Account Executive

Cambridge, MA

About Us

Proton is reinventing wholesale distribution, an $8 trillion market that moves nearly every physical product in the economy. The industry still runs on fragmented legacy systems and manual work, and we are replacing that stack with an AI-native industry cloud. Proton brings CRM, product data, quoting, order entry, and AI agents together in one platform so distributors can grow faster and automate the work that slows them down. Our growth continues to accelerate, and we are still early in the opportunity to define the operating system for this massive, essential market.

About the role

We are hiring an Account Executive to own complex mid-market and enterprise opportunities from first conversation through close and expansion. This is a technical sale: you will personally run discovery and product demos, work with business and technical buyers, build the business case, and lead the evaluation.

You will report to Benj Cohen, our CEO and acting Head of Sales, and work closely with our BDR, Marketing, Product, Customer, and Forward Deployed Engineering teams. You will inherit real opportunity, but you will also be expected to create pipeline and help improve the way Proton sells.

This role is hybrid, with three days a week in our office in Harvard Square. Regular customer and industry-event travel is part of the role.

Key Responsibilities

  • Own mid-market and enterprise opportunities from prospecting and discovery through business case, technical validation, negotiation, and close.
  • Personally prepare and run product demos that connect Proton's technical capabilities to the customer's business problem.
  • Learn how each prospect makes money and where manual work, fragmented data, or disconnected systems limit growth or increase cost.
  • Build quantified business cases with customers using their operating assumptions.
  • Develop champions and multi-thread across executives, operating leaders, IT/security, and end users.
  • Sell the right first step across Proton's CRM, PIM, Pronto, quote/order automation, and FDE-led work.
  • Partner with Product and FDE teams to scope credible pilots and deployments without overpromising.
  • Work with BDRs, Marketing, industry partners, and your own network to build pipeline.
  • Travel to customer sites and industry events when being in person will move a relationship or deal forward.
  • Maintain accurate qualification, next steps, and forecasts.
  • Turn market feedback into better positioning, process, and product feedback for the team.
  • Build a clear expansion path for every customer you close.

Your Qualities

  • Comparable results: In recent roles, you have repeatedly closed complex B2B software or software-plus-services deals with initial contract values of approximately $100K or more and sales cycles of roughly three to six months or longer.
  • Technical sale ownership: Those sales involved multiple business and technical stakeholders, a meaningful technical evaluation, and a product demo that you personally led.
  • Quota ownership: You can explain your attainment, wins, losses, and personal contribution with precision.
  • Strong discovery: You find root problems, quantify impact, and create urgency without manufacturing pressure.
  • Champion building: You gain access to the economic buyer, technical buyer, and affected operating leaders.
  • Technical credibility: You can run a clear demo and discuss data, ERP and CRM context, integrations, security, AI workflows, and internal-build alternatives.
  • Build-stage experience: You have succeeded where the product, messaging, and process were still changing.
  • AI fluency: You can give specific examples of using AI to improve research, preparation, follow-up, analysis, or strategy on real deals.
  • Operating discipline: You prepare deeply, communicate concisely, keep your pipeline clean, and follow through.
  • Coachability: You take feedback well, ask for help early, and work effectively with sales and technical teammates.

Helpful, not required

  • Experience selling into wholesale distribution, manufacturing, supply chain, ERP, CRM, data, or operational software.
  • Experience selling pilots, professional services, usage-based products, or a land-and-expand platform.
  • Experience generating your own pipeline in addition to working inbound and BDR-created opportunities.

Compensation

Expected target compensation is $125,000 base salary and $250,000 on-target earnings, with uncapped commission and equity. Final compensation will depend on experience and location.

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation and equity: Uncapped commission plus company stock options.
  • Flexible paid time off and company holidays: Take the time you need to recharge.
  • 401(k) with employer contribution: Support for long-term financial planning.
  • Comprehensive healthcare coverage: Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Paid parental leave: Time to care for and welcome a new family member.
  • Company off-sites and in-person team weeks: Regular opportunities to work together in person.

Proton is an equal-opportunity employer. We care about what you have accomplished, how quickly you learn, and how you work with others. If the role excites you but your background does not match every line, we still encourage you to apply.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Proton.ai’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 07/31/2029

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.