Enterprise Account Executive

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