Account Executive, Western United States

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

We’re looking for an Account Executive who will find new opportunities, generate sales pipeline, and manage and expand existing  government relationships with state and local governments  as we continue to grow sales according to the business plan.  The ideal candidate is a driven, independent thinker, who can also be creative in identifying and developing new use cases and solutions within the civil market . This person will have a proven track record of navigating and selling within the state and local level, an extensive network and the ability to navigate framed contracts and the government procurement process . You will identify, qualify, negotiate, and close large-scale government contracts, drive sales and increase Planet’s visibility within the large state agencies. Ideal candidates have a deep understanding of the objectives, structure, personnel, strategy and processes of the departments we sell to such as departments of natural resources, agriculture, forestry and emergency management. Above all else, we want our potential candidate to enjoy our unique value proposition and join Planet on our mission to see change and change the world.

This is a full-time, remote position based in California.

Impact You'll Own:

• Drive strategic engagement and governmental relationships to maintain, renew and grow business with existing and new state government accounts.
• Generate pipeline and revenue from state governmental agencies by working with Planet’s SDR team, maintain outbound, self-directed prospecting, networking, identify new business opportunities, expand relationships and close sales.
• Help inform and develop Planet’s civil go to market  strategy, providing guidance and recommendations to product, marketing and the Commercial Leadership team on increasing Planet’s footprint within this  market, and developing a cohesive and actionable plan to do so. 
• Manage the government contracting process. 
• Identify new partnership opportunities to expand Planet’s government  presence and work with existing partners as needed.
• Collaborate with Sales Engineers and Professional Services  for prospect meetings and presentations to understand departmental needs, develop thoughtful solutions, generate proposals and present pricing to key government personnel.
• Working collaboratively with Customer Success Managers to set client expectations, ensure successful outcomes and secure repeatable and predictable business. 
• Develop comprehensive and informed account plans, highlighting existing and potential opportunities and quarterly plans to maximize account engagement and revenue. 
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date pipeline, sales forecast and CRM. 

What You Bring:

• Demonstrated success in self-directed prospecting and identifying and closing business within existing and new accounts in the civil government space. 
• 6+ years of related experience selling to the civil markets of which 5+ years in the Geospatial Earth Observation (or similar) industries.  
• A firm grasp of the value commercial imagery can bring to the civil market and the understanding of how to navigate the complex civil buying process. 
• Existing network with the Government and partner ecosystem. 
• Excellent collaboration skills, working with multiple internal stakeholders to drive and retain business, increase Planet’ civil reach, product market fit and identify future areas for growth.
• Ability to develop a detailed and achievable sales plan, forecast accurately and manage a pipeline of opportunities.
• Ability to source, sell, co-sell, and close large deals and government contracts; carrying quota and closing should be familiar concepts.
• Ability to run deep discovery meetings by identifying and understanding the prospect’s challenges and needs, gaining consensus with multiple stakeholders, engaging in complex solution evaluations, and navigating the government procurement process. 
• Self-starter, able to work independently under tight deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• The ability to interact successfully across cultures.
• Negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Critical thinking, decision=making, sound judgement, and creative problem-solving skills.
• Experience with CRM, outreach tools and forecasting solutions.

What Makes You Stand Out: 

• Federal experience 
• Background in GIS, remote sensing or related field 
• Knowledge of consultative selling techniques such as MEDDPICC, Challenger Sale or similar.
• Experience identifying, prospecting and establishing new use cases within existing and new accounts
• Live in Northern California, especially in the SF-Bay Area or Sacramento, CA

#LI-REMOTE

Application Deadline:

July 6, 2025 by 11:59pm PDT

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off 
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Remote-friendly work environment 
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:

The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below.  Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location.  The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only.  Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Why we care so much about Belonging. 
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work.  If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply!  At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description.  We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts.  We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride. 

EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations: 
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

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