Role overview

Kong is the cloud-native API and AI connectivity company, trusted by Fortune 500s and millions of developers worldwide. As an Enterprise Account Executive focused on growth in the San Francisco Bay Area, you’ll convert open-source developer adoption into strategic, multi-year enterprise platform commitments while working with mission-critical API infrastructure.

Key responsibilities

Execute full-cycle enterprise sales processes from initial outreach through contract negotiation and close, managing your own territory and pipeline.
Build multi-threaded relationships across technical personas (engineers, architects) and executive economic buyers (CTOs, VPs of Engineering, CISOs) within enterprise organizations.
Navigate complex deals typically valued between 100k and 1M+ ACV, positioning Kong’s platform (Konnect, AI Gateway, Service Mesh) as central to enterprise API and AI infrastructure strategies.
Conduct discovery-focused consultative conversations that identify customer business problems and connect Kong’s solutions to measurable outcomes.
Maintain disciplined pipeline management and forecasting using Salesforce, supported by account research and industry trend analysis.
Represent Kong at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings to build visibility and thought leadership.
Feed customer insights and market feedback directly to Kong’s product and marketing teams to inform strategy and positioning.

Requirements

Minimum five years of full-cycle enterprise sales experience closing deals with mid-market and enterprise accounts (over 1,000 employees), with a consistent track record of quota overachievement.
Direct experience selling modern B2B SaaS or infrastructure solutions, preferably including commercial open source, developer platforms, cloud networking, APIs, Kubernetes, or observability.
Demonstrated ability to work both bottoms-up with technical stakeholders and top-down with executive economic buyers in complex enterprise environments.
Proficiency with structured sales methodologies such as MEDDPICC or Command of the Message for pipeline generation, forecasting, and deal execution.
Strong negotiation skills and composure in high-stakes conversations with the ability to build lasting business relationships.
CRM discipline and account planning rigor, with the ability to research accounts thoroughly and maintain accurate forecasting data.
Builder mindset suited to a fast-moving environment, with ownership orientation and flexibility to adapt as market conditions shift.

What makes this role worth considering

Kong holds a recognized market position as a Gartner Leader with top-tier adoption metrics and continuous product momentum. You’ll operate in an autonomous, fast-moving culture built for closers and builders, supported by world-class Solutions Engineers, dedicated SDRs, and an active developer community. The role offers uncapped upside with a highly competitive base and variable structure, accelerators, and equity participation.