Business Development Lead - Nordics & DACH

Kangal AI · Berlin, Germany

Last life. Ask why it's been hard to fill.

Base: Not disclosed
OTE: Not disclosed
Posted: 2mo ago

Still open · checked 1h agoon Kangal AI's careers page

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The job

What you'd do: Win and grow contracts with governments, national security customers and very big companies across Germany, Sweden, Norway and nearby markets, building the sales process from scratch.
Who you'd sell to: Governments, national security agencies and large enterprisesIn their words: “We work with governments, national security and private corporations operating in the most demanding environments.”
Where deals come from: Mostly you. Expect a lot of outbound: cold calls, emails and LinkedIn.

The Braun Read

Ask hard questions

Too much is left unsaid. Make them answer before you invest.

Pay: No pay listed at all.
Transparency: Shares 1 of 5: quota, attainment, deal size, territory, sales cycle.
Time on market: Open 86 days. Ask why it's been hard to fill.
Company hiring: 2 sales roles open, hiring at a steady pace.

Red lights

Pay. No pay listed at all.
Time on market. Open 86 days. Ask why it's been hard to fill.

Green lights

German a plus, not required. German helps but isn't a must. English-only sellers can still apply.

Based only on what the posting says. Lights are a starting point for your first call, not a final judgment.

Questions to ask on the first call

Built from what this posting leaves out. How they answer tells you as much as what they say.

1.
What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?
OTE is what you could earn. This is how likely you are to earn it.
2.
What are the base and the OTE for this role?
No point investing hours before you know the number.
3.
What's the annual quota, and how was it set?
A quota built from real data is a target. Otherwise it's a hope.
4.
What share of last year's closed deals did reps source themselves?
Shows how much pipeline you'll have to build on your own.
5.
How long is ramp, and what's the quota during it?
Full quota on day one means you start behind.
6.
Why is this role open? Did someone leave, or is it new?
New headcount is growth. A replacement means someone left. Ask why.

› When the offer comes

Save these for later. They land better once they've said yes to you.

1.
Can I see the full comp plan in writing, including clawbacks and accelerators?
What's in writing is what gets paid. Read it before you sign.
2.
Can I see the actual comp distribution for the team last year, not just the OTE?
The spread shows what most reps really take home. OTE is just the target.
3.
I'd be walking away from earned commission to join. Is there room for a sign-on bonus to help cover that?
Leaving money behind is a fair reason to ask. The worst answer is no.

Josh's top five questions for any sales interview →

Got an offer from Kangal AI? Not sure about it?Ask me. I read every message myself. · JoshAsk Josh

Full posting

Kangal AI builds frontier artificial intelligence that creates information advantage for those solving the world's most complex problems. We work with governments, national security and private corporations operating in the most demanding environments. Joining us means taking your career to the next level. This is a founding role for our Nordics and DACH expansion, covering Germany, Sweden, Norway and adjacent markets. You will own how Kangal grows in the region, from first conversation to signed contract. You will work alongside a forward-deployed engineer who builds the tools, integrations and MVPs a live sales process demands — your job is to win the room, scope what the customer needs, and direct that build so it closes the deal. You will work hand in hand with the founders, and the playbook and relationships you open will shape the company's trajectory in the region. Responsibilities - Own go-to-market across the Nordics and DACH: win and grow contracts across government, national security and large enterprise, from first conversation to close. - Turn customer demands into scoped solutions, working with a forward-deployed engineer to stand up the tools, integrations and MVPs that close deals. - Build out our regional playbook from first principles: pipeline, qualification, pricing and close. - Make complex technology clear and compelling to senior decision-makers. - Work directly with the founders on strategy, positioning and the deals that matter most. Requirements - A genuine passion for business development — you like winning deals, opening relationships and building a market from scratch. - A technical background: comfortable enough with engineering to scope solutions, brief an engineer and speak credibly to technical buyers. - The drive to build process from nothing, not just run an existing one. - Fluency in the region: strong command of English and at least one relevant regional language (German or a Nordic language) is a strong advantage. - Comfort in a fast-paced startup: ownership, pace and comfort with ambiguity. - Discretion and integrity; our work demands the highest level of trust. - Eligibility for security clearance is advantageous. Benefits - A defining, founding role owning an entire region in an early, venture-backed company, with a competitive salary and meaningful equity. - Work that matters, for clients operating at the highest level. - Founder-level access and real ownership, working shoulder to shoulder with the founders.

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