Senior Account Executive, Federal Defense and Intelligence

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products designed to solve real-world business problems. We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises building AI systems. We believe our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI.

About the role

As a Senior Account Executive at Cohere, you will have ownership of the full sales cycle—from identifying leads to closing deals—with Defense and Intelligence customers in the United States. In this role, you will focus on business development within the Department of War, including Combatant Commands and elements of the broader national security community.

We’re looking for an approachable and compelling communicator who loves working with operators and analysts to uncover their needs and feels comfortable developing tailored value propositions around how Cohere’s platform can help them drive mission outcomes. You’ll lay the foundation for Cohere’s growth by owning your territory and collaborating with teammates across Customer Success, Sales Development, Marketing, and Sales Engineering. You’ll be the voice of the field, helping our Product and Engineering teams prioritize the Cohere roadmap with customer-centric care. This is a highly self-directed role where you will thrive in a quickly evolving environment.

Responsibilities

• Drive net-new customer acquisition through targeted outbound activity, senior leader engagement, and relationship building across US Federal Defense and Intelligence organizations.
• Develop and execute a sales plan for the U.S. Department of War, Combatant Commands, and other departments in national security.
• Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to national security professionals and prospects by understanding their goals and shaping AI solutions that deliver measurable value.
• Work closely with channel partners, particularly Distributors and VARs, as well as major system integrators to scale outreach, accelerate adoption, and maximize customer success.
• Leverage senior-level relationships with executives and government decision-makers to drive strategic opportunities and long-term partnerships.
• Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams on strategic efforts to deliver enterprise and public-sector solutions.
• Partner with SDRs and Marketing to drive top-of-funnel activity and overall territory growth.
• Own the full sales cycle, including discovery, technical and business validation, proof-of-concept, procurement, and deal close within a team-selling environment.

Requirements

• 10+ years of direct public sector sales experience in the U.S. Defense and Intelligence communities, with a proven track record of closing $5M+ annual quotas.
• Deep knowledge of federal procurement cycles and decision-making processes, including how to work with resellers, VARs, and distributors.
• Established network in the D.C. metro area, including federal agencies, prime contractors, and industry associations (e.g., AFCEA, AUSA).
• Experience selling SaaS, AI/ML, or enterprise software solutions to government clients.
• High tolerance for ambiguity; you are both a strategist and a hands-on operator capable of building a market from the ground up.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders across fast-moving deals.
• Creativity and strong technical acumen to structure unique, mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Excellent communication skills; you listen deeply, understand what matters to senior decision-makers, and confidently present to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Must be based in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia with willingness to travel (25-35%).

Pay

The salary range for this role is $230,000 – $430,000 USD. The figure above represents On-Target Earnings (OTE). Actual OTE will depend on individual performance.

Benefits

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency.
• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.
• RRSP matching, 401K, or Pension Scheme.
• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months for either parent.
• Annual enrichment benefits: Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.
• Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.
• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days).
• Budget for traveling to other offices if remote, plus an annual company offsite.
• A $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

Schedule

Cohere is remote-friendly with offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, and Montreal. For those in the office, a daily lunch program, snacks, and regular community events are provided. For those not near an office, a co-working benefit is available.