Business Development & Account Executive in Chicago, Illinois at Ocient Inc.

About Ocient:Ocient is building OcientAIQ™ – a complete ecosystem for delivering trusted agentic AI solutions at petabyte scale, for the organizations that can't afford to get AI wrong. Our customers protect networks, secure nations, and power the global economy. The problems we solve are genuinely hard, and the work matters. Founded in 2016 by the team that built Cleversafe (acquired by IBM in 2015), Ocient is headquartered in Chicago with a remote-first global team. We are a carbon-neutral company backed by leading investors including Greycroft, OCA Ventures, In-Q-Tel, and Buoyant Ventures.
Do not contact Ocient directly to apply for a role. For security purposes, any applications received via email will be deleted.

Job Title: Business Development & Account ExecutiveLocation: Remote (US Based Only)We cannot sponsor or transfer any visas, of any kind now or in the future (ex. OPT, EAD, H1B, H4, etc.)Estimated salary range: Base - $90,000 to $115,000 Expected OTE - $128,000 - $164,000

• The salary offered for this position will be based on a candidate’s experience and skill demonstrated during interviews and other evaluations

Ocient is seeking a relationship-driven Business Development & Account Executive (Hybrid Role) – US CSP to help expand Ocient's Communications Service Provider (CSP) business across the United States, Canada, Latin America, and through collaboration with Ocient's Strategic Partner ecosystem.
This unique hybrid role combines the responsibilities of a Business Development Representative (BDR) and Account Executive (AE). Unlike a traditional BDR position, this role calls for a sales professional with a solid foundation in enterprise or complex sales, capable of generating qualified pipeline, developing strategic customer relationships, advancing opportunities through the sales cycle, and independently managing select direct customer opportunities.
The ideal candidate brings a consultative, relationship-first approach to business development, with a strong interest in growing within the telecommunications or CSP space. This individual will partner closely with CSP Sales Leadership, assigned Account Executives, Marketing, and Strategic Partners to generate qualified pipeline, build executive relationships, and contribute directly to revenue growth across the region. The successful candidate embraces modern AI-powered sales technologies to improve prospecting, account planning, customer engagement, and overall sales productivity.
Responsibilities:

• Generate qualified pipeline opportunities across assigned Communications Service Provider (CSP) accounts throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and through collaboration with Ocient's Strategic Partner ecosystem.
• Execute targeted account-based prospecting strategies into named accounts and strategic territories.
• Develop opportunities through industry research, executive networking, referrals, account intelligence, and strategic relationship development.
• Conduct personalized outreach using phone, email, LinkedIn, executive introductions, and account-based campaigns.
• Research accounts, identify key stakeholders, and engage buying committees within telecommunications, CSP, cloud, AI, data infrastructure, and adjacent enterprise markets.
• Qualify opportunities and coordinate discovery meetings with assigned Account Executive(s).
• Collaborate with Marketing on Account-Based Marketing (ABM) campaigns, webinars, executive programs, events, and targeted outreach initiatives.
• Build strategic account plans that increase pipeline creation and sales velocity.
• Utilize AI-powered sales tools to improve prospect research, account prioritization, messaging, meeting preparation, and customer engagement.

Ideal Qualification:

• 5-8 years of experience in business development, enterprise sales, or account management.
• Experience within Communications Service Providers (CSP), telecommunications, networking, cloud infrastructure, AI, data platforms, analytics, or enterprise software preferred, though not required
• Existing relationships within the North American telecommunications ecosystem a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to generate qualified pipeline and contribute to complex enterprise sales cycles.
• Experience owning or contributing directly to revenue targets and closed business.
• Strong relationship-building and consultative selling skills.
• Familiarity with Account-Based Sales (ABS) and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) a plus.
• Proficiency with Salesforce CRM, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Outreach, ZoomInfo, and modern sales technologies.
• Preferred experience leveraging AI-powered sales tools (e.g., Claude, Salesforce Agentforce, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or similar) to improve prospecting, account planning, customer engagement, sales execution, and overall productivity.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Comfortable working within a fast-paced, high-growth technology company.
• Willingness to travel throughout the United States, Canada, and Latin America as needed.

An Exceptional Candidate Will Have:

• Interested in growing within the telecommunications, CSP, cloud, AI, or enterprise technology industries.
• Comfortable balancing strategic prospecting with customer-facing sales and revenue-generating responsibilities.
• Developing strong consultative selling, relationship-building, and engagement skills.
• Eager to build industry relationships and leverage Strategic Partner networks to generate qualified customer opportunities.
• Comfortable researching enterprise accounts and engaging with multiple stakeholders.
• Effective at collaborating across Sales, Marketing, Product, Customer Success, Strategic Partners, and leadership.
• Comfortable adopting AI-powered sales technologies to improve efficiency, customer engagement, and sales outcomes.
• Motivated by building long-term relationships and accelerating pipeline growth.
• Capable of generating qualified pipeline while independently managing assigned direct customer opportunities.
• Interested in growing into broader Account Executive and sales leadership responsibilities over time.
• Demonstrated curiosity and adaptability with emerging sales technologies, AI, and automation to continuously improve customer engagement, sales effectiveness, and operational efficiency.

Interview Requirements: All interviews are conducted via video and require candidates to have their camera on for the duration of the session. The use of video filters, face-altering effects, or virtual backgrounds is not permitted for security and verification purposes.
We are not open to using an agency or staffing company at this time. We do not accept unsolicited agency or staffing resumes and we are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Ocient is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, parental status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please contact recruiting@ocient.com for more information.
All official Ocient job postings and recruiting communications will come directly from our team via our Careers page, LinkedIn, or from an ocient.com email address. If you receive communication about a role from any other source, please treat it with caution and direct questions to recruiting@ocient.com.