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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Mid-Market Account Executive

💰 $90,000 - $180,000 OTE

SalesBusiness DevelopmentAccount ManagementTechnologySaaS

🎯 Role Definition

The Mid-Market Account Executive (AE) is a cornerstone of the sales organization, responsible for driving new business revenue from companies typically ranging from 100 to 1000 employees. This role owns the entire sales process from lead qualification to contract execution. The Mid-Market AE is a strategic seller who excels at building relationships with multiple stakeholders, understanding complex business challenges, and articulating a compelling value proposition. Success in this position requires a blend of disciplined pipeline management, sophisticated discovery skills, and the ability to navigate multi-threaded sales cycles while consistently meeting and exceeding quarterly and annual sales quotas.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR)
  • SMB (Small-to-Medium Business) Account Executive
  • Account Manager seeking a new business development focus

Advancement To:

  • Senior Mid-Market Account Executive
  • Enterprise Account Executive
  • Sales Manager or Team Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • Customer Success Manager
  • Sales Enablement Specialist
  • Channel or Partner Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Proactively manage the entire sales cycle from initial lead qualification through discovery, solution presentation, proposal, negotiation, and final closing.
  • Develop and execute a strategic territory plan to identify and target high-potential mid-market accounts, ensuring a robust and healthy sales pipeline.
  • Consistently achieve and exceed quarterly and annual new business sales quotas by effectively managing a high volume of opportunities.
  • Conduct in-depth discovery calls and meetings to deeply understand a prospect's business pains, technical requirements, and strategic objectives.
  • Build and nurture strong, long-lasting relationships with key decision-makers and influencers, including Directors, VPs, and C-level executives within target accounts.
  • Masterfully articulate the company's value proposition, tailoring product demonstrations and presentations to address the specific needs and use cases of each prospective client.
  • Skillfully navigate complex organizational structures and multi-threaded decision-making processes to build consensus and drive deals forward.
  • Prepare and deliver professional, compelling, and well-researched business proposals and statements of work (SOWs) that align with client needs.
  • Lead contract and pricing negotiations, working with internal legal and finance teams to ensure favorable terms and a successful close.
  • Maintain meticulous and accurate records of all sales activities, customer interactions, and opportunity progression within the CRM (e.g., Salesforce).
  • Provide timely and accurate sales forecasts and pipeline reports to sales leadership, communicating both risks and opportunities clearly.
  • Employ proven sales methodologies (such as MEDDIC, Challenger Sale, or Solution Selling) to qualify opportunities and guide the sales process.
  • Act as a subject matter expert on the company's product suite and the competitive landscape, effectively handling objections and positioning the solution for success.
  • Generate a pipeline of new business through a combination of inbound lead follow-up, self-sourced prospecting, and collaboration with the SDR team.
  • Build strong business cases demonstrating clear ROI to justify investment and secure budget from prospective clients.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate closely with the Customer Success team to ensure a seamless post-sale handover and contribute to long-term customer satisfaction and expansion.
  • Act as a conduit for market feedback, providing valuable insights from the field to the Product, Marketing, and Engineering teams to influence product roadmap and strategy.
  • Participate actively in weekly team meetings, quarterly business reviews (QBRs), and ongoing sales training to continuously improve skills and share best practices.
  • Mentor junior sales professionals, such as SDRs or Associate AEs, by sharing knowledge, coaching on sales techniques, and leading by example.
  • Work with the Marketing team to provide input on and leverage targeted campaigns, webinars, and events aimed at the mid-market segment.
  • Stay current on industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging technologies to maintain a competitive edge and serve as a trusted advisor to clients.
  • Represent the company with professionalism at industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to build brand awareness and generate leads.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • CRM Proficiency: Deep expertise in using a CRM, particularly Salesforce, for comprehensive pipeline management, activity logging, and accurate forecasting.
  • Sales Technology Fluency: Experience with modern sales technology stack, including sales engagement platforms (e.g., SalesLoft, Outreach), prospecting tools (e.g., LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo), and web conferencing software (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
  • Demonstration & Presentation Skills: Proven ability to conduct compelling, customized software demonstrations that effectively map product features to client pain points.
  • Sales Methodology Application: Formal training and practical application of a structured sales methodology (e.g., MEDDIC, MEDDPICC, Challenger, Solution Selling).
  • Negotiation Expertise: Strong negotiation skills with experience managing complex contract discussions around pricing, terms, and legal requirements.
  • Business Case Development: Ability to build and present a quantifiable business case, including ROI and TCO analysis, to executive-level buyers.

Soft Skills

  • Active Listening & Curiosity: An innate curiosity and superior listening skills to uncover the true needs and motivations of a prospect beyond what is explicitly stated.
  • Communication & Articulation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, concise, and persuasive messaging.
  • Resilience & Grit: A tenacious, goal-oriented mindset with the ability to persevere through rejection and navigate the highs and lows of a sales cycle.
  • Business Acumen: Strong commercial awareness and the ability to quickly understand different business models, market pressures, and a client's financial drivers.
  • Time Management & Organization: Excellent organizational skills to effectively manage a high-volume pipeline, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strategic & Critical Thinking: The ability to think strategically about an account, identify potential roadblocks, and proactively develop creative solutions to overcome them.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: A collaborative spirit with a proven ability to work cross-functionally with marketing, customer success, product, and leadership teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent practical experience in a quota-carrying role.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business & Management
  • Marketing & Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-8 years of professional sales experience.

Preferred:

A minimum of 3 years in a full-cycle, quota-carrying closing role, preferably within a B2B SaaS or technology-focused company. A consistent track record of meeting and exceeding sales targets is essential. Direct experience selling to mid-market organizations (100-1000 employees) is highly preferred.

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