Founding Account Executive | Manufacturing Vertical

Job Description

This is Docket's founding AE role. You are not joining a machine. You are helping build one.

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You will run the full sales cycle from cold prospecting through close. You will have support: an SDR

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running outbound and a marketing function building pipeline. But you will not depend on them. The

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best AEs at Docket will treat SDR and marketing coverage as a multiplier on top of their own

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prospecting, not a substitute for it. You know how to find your own deals, work a multi-stakeholder

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buying process across VP Sales, CRO, CMO, and sometimes IT, navigate procurement, and close

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six-figure contracts at companies where decisions move slowly and consensus is hard to build.

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You have done this before, specifically in manufacturing or distribution. You understand what a

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plant manager cares about versus what a VP Sales cares about. You know the difference between

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a distributor relationship and a direct sales motion. You have sat across the table from someone

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who has been running their sales operation the same way for fifteen years and convinced them to

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change.

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If your experience is primarily in industries where buyers move fast, budgets are pre-approved, and

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deals close in two calls, this is not the right role. If you have spent years grinding complex deals

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with long sales cycles in the manufacturing world and still love the hunt, keep reading.

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WHAT YOU'LL DO

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• Own the full sales cycle: prospecting, discovery, multi-stakeholder navigation, demo, proposal,

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negotiation, and close

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• Self-source a significant portion of your pipeline through cold outreach, industry relationships,

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trade show engagement, and vertical network activation. You will have an SDR and marketing

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feeding the funnel, but the expectation is that you are also opening doors on your own

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• Sell to CRO, VP Sales, and CMO buyers at manufacturers and distributors with 50 to 5,000

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employees across Docket's five core verticals

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• Navigate complex enterprise deals involving multiple decision makers, procurement

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processes, IT security reviews, and budget cycles that do not move in straight lines

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• Build a deep understanding of each prospect's sales motion, channel structure, product

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complexity, and competitive dynamics before walking into a conversation

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• Work closely with the SDR and GTM Engineer to coordinate outbound efforts and ensure

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pipeline quality

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• Translate what you hear in the field back into product feedback, positioning improvements,

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and playbook refinements

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• Represent Docket at industry events, trade shows, and customer sites when deals demand it

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• Maintain rigorous CRM hygiene in HubSpot. Deal stage, next step, and close date should

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always reflect reality, not optimism

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WHO YOU ARE

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• 7 to 9 years of full-cycle enterprise SaaS sales experience with a consistent record of closing

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six-figure deals

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• Hard requirement: direct selling experience into manufacturing, distribution, or industrial

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verticals. You understand the sector's buying dynamics, stakeholder structures, and

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operational language without needing a primer

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• A prospector first. You have built pipeline from scratch before and you know how to do it

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without a warm handoff

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• Experienced navigating multi-threaded deals where procurement, IT, finance, and multiple

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business leaders all have a seat at the table

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• Comfortable with long sales cycles that require patience, discipline, and consistent follow-

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through across months, not weeks

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• Sharp on discovery. You ask questions that expose real pain, not just questions that get you

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to a demo

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• Credible and peer-level in conversation with senior operators and executives who have deep

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domain expertise in their industry

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• Fluent in the terminology of manufacturing sales: distributor tiers, channel conflict, RFQ

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processes, rep networks, ERP integration, SKU complexity, and trade show pipeline

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• Coachable and transparent. You call your deals accurately, flag risks early, and do not hide

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bad news

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WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR

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• AEs whose entire track record is in high-velocity, short-cycle SaaS with pre-built inbound

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pipeline

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• Sellers who describe themselves as 'relationship managers' but cannot point to deals they

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sourced cold and closed independently

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• Anyone who needs a fully staffed SDR team, a mature marketing engine, and a defined

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playbook before they can perform

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• Candidates without real exposure to the manufacturing or distribution sector. Domain

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knowledge here is not a nice-to-have

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• People who update their CRM when they feel like it

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WHY DOCKET

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• You will be the first AE at a company that has already proven it can close. You are inheriting a

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foundation, not starting from zero

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• Direct line to the founders. Your feedback shapes the product, the positioning, and the go-to-

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market motion

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• A sector that has been massively underserved by modern SaaS and is actively looking for

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solutions like Docket

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• Deals that are worth winning. Complex, strategic, high-value engagements with companies

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that are making real operational bets

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• Backed by top-tier investors with the conviction and runway to build something significant

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Docket is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate candidates based on their skills, track record, and drive.