Gilder Search Group
Founding Account Executive (Future Sales Leader) – SaaS / MarTech / AI
Gilder Search Group, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Founding Account Executive (Future Sales Leader) – SaaS / MarTech / AI
This is not your average AE job. You're not here to inherit a playbook — you're here to help build one. If you’ve been closing mid-market or enterprise deals and you're hungry to lead, influence product, and own a category, this is your launchpad. You’ll be the first sales hire at a profitable, product-market-fit SaaS company backed by tier-one investors — already at $5M+ ARR in just 20 months. You’ll sell into performance-driven growth leaders at brands spending $1M+ annually on advertising. And you’ll be working directly with the founder and elite sales advisors to architect a repeatable motion from day one. This role starts 80% IC, 20% strategic — and evolves quickly to 50/50. We’re looking for someone who can hunt, close, and scale — and who’s ready to lead the charge. What You’ll Own
This is an end-to-end selling role, with strategic leadership layered in. Responsibilities will evolve — fast — and include: Own the full sales cycle : From first touch to final signature, with mid-market and enterprise clients (ACVs in the $20K–$50K range). Partner with the CEO : Collaborate on GTM strategy, messaging, and competitive positioning. Build outbound engines : Architect and iterate cold outbound programs (yes, you\'ll get dirty — and yes, it will make you dangerous). Shape the sales org : Lay the groundwork for team growth, territory planning, forecasting, and ops. Collaborate cross-functionally : Feed real-time customer insights into product and marketing. You’ll help define our roadmap as much as our revenue. Sell into a sharp ICP : Think VP Growth, CMO, or brand leaders at companies with real ad budgets and high creative throughput. You Might Be the One If… You’re a
Senior AE, Team Lead, or Sales Manager
ready for your founder’s seat at the GTM table. You’ve had
career velocity
— internal promotions, rapid growth, or trajectory within high-performing orgs (logos are nice, but leveling up matters more). You’re a
systems thinker
— not just a player-coach, but a process builder who sees the bigger picture. You’ve done
BDR/Outbound work
— and you get why this makes you lethal as a closer. You have
domain awareness : Experience selling into agencies, martech, or PLG orgs is a strong plus. You think like a
founder
— not just closing the deal, but thinking about the why behind it. Why This Role?
This is the rare chance to: Join a company post-PMF, with real revenue, real retention, and real product love — before the GTM rocket takes off. Work with founders and advisors who have scaled sales at world-class orgs. Lead the future of creative marketing tech, at the intersection of AI, PLG, and performance growth. Be the first, with outsized impact and equity to match. This isn’t a turn-the-crank role. It’s a “come build the machine” opportunity. Compensation
Compensation : $150K–$200K base/$300-400k+ (uncapped) Equity : 0.1%–0.8% (early-stage, founder-level upside) Hybrid Schedule : 3 days/week in FiDi office Unlimited PTO with founder flexibility Early-stage equity at a de-risked but still very early company Executive mentorship and founder access Clear path to team leadership and head of sales scope What’s Next
If you're ready to punch above your weight — and you're tired of waiting for permission to lead — this is your moment. Submit your application today. We’re moving fast. Compensation $150-200k base/$300-400k+
#J-18808-Ljbffr
This is not your average AE job. You're not here to inherit a playbook — you're here to help build one. If you’ve been closing mid-market or enterprise deals and you're hungry to lead, influence product, and own a category, this is your launchpad. You’ll be the first sales hire at a profitable, product-market-fit SaaS company backed by tier-one investors — already at $5M+ ARR in just 20 months. You’ll sell into performance-driven growth leaders at brands spending $1M+ annually on advertising. And you’ll be working directly with the founder and elite sales advisors to architect a repeatable motion from day one. This role starts 80% IC, 20% strategic — and evolves quickly to 50/50. We’re looking for someone who can hunt, close, and scale — and who’s ready to lead the charge. What You’ll Own
This is an end-to-end selling role, with strategic leadership layered in. Responsibilities will evolve — fast — and include: Own the full sales cycle : From first touch to final signature, with mid-market and enterprise clients (ACVs in the $20K–$50K range). Partner with the CEO : Collaborate on GTM strategy, messaging, and competitive positioning. Build outbound engines : Architect and iterate cold outbound programs (yes, you\'ll get dirty — and yes, it will make you dangerous). Shape the sales org : Lay the groundwork for team growth, territory planning, forecasting, and ops. Collaborate cross-functionally : Feed real-time customer insights into product and marketing. You’ll help define our roadmap as much as our revenue. Sell into a sharp ICP : Think VP Growth, CMO, or brand leaders at companies with real ad budgets and high creative throughput. You Might Be the One If… You’re a
Senior AE, Team Lead, or Sales Manager
ready for your founder’s seat at the GTM table. You’ve had
career velocity
— internal promotions, rapid growth, or trajectory within high-performing orgs (logos are nice, but leveling up matters more). You’re a
systems thinker
— not just a player-coach, but a process builder who sees the bigger picture. You’ve done
BDR/Outbound work
— and you get why this makes you lethal as a closer. You have
domain awareness : Experience selling into agencies, martech, or PLG orgs is a strong plus. You think like a
founder
— not just closing the deal, but thinking about the why behind it. Why This Role?
This is the rare chance to: Join a company post-PMF, with real revenue, real retention, and real product love — before the GTM rocket takes off. Work with founders and advisors who have scaled sales at world-class orgs. Lead the future of creative marketing tech, at the intersection of AI, PLG, and performance growth. Be the first, with outsized impact and equity to match. This isn’t a turn-the-crank role. It’s a “come build the machine” opportunity. Compensation
Compensation : $150K–$200K base/$300-400k+ (uncapped) Equity : 0.1%–0.8% (early-stage, founder-level upside) Hybrid Schedule : 3 days/week in FiDi office Unlimited PTO with founder flexibility Early-stage equity at a de-risked but still very early company Executive mentorship and founder access Clear path to team leadership and head of sales scope What’s Next
If you're ready to punch above your weight — and you're tired of waiting for permission to lead — this is your moment. Submit your application today. We’re moving fast. Compensation $150-200k base/$300-400k+
#J-18808-Ljbffr