Account executive job description template: segment, pipeline source, quota and the commission plan
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An account executive posting is read by people who know exactly what to look for: the segment, the deal size, how long deals take, where pipeline comes from, the quota and the commission plan. A posting that offers "uncapped earning potential" and "a fast-paced environment" instead tells strong closers nothing and invites everyone else to apply. This account executive job description template puts those facts up front, then turns each must-have into a screening question and a scorecard row. If the role is broader or more junior, start from the sales representative job description template; the general method is in how to write a job description that screens.
Settle the deal profile before you write
| Decision | Options | Why candidates care |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | SMB, mid-market, enterprise, strategic accounts | Decides deal size, cycle length and how many deals run at once |
| Sales cycle | Days, weeks or quarters from first call to signature | A rep from 14-day cycles may struggle in nine-month procurement, and the reverse |
| Pipeline source | Share from inbound, SDRs, partners and self-sourced | The biggest day-to-day difference between AE jobs |
| Buyer | Owner-operator, department head, IT and procurement committee | Multi-threading a committee is a separate skill from closing a founder |
| Motion | New logos only, or new plus expansion of existing accounts | Hunting and farming attract different people |
Write these as example figures the hiring manager has confirmed, for instance "typical first-year contract of about $30,000; 60 to 90 day cycle; about 70% of pipeline from inbound and SDRs." Those numbers are placeholders for illustration; use your own. They do more screening than any list of adjectives.
The account executive job description template
Account Executive, [SMB / Mid-Market / Enterprise] — [region or
vertical]
[Company], [city] — [On-site / Hybrid: days / Remote within: states;
travel N%]
Pay: base $[min]–$[max] per year; on-target earnings $[min]–$[max]
at 100% of quota ([N/N] base and variable split). [Benefits summary,
if required.]
SUMMARY
You will sell [product] to [buyer title] at [company size or
vertical]. Deals typically run [N] [days / weeks / months] with a
first-year value around $[N]. About [N]% of your pipeline comes from
[inbound / SDRs / partners]; you will source the rest. You will
report to [title] and work with [N] SDRs and a sales engineer.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Run deals from discovery to signature: qualify, demo or present,
build the business case, negotiate and close.
- Source [N]% of your own pipeline through [outbound / events /
partners].
- Keep opportunities current in [CRM] and forecast your quarter
within [an agreed range].
- Work with [legal / procurement / security review] on [enterprise]
contracts.
- [Expand existing accounts in your territory.]
YOU MUST HAVE
- Carried a quota for closing new business, with attainment you can
describe by year.
- Closed deals with [a similar buyer / a similar cycle length / a
similar contract size].
- [Self-sourced roles: built a meaningful share of your own
pipeline.]
- [Enterprise roles: closed deals that went through procurement or
security review.]
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience selling into [vertical] or with [sales methodology].
- [CRM] and [sales engagement tool] experience.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
COMPENSATION AND FIXED CONDITIONS
- Quota: $[N] [annual / quarterly] [new annual recurring revenue /
bookings]. Ramp: [N months at reduced quota / a draw of $N].
- Commission paid [monthly / quarterly] on [booking / collection];
the plan is provided in writing before you accept.
- Travel: [N%; regions].
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; sales leader conversation; a role-play of a
discovery call using a scenario we send in advance; meeting the
team.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
If you need an adjustment to apply or interview, email [address].Commission, overtime and pay lines
Not legal advice. The wage and hour points below were checked against the U.S. Department of Labor and California statute as of October 2026. State rules vary; have counsel review the plan and the classification.
Overtime classification. The federal outside sales exemption requires that the employee's primary duty is making sales and that they are "customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer's place or places of business." The Department of Labor adds that outside sales does not include sales made by mail, telephone or the internet unless that contact is an adjunct to personal calls, and that it has no salary test (DOL Fact Sheet #17F). Most inside account executives selling over video do not fit that exemption, so the posting should not imply exempt status until it has been reviewed.
Commission plans in writing. In California, when the method of payment involves commissions, the contract must be in writing, set out how commissions are computed and paid, and be given to the employee in a signed copy (California Labor Code § 2751). Promising the written plan before acceptance, as the template does, is good practice everywhere.
