <p class="p5"><strong>There are clear success metrics: 10 closed new logos annually</strong> at <strong>$25K average ARR</strong>, delivering <strong>$300K in total ARR</strong> per fiscal year. You will qualify <strong>6 opportunities per month</strong> using rigorous MEDDPICC standards and generate <strong>$1.4M in qualified pipeline annually</strong> through a combination of PLG conversion, outbound prospecting, and marketing-sourced leads. This is a high-activity, high-velocity role with <strong>30-60 day sales cycles</strong>.</p> <p class="p5">You will engage <strong>technical decision-makers</strong>—Engineering Managers, Platform Leads, Senior Engineers, DevOps Managers—at companies professionalizing their data infrastructure. These buyers can often evaluate and approve purchases without extensive procurement cycles, which means your ability to build urgency, demonstrate value quick