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Sales Director

Washington, DC

State Affairs is the nation’s leading news and policy intelligence platform focused on state governments. We combine nonpartisan coverage of Statehouses across the country alongside state government data and AI-native tools into a singular platform. 

We inform and empower decision makers, policy professionals and citizens through our award-winning journalism and data – delivering profound insights to help our customers decode and act on state politics and  policy. We’re building a category-defining business that will reshape America as we strengthen visibility into what’s happening and why at the state level.

We are hiring a Sales Director to join our team located in Washington, DC. This is an individual contributor (IC), quota-carrying opportunity.

As the Sales Director you will:

  • Own the full sales cycle—from prospecting and outreach to demos, negotiation, and closing complex deals.
  • Build and manage a data-driven pipeline using HubSpot, keeping forecasting and deal stages accurate.
  • Strategically develop account-specific plans that align policy developments with our platform’s value.
  • Collaborate closely with BDRs to accelerate pipeline generation and with Account Management to ensure seamless transitions and identify upsell opportunities.
  • Partner cross-functionally with RevOps & Revenue Leadership to improve GTM efficiency and deliver a standout customer experience.

Essential Qualifications for this position include:

  • 6+ years professional work experience in SaaS sales, with a track record of closing complex, six-figure deals
  • Prior professional work experience engaging with large organizations (Fortune 500 familiarly preferred)
  • Ability to deliver results against $1M+ quotas
  • Ability to build multi-threaded relationships and negotiate nuanced, multi-stakeholder contracts
  • Ability to community and present, especially in high-stakes conversations
  • Ability to thrive in a high-growth, fast-paced environment where autonomy is matched by accountability
  • Knowledge of modern sales/GTM stacks (i.e., HubSpot, Lemlist, Aircall, Apollo.io, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications for this position include: 

  • Prior professional work experience selling into public policy, government affairs, or regulated sectors
  • Prior professional work experience in a startup organization as an initial sales hire
  • Ability to be curious, consultative and agile in the sales process
  • Prior professional work experience in a start-up organization 

This is a hybrid work opportunity and our teams operate from the Washington, DC office located at L and 15th St. NW at least 4 (four) days per week. State Affairs offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package to employees.

The annual compensation range for this role as it is posted is $175,000 to $200,000 for candidates working from the State Affairs office in Washington, DC. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity.  Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with State Affairs.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future company sponsorship.

State Affairs is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and business needs.  State Affairs does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with federal, state, and local law.

State Affairs is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as they go through our job application and interview process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at jobs@stateaffairs.com

By submitting your application, you affirm the content contained therein is true and accurate in all respects. Please note that prior to employment, State Affairs will obtain background checks for employment purposes that may include, where permitted by law, the following: identify verification, prior employment verification, personal and professional references, educational verification, and criminal history. For certain roles, further background checks covering additional information and activities may be initiated.

"By clicking "Submit Application" you are consenting to the use and retention of the information you have provided as set forth in the State Affairs Privacy Policy. 

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