Account Executive (San Diego)

The Account Executive, Outside Sales, is responsible for driving revenue growth through the acquisition of new customers, expansion of products and services with existing customers, and development of a high-quality pipeline within assigned territories. This role is focused on proactive prospecting, competitive displacement, and consistently generating revenue and market share growth.

The assigned territory includes up to a $5M portfolio of customers within the greater Southern California (San Diego - Los Angeles) areas. Success in this role requires regular travel throughout the territory to strengthen customer relationships, drive new business opportunities, and support continued revenue and market share growth. Periodic travel to Trafera’s headquarters in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and other nationwide locations for meetings, training, and company events is expected.

Competencies:

Action Oriented, Collaboration, Drives Results, Customer Focus, Decision Quality, Persuasion, Accountability, Communication, Business Insights, Strategic Mindset, Financial Acumen, Balance Stakeholders, Manages Complexity

Essential Responsibilities:

The following essential functions represent the primary work performed; however, other responsibilities could be expected that are not detailed here but fall within the scope of this role.

• Own new business development and customer growth within assigned territory, with primary accountability for net-new customer acquisition
• Build and execute a disciplined prospecting strategy, including cold outreach, targeted account engagement, in-person networking, and industry event participation
• Create and maintain a robust, forward-looking pipeline of qualified opportunities, with a strong focus on new logos and whitespace accounts
• Drive sales cycle execution from initial outreach through close, ensuring consistent pipeline conversion, revenue generation, and margin quality
• Identify and penetrate target accounts and competitive strongholds, positioning Trafera to win net-new business
• Leverage market intelligence, competitive analysis, and customer insights to prioritize high-value opportunities
• Partner with internal teams, especially the advisory services and sales engineering groups, to accelerate pipeline creation and deal velocity
• Lead RFI/RFP responses and negotiations focused on winning new business and displacing competitors
• Input and maintain accurate customer information, pipeline, activity, and forecast data in CRM to support visibility and accountability for customers and territory plan
• Represent Trafera in the market through active presence at industry events and prospect engagements to expand brand reach and generate demand
• Achieve and exceed revenue quotas, pipeline creation targets, and KPI expectations focused on growth and market share goals

Minimum Skills, Abilities, and Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, sales, IT, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 5+ years of success in new business development, prospecting, and quota attainment in IT services or educational technology sales
• Demonstrated track record of consistently generating new pipeline and closing net-new business
• Proven ability to identify, pursue, and win new customers in competitive markets
• Strong consultative selling skills with the ability to translate customer needs into tailored solutions
• High level of self-motivation with a hunter mindset and bias for action
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities, customer requirements, technologies, and market conditions
• Communicate complex information clearly and effectively through verbal, written, and presentation formats
• Develop and maintain strong customer relationships through active listening, problem-solving, negotiation, and influence skills
• Handle periods of pressure associated with revenue goals, sales targets, customer expectations, and time-sensitive opportunities.
• Demonstrate resilience and persistence when facing objections, setbacks, competitive challenges, and changing market dynamics.
• Plan, organize, and manage territory activities independently while maintaining consistent follow-through and accountability.
• Apply strategic thinking, business acumen, and financial reasoning to support revenue growth and customer success.
• Maintain confidentiality of customer, employee, company, and proprietary information.
• Continuously learn and apply new products, technologies, industry trends, and competitive knowledge.
• Experience leveraging CRM tools to manage data integrity discipline in pipeline, activity, and forecasting
• Working knowledge of IT technology solutions such as SaaS, DaaS, infrastructure and networking (servers, LAN/WAN, firewalls, VPN, cloud, virtualization), Cybersecurity, and other IT technology strategies sufficient to engage customers in designing solutions
• Strong business acumen and market understanding with ability to own sales territory planning
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly, professionally, and persuasively to customers, vendors and internal partners
• Creative and results oriented mindset with the ability to collaborate with others to identify and solve issues, make proactive recommendations, and lead through influence
• Ability to travel within territory routinely and to other nationwide locations as necessary

Technology and Systems:

• CRM, preferably HubSpot
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Services: Google & Microsoft
• Computing: Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Extreme, Fortinet
• Interactive Displays (A/V): Newline, Promethean, ViewSonic