Account Executive, SLED (US)

As an Account Executive at Cohere you will have ownership of the full sales cycle - from identifying leads to closing deals, with State, Local and Higher Education customers in the Western region of the United States.

Responsibilities

Drive net-new customer acquisition through targeted outbound activity, senior leader engagement, and relationship building across SLED organizations; Develop and execute a sales plan and prioritization for the SLED market in your territory, identifying pathways and partners to scale growth regionally; Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to SLED customers and prospects by understanding their goals and shaping AI solutions that deliver measurable value; Work closely with channel and local partners, particularly Distributors and VARs as well as major system integrators to scale outreach, accelerate adoption, and maximize customer success; Leverage senior-level relationships with executives and government decision-makers to drive strategic opportunities and long-term partnerships; Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams on strategic efforts to deliver enterprise and public-sector solutions; Partner with SDRs and Marketing to drive top-of-funnel activity and overall territory growth; Own the full sales cycle; including discovery, technical and business validation, proof-of-concept, procurement, and deal close within a team-selling environment

Requirements

5+ years of direct public sector sales experience in the SLED Market, with a proven track record of closing $2M+ annual quotas; Deep knowledge of SLED procurement cycles and decision-making processes, how to work with resellers, VARs and distributors; Established regional network, including state and local departments and agencies, prime contractors, and industry associations; Experience selling SaaS, AI/ML, or enterprise software solutions to government clients; High tolerance for ambiguity, you are both a strategist and a hands-on operator capable of building a market from the ground up; Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders across fast-moving deals; Creativity and strong technical acumen to structure unique, mutually beneficial partnerships; Excellent communication skills, you listen deeply, understand what matters to senior decision-makers, and confidently present to both technical and non-technical audiences

Nice to have

Preference given to candidates within California, Texas, Washington, Arizona and Colorado with willingness to travel (25-35%)

Benefits

Weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in local currency; Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health; RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme; 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months for either parent; Annual enrichment benefits for arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and workspace improvement; Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching; 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days); Budget for traveling to other offices if remote, plus annual company offsite; Co-working benefit for those not near an office; $500 home office stipend