Pay range. Some pay transparency laws reach past base pay. Washington, for example, requires covered postings to include the wage scale or salary range and "a general description of all of the benefits and other compensation to be offered" (RCW 49.58.110), which is where commission belongs. Check each state in pay transparency laws by state. Posting both base and on-target earnings avoids the most common complaint from sales candidates. As an outside reference, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook says most employers of wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives combine salary with commissions or bonuses (page last modified August 27, 2026); it does not track account executives as a separate occupation, and this page does not quote figures.
EEO. Phrases such as "young, hungry closer" or "digital native" can discourage older applicants, one of the protected groups the EEOC lists. Describe the behavior you want, such as "prospects daily", and close with your EEO statement and accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carried a new-business quota | "What was your quota in each of the last two years, what did you close against it, and how did the rest of the team do?" | Track record | Specific numbers with context; stack rank or team average offered without prompting |
| Closed similar deals | "Tell me about the largest deal you closed last year: who signed, how long it took and what nearly killed it." | Deal execution | Names the buyer roles, the timeline and a real obstacle they handled |
| Self-sourced pipeline | "What share of your closed deals did you source yourself, and how?" | Prospecting | A percentage and a repeatable method, not one lucky referral |
| Procurement or security review | "Walk me through a deal that went through procurement. What did you do differently near the end?" | Complex deal navigation | Started legal and security early; multi-threaded beyond the champion |
| Forecast accuracy | "How close was your forecast to your result last quarter, and what slipped?" | Pipeline discipline | Knows the gap and why; does not blame marketing alone |
The rest of the call, including how to test attainment claims, is in sales rep phone screen questions. The same competencies, with anchored ratings, are in the interview scorecard for sales roles. To find closers who are not applying, start with Boolean search strings for sales roles and add the segment and vertical.
Common mistakes in account executive job descriptions
"Uncapped commission" with no numbers
Every plan is uncapped in the posting. Without base, on-target earnings and quota, strong closers assume the numbers are poor and skip the role.
Hiding the prospecting
If half the pipeline is self-sourced, say so. Account executives who expected inbound leads leave within two quarters when they find themselves cold calling.
Requiring industry experience you could teach
"Five years selling HR software" excludes closers from adjacent markets who sell to the same buyer. Require the deal profile (buyer, cycle, size) and treat the industry as a nice-to-have.
One posting for every segment
An SMB role closing 10 deals a month and an enterprise role closing four a year are different jobs. Write a posting per segment, even if the title is the same.
No ramp
New account executives rarely close in their first month. State the ramp or draw, or expect candidates to ask for a guarantee at offer stage.
Before you publish
- Segment, buyer, cycle length, typical deal size and pipeline source are in the summary.
- Base, on-target earnings, split, quota basis and ramp are stated.
- The written commission plan is promised before acceptance, and classification has been reviewed.
- Industry experience is a nice-to-have unless the buyer truly requires it.
- The EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Should an account executive posting include the quota?
Include the quota or at least its basis, along with on-target earnings and the base and variable split. Experienced account executives judge a role by whether the quota is reachable, so ask for attainment history in the screen and be ready to share how the current team performed against the same number.
Are account executives exempt from overtime?
It depends on how and where they sell. Under the federal outside sales exemption, the employee must be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer's place of business, and sales by phone or internet do not count unless they are an adjunct to personal calls. Inside account executives need a different exemption or overtime pay, so check with counsel and state law.
What is the difference between an account executive and an SDR?
A sales development representative books qualified meetings; an account executive runs the deal from discovery to signature and carries a revenue quota. Some account executive roles also prospect for part of their pipeline. State the share of self-sourced pipeline in the posting so prospecting-averse closers can rule themselves out.
Do commission plans need to be in writing?
In California, yes. Labor Code section 2751 requires a written contract that sets out how commissions are computed and paid when the employee works in California and is paid commissions, with a signed copy given to the employee. Other states have their own rules, so have counsel review the plan before offers go out.