Corporate Account Executive - California

Chainguard is the trusted source for open source software security. By delivering hardened, secure, and production-ready builds of open source software that engineers and AI agents rely on, Chainguard helps organizations build faster, stay compliant, and eliminate risk.

Our customers include Fortune 500 enterprises and global industry leaders such as Anduril, Canva, Fortinet, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, OpenAI, Snap Inc., and Snowflake. We are venture-backed by leading investors including Amplify, IVP, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Mantis VC, Redpoint Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Spark Capital.

About the Role

We are looking for highly motivated sales executives with strong market knowledge who enjoy building relationships with key decision-makers to evangelize secure and reliable software. Our sales team walks in their customers' shoes to ensure prospects see the immense value and expertise Chainguard's solutions offer.

Note: Candidates must be based in California.

What You'll Do

• Define and execute sales plans for your assigned territory.
• Convey the value proposition and product differentiators to prospects and customers.
• Forecast, meet, and exceed sales quotas.
• Develop and manage the lead funnel through a combination of inbound and outbound leads.
• Manage business opportunities and track progress using CRM and supporting sales tools.
• Collaborate with product, support, and sales engineering teams to improve all aspects of the sales cycle.
• Understand the competitive landscape, competing offerings, and market trends.
• Travel to client sites when required to support key sales relationships.

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of closing experience in the SaaS, Cybersecurity, or DevOps industry.
• Location Requirement: Must be physically located in California.
• Proven track record of consistently overachieving sales targets (Top 10–20% performance).
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong work ethic, resourcefulness, and drive.
• Strong team player with a competitive and motivated attitude.
• Ability to rapidly learn complex technical products and sales processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to travel to client sites as needed.

Desired Qualifications

• Strong domain experience in one or more areas:
  • Compute platforms (Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
  • DevOps tooling & CI/CD platforms (GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins)
  • Overall Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Prior startup experience.
• Strong sales aptitude and fundamental understanding of structured sales processes.
• Sound tech-savvy business acumen and the ability to articulate compelling value propositions in complex environments.
• Ability to thrive in an agile, fast-evolving startup environment.

Compensation & Pay Range

• Base Salary: $125,000 USD
• On-Target Earnings (OTE): $250,000 USD

Benefits & Culture

• Flexible & Remote-First Culture: Work remotely with team meetups, bi-annual destination summits, and monthly stipends for coworking spaces, phone, and internet.
• Equity: Stock options upon hire and promotion with a 10-year exercise window and opportunity to participate in secondary offerings.
• 100% Covered Health Benefits: 100% company-paid premiums for health, vision, and dental insurance for you and your dependents.
• Unlimited Flexible Time Off: Take the time you need to recharge.
• Paid Parental Leave: 18 weeks for birthing parents and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents.