Join us at Zendesk, where we’re transforming how the world experiences customer service. Our mission is to power exceptional service for every person on the planet and we’re accelerating that ambition by building intelligent, AI-driven solutions that connect people and businesses in more meaningful ways.
We’re seeking an experienced and dynamic Sales Director with a growth and ownership mindset to join our Bay Area Sales team. This pivotal role will lead a high-performing team focused primarily on Enterprise accounts across the Bay Area region, with a hybrid element integrating select Commercial accounts. You’ll shape the strategy for one of our most critical markets. Helping define Zendesk’s next chapter and empowering customers to elevate their CX and EX through cutting-edge AI and automation capabilities.
As a strategic sales leader, you’ll inspire a high-performing team, build trusted relationships with C-suite leaders, and drive growth through data-driven, AI-enabled sales strategies that position Zendesk at the forefront of customer experience innovation across the Bay Area’s most forward-thinking companies.
What You’ll Be Doing:
Hire, coach, and lead a high-performing Bay Area based Enterprise sales team, motivating and empowering them to consistently meet and exceed quota.
Drive the team to sales growth through implementing new business opportunities, AI-focused solution selling, and upsell/cross-sell strategies.
Lead and coach the team through complex Enterprise sales cycles, including large, multi-product, AI-driven deals and layered decision-making processes.
Regularly analyze sales activities, helping the team understand and leverage regional buying trends and technology adoption patterns across Enterprise and select Commercial markets.
Conduct quarterly territory plan reviews providing strategic guidance and actionable tactics to increase our market share and AI-led customer adoption in the Enterprise sector.
Conduct weekly forecast meetings, mentoring direct reports on strategies to drive deals to closure, report accurately on progress and challenges to senior leadership.
Review top account plans quarterly, providing strategic recommendations leading to revenue growth through AI-enabled CX solutions.
Lead overall sales process and drive accountability to KPIs and sales stages.
Maintain thorough knowledge of Zendesk’s AI and automation capabilities, staying current with the competitive tech landscape and proactively learning industry trends.
Deliver QBR presentations to executives and redefine strategy based on evolving customer needs and future AI technology goals.
Engage C-level executives and technology leaders through in-person engagements and onsite visits.
We hope you’ll decide to build a career as a Zendesk sales leader for the long term. We use the following leadership criteria, applied to key sales activities to assess, reward and promote sales leadership.
Innovate: Build your sales team to think creatively and leverage emerging AI and automation technologies to adapt quickly to new ways of working. Adjust to the changing needs of your customers, your market, and our CX/EX product portfolio.
Collaborate: Work with your peers and partners across Zendesk and the Bay Area ecosystem to identify priorities, share customer insights, and proactively improve our ability to deliver value through AI-driven customer experiences.
Operate: Know your business, your customers, your tools, and your data. Fill your funnel, track your opportunities, and convert. Be prescriptive and focused to minimize the number of variables between your customers and their outcomes.
Navigate: Study the future of our industry, AI advancements, and the emerging needs of your Enterprise customers. Coach and develop your team to be ready for the future and convert today’s opportunities.
Inspire: Use your unique insights and voice to move people into action. We are creating the future of AI-powered CX and EX.
Champion: Build relationships with your customers to proactively sense and respond to their business needs. Help everyone at Zendesk connect emotionally and strategically with our customers, driving innovation through AI and human connection.
What You Bring to the Role:
BA/BS degree or equivalent experience required.
10+ years of software sales experience, including 5+ years Enterprise sales management experience, preferably in the SaaS or AI technology industry.
Strong, consistent track record of achieving targets & quota achievement in 2 of the last 3 years; President’s Club membership is a plus.
Expertise in navigating complex Enterprise sales cycles and renewals, including multi-month, AI-enabled, value-centric processes with proof of concept stages.
Familiarity with value selling, with experience running deal reviews through MEDDPICC.
Ability to forecast accurately and drive pipeline development and management across Enterprise and select Commercial accounts.
Skilled at negotiating high-value ARR opportunities.
Excellent presentation, storytelling, and listening skills, with the ability to position Zendesk’s AI and automation solutions as strategic business enablers.
Results-driven, self-directed, and passionate about technology innovation and customer success.
Ability to establish relationships with C-suite executives, including CIOs, CTOs, and Chief Customer Officers.
Accomplished in attracting, hiring, and developing Account Executives in high-growth tech markets like the Bay Area.
An entrepreneurial spirit, strong collaboration skills, and a drive for continuous professional growth.
Familiarity with key Sales tools such as Salesforce, Outreach, Clari, and AI-driven enablement technologies.
Customer-facing travel required within the Bay Area and select West Coast territories.
The intelligent heart of customer experience
Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.
Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.
As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.
Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.
Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.