Braun Board

Account Executive, Federal Civilian

Vanta · Remote · US

Base
$278K–$327K
OTE
Not disclosed
Quota attainment
Not disclosed
Posted
5h ago

Why it matters: OTE tells you what you could earn. Attainment tells you how realistic it is.

Ask: “What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?”

Still open · checked 2h agoon Vanta's careers page

What Vanta sells

Software that keeps proof of security ready

Companies that sell to big businesses often have to prove their security is good, and that usually means slow audits and piles of paperwork. Vanta is software that watches a company's security all the time and keeps the proof ready. When a customer asks, the company can show it quickly and easily.

In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell us

More Security companies →

The Braun Read

Ask hard questions

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

Pay
Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
Transparency
Says nothing about quota, attainment, deal size, territory or sales cycle.
Pipeline
Mostly self-sourced. Great if you like outbound, rough if you don't.
Time on market
Brand new.
Company hiring
Ramping up: posted 11 sales roles in the last 30 days.

Based only on what the posting says. Flags 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. 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. 2.

    What percentage of reps on the team have been here more than 18 months?

    Tenure shows whether people stay long enough to get paid.

  3. 3.

    Has the comp plan changed in the last 12 to 18 months? What changed?

    A plan that changes every year means the goalposts keep moving.

  4. 4.

    Who sits with reps and reviews calls each week?

    Coaching is often what's behind a good or bad attainment number.

  5. 5.

    What's the OTE, and what did the median rep earn last year?

    Base is what you're guaranteed. OTE and the median show the upside.

  6. 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. 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. 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. 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 →

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The role

Sell Vanta's continuous security and compliance platform to U.S. federal civilian agencies, pursuing new business and expansion as an individual contributor, navigating FedRAMP, FAR, and contract vehicles.

Enterprise · Mixed · Outbound

Selling motion

Mixed

Who you're selling to

Buyer:
Federal civilian agenciesIn their words: “guiding new business and growth with federal civilian agencies”
Industry:
Federal governmentIn their words: “Vanta's public sector efforts are growing quickly”
Company size:
Enterprise

Pipeline expectations

Mostly self-sourced. Expect a lot of outbound.

Compensation

$278K–$327K base

What is not disclosed

This posting doesn't tell you:

  • OTE
  • Quota size
  • Quota attainment
  • Average deal size
  • Territory
  • Sales cycle length

The questions above cover the big ones.

Full posting
At Vanta, our mission is to help businesses earn and prove trust. We believe that security should be monitored and verified continuously, and we empower companies to practice better security and prove it with ease. Vanta has a kind and talented team, and while some have prior security experience, many have been successful at Vanta without it.  As an Account Executive, Federal Civilian at Vanta, you will be responsible for driving a significant share of revenue by guiding new business and growth with federal civilian agencies. Reporting directly to the Head of Public Sector, this is a highly visible role that requires cross-functional collaboration, strategic vision, and operational execution. Vanta’s public sector efforts are growing quickly and we are looking for a passionate, results-oriented, and collaