Founding Account Executive
Company: Clera
Role summary
Founding Account Executive is a full-time role at Clera in San Francisco, California, United States (on-site). Posted 2026-08-08. Experience level: 2-5.
- Job title
- Founding Account Executive
- Company
- Clera
- Location
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Work arrangement
- on-site
- Employment type
- full-time
- Category
- Sales
- Experience level
- 2-5
- Date posted
- 2026-08-08
Job description
About the Role
This is a rare opportunity to be the first dedicated closer at a fast-moving, pre-seed AI startup operating in the talent acquisition and HR tech space. As the Founding Account Executive, you will own the full sales cycle — from discovery through signature — for mid-market and enterprise deals. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the founding team to build the sales playbook from scratch, shape go-to-market strategy, and lay the foundation for a sales organization you'll eventually lead. This is a high-autonomy, high-ownership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity and wants to make a lasting impact on a company's trajectory.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
What You'll Do
Own the complete sales cycle — discovery, demo, negotiation, and close — for mid-market and enterprise customers
Self-source pipeline through both warm and cold outbound, alongside inbound qualification
Build and continuously refine the closing playbook, including pricing strategy, objection handling, and deal stage definitions
Partner directly with founders on go-to-market strategy and positioning decisions
Drive expansion revenue from existing customers through upsell and cross-sell
Hire and mentor BDRs as the sales organization scales
What We're Looking For
Must-haves:
2–6 years of experience as an Account Executive at a high-velocity startup or in finance, with a consistent track record of beating quota
Demonstrated full-cycle sales ownership — you've sourced, run, and closed your own deals (not exclusively worked handed-off pipeline)
Proven success with cold outbound prospecting, including at least one significant deal sourced entirely through cold outreach
Experience closing mid-market and/or enterprise deals with complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles
Strong pluses:
Experience building and documenting sales processes, playbooks, or methodologies
Experience managing expansion revenue or upsell opportunities within existing accounts
Experience hiring, training, or managing SDRs or junior sales staff
Track record of rapid promotion or accelerated career progression within a sales organization
Experience working directly with founders or C-level executives on GTM strategy and pricing
Prior startup founding experience, competitive achievement, or a demonstrated record of tackling difficult objectives in an unconventional way
Background in recruiting, talent, or HR technology verticals
The ideal candidate: You execute at high velocity, bring structure without bureaucracy, and have done something exceptional — started a company, won a meaningful competition, or otherwise demonstrated that you operate differently from the average seller.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary: $130,000 – $180,000 USD annually (plus variable/commission)
Equity participation in an early-stage, high-growth startup
On-site in San Francisco, CA
Location
This role is on-site in San Francisco, CA . Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States — visa sponsorship is not available.