SMB Account Executive

Job Description
Join us at Zendesk, where we’re on a mission to power exceptional service for every person on the planet. We’re accelerating that ambition by building AI-driven, intelligent CX solutions rooted in the belief that behind every interaction is an opportunity to make a meaningful human connection.
The Hunter AE creates and closes durable net-new business. The role turns priority prospects into customers through disciplined prospecting, consultative discovery, evidence-based value cases, executive selling, commercial judgment and a clean transition to the post-sale account team. It does not own installed-base expansion or post-sale commercial outcomes.
What you’ll be doing
Create and maintain enough qualified net-new pipeline to meet or exceed quota through targeted outbound, inbound conversion, partner routes and disciplined territory planning.
Lead a repeatable prospecting-to-close process: discovery, qualification, value mapping, mutual action planning, business-case development, negotiation, contracting and close.
Translate customer business priorities, service-operation challenges and transformation goals into a credible Zendesk platform and AI value proposition.
Build executive and multi-threaded alignment across business, technology, security, finance, procurement and the economic buying committee.
Own commercial strategy, deal progression and negotiation within approved guardrails; protect customer value and delivery credibility.
Orchestrate Solution Engineers, Product Specialists, Marketing, SDR/BDR partners, ecosystem partners and leadership to improve win probability.
Maintain accurate CRM data, pipeline health, forecast discipline and early risk visibility; make decisions based on evidence rather than optimism.
Document customer goals, stakeholders, use cases, commitments and success conditions for a clean handoff; return market, competitor and buyer insight to improve the go-to-market motion.
What you bring to the role
Day one: a genuine new-business orientation, targeted prospecting discipline and ability to create qualified demand—not simply work inbound leads.
Day one: consultative discovery that uncovers business problems, urgency, stakeholders, decision criteria and measurable outcomes before positioning product.
Day one: executive and multi-threaded selling that earns trust with business, technical, financial, security and procurement stakeholders.
Day one: commercial acumen to build ROI narratives, manage deal economics, negotiate thoughtfully and qualify out when the fit is not credible.
Day one: CRM, forecast and operating discipline; the ability to inspect facts, surface risk early and maintain mutual accountability.
Developable: deeper Zendesk platform, AI and service-operations fluency; more advanced industry narratives, partner-led selling and complex deal strategy.
Differentiating: the ability to shape the customer's problem, create demand where none exists and mobilize a buying committee without overselling.
Scarce: repeated success closing large, complex net-new deals with executive access, competitive strategy and strong business-case construction.
Experience and qualifications
Experience range: Typically 8–12 years of related experience (Job Architecture baseline).
Relevant background: demonstrated capability in complex B2B SaaS new-business selling, value-based discovery and commercial deal ownership.
Customer impact: demonstrated ownership of outcomes, not only activity; evidence should show decision quality, follow-through and measurable customer or commercial impact.
Commercial proof: evidence of prospecting discipline, quota attainment or equivalent growth results, executive engagement and complex deal judgment.
AI and platform fluency: ability to discuss AI, automation, service operations and platform value credibly and know when specialist depth is required.
Education: no specific credential is required where equivalent demonstrated experience, capability and track record are present.
AI-era expectations
Discuss AI, automation, CX and platform value credibly at the business level; bring specialists when deeper technical validation is required.
Frame AI opportunities in terms of measurable customer outcomes, operating-model change, adoption risk, security, governance and implementation readiness.
Use approved AI tools to improve account research, preparation, follow-through and signal synthesis while protecting customer confidentiality and data.
Distinguish uniquely human work—trust, judgment, negotiation and executive alignment—from work that can be augmented or automated.
Use market and customer insight to refine AI narratives, objection handling and priority use cases without overstating product capability.
What makes this role distinctive
You will help customers move from a service challenge to a decision-ready case for change. The strongest candidates combine disciplined new-business craft with the ability to make an AI-powered, platform-level future state credible to executive buyers.
The US annualized OTE (On Target Earnings) range for this position is $111,000.00-$167,000.00 with a pay mix of 60/40 (base/commission). This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.
Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to wor