Account Executive Ae Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

1.0 The Opportunity: Shape the Future of Government Cybersecurity

This is not a typical sales job. This is a strategic opportunity to build a career at the critical intersection of national security, regulatory compliance, and technology. As a foundational member of a high-growth company's sales engine, you will move beyond transactional sales to become a pivotal player in the new era of government cybersecurity, where compliance is the license to operate.

Your core mission is to solve a critical business problem for government contractors: activating dormant, high-value federal assets. Within the new, high-stakes regulatory landscape defined by CMMC 2.0, you will transform these assets into active revenue streams by guiding clients through a market shifting from "unverified self-attestation" to a rigorous "verify-then-trust" framework. You will be a key player helping companies navigate this complex but mandatory transition.

This hybrid position is uniquely structured as a full-cycle sales role, combining the prospecting duties of a Sales Development Representative (SDR) with the closing responsibilities of an Account Executive (AE). Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will serve as a versatile, end-to-end sales driver for the organization.

Success in this role is a team sport. You will not operate in a silo but will be supported by a team of Sales Engineers (SEs) who will partner with you on complex technical scoping, solution design, and product demonstrations, ensuring you can present the most compelling and accurate solutions to clients.

This unique opportunity is provided by SG2 Recruiting's client & partner, SteelToad, an innovative organization dedicated to clarifying complexity and driving client success in the federal space.

2.0 About Our Partner: SteelToad

Choosing a new role is as much about the company's mission and values as it is about the daily responsibilities. It is crucial to find a fit where you can believe in the work and the team you are joining.

Our partner, SteelToad, is a dynamic provider of cloud services, cybersecurity, software development, and CMMC training. Founded in 2019, the company operates on a powerful and straightforward mission: "Simplify. Succeed. Always with integrity."

As an Account Executive, your primary function will be to translate this mission: "Simplify. Succeed. Always with integrity." into tangible results for federal contractors.

3.0 Your Mission & Core Responsibilities

Your responsibilities center on a clear, impactful mission: to transform dormant federal assets into active revenue streams by expertly guiding clients through the complex CMMC 2.0 landscape. You will own the entire sales process, from initial outreach to deal closure, ensuring a seamless and consultative experience for every prospect.

• Spearhead Pipeline Generation: You will be responsible for hunting for new business opportunities by executing high-volume, multi-channel outbound prospecting campaigns.

• Execute Lead Qualification and Discovery: You will conduct in-depth discovery calls to diagnose customer pain points related to CMMC compliance, IT infrastructure, and cloud security, truly understanding their needs before prescribing a solution.

• Manage Opportunity Closure: You will drive deals to a successful close by creating and delivering compelling proposals, skillfully handling objections, and negotiating contract terms.

• Maintain Operational Excellence: You will uphold meticulous records of all sales activities in the company's CRM. This is not just an administrative task; it is a critical function with legal weight, supporting the annual CMMC compliance affirmation submitted to the government's SPRS database and carrying implications under the False Claims Act.

Executing this mission requires more than sales acumen; it demands a specific set of foundational qualifications.

4.0 Required Qualifications: The Foundations for Success

These qualifications are not a simple checklist; they represent the essential attributes of a professional who can operate with credibility and authority in a high-stakes, consultative sales environment.

Core Sales Competencies

• Sales Experience: 1–3 years of proven experience in inside sales or business development, which must include direct responsibility for closing deals.

• Core Attributes: A highly self-motivated "hunter mentality" is essential, combined with strong time management and organizational skills to manage a dynamic pipeline.

• Consultative Communication: You must possess the exceptional ability to act as a trusted consultant, articulating complex technical solutions and building trust-based relationships with multiple stakeholders across long and complex federal procurement cycles.

CMMC Technical Fluency: Your Subject Matter Expertise

Successful execution of this role requires the technical aptitude to act as a fluent translator between non-technical business owners and highly technical assessors. You must possess the following competencies:

• Regulatory Triage: The ability to rapidly diagnose whether a federal prospect requires CMMC Level 1 (Self-Assessment) or the more rigorous Level 2 (Third-Party Assessment).

• DFARS and Data Definitions: The knowledge to clearly differentiate between Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

? This includes understanding the key differences between critical DFARS clauses: 7012 (requiring NIST 800-171), 7019 (requiring an SPRS score), and 7021 (the new CMMC rule).

• Strategic Scoping: The ability to estimate an audit's "blast radius" to provide a Rough Order of Magnitude price. This includes knowing when to guide a prospect toward an Enclave Strategy to isolate sensitive data, thereby reducing the scope and cost of the audit.

• Asset Categorization: A firm understanding of the 5 Asset Categories and the ability to recognize when a prospect's Managed Service Provider (MSP) qualifies as a Security Protection Asset (SPA), bringing them into the scope of the audit.

• Cloud Fluency: An understanding of why standard commercial Microsoft 365 is often non-compliant for handling CUI and the expertise to identify when environments like GCC High are required.

• The Business Liability Hook: The critical skill to shift sales conversations from technical features to business liability. This involves articulating the legal risks of the False Claims Act and using the "Senior Official" Affirmation, which must be signed by a senior executive, as a potent closing tactic to underscore personal and corporate liability.

Mastering these required skills sets the stage for success, while the following qualifications will provide a distinct competitive advantage.

5.0 Preferred Qualifications: Your Competitive Edge

While we are committed to training the right individual, candidates who possess the following qualifications will be positioned to make a more immediate and significant impact.

• Federal Government Experience: Direct experience selling to Federal entities or familiarity with parsing government procurement portals to identify opportunities is highly valuable.

• Industry-Specific Sales: A background in selling cybersecurity solutions, cloud services, managed IT services, or CMMC-related training is a significant advantage.

• Sales Methodology Knowledge: Familiarity with structured sales frameworks such as SPIN Selling, Shipley’s, or MEDDIC demonstrates a disciplined approach to the sales process.

• Industry Credentials: Possession of certifications that establish instant credibility, such as the Registered Practitioner (RP) from the Cyber AB (which allows for the legal use of the CMMC logo) or the CompTIA Security+ certification (which proves foundational literacy in key technical concepts).

In exchange for this expertise and commitment, SteelToad offers a compensation package designed to aggressively reward success.

6.0 Compensation, Benefits, and Career Growth

SteelToad’s compensation philosophy is designed to attract top-tier talent and aggressively reward high performance. We believe in investing in our team and providing the resources needed to succeed.

• Base Salary: $60,000

• On-Target Earnings (OTE): $120,000 – $200,000+

• Commission: Uncapped

In addition to a competitive compensation package, the company provides robust professional development and training opportunities to ensure your continued growth and mastery of the field.

This is not just a job; it is your launchpad. You are on a direct and accelerated path to a team-leading, senior sales role within a scaling, values-led organization defining the future of government cybersecurity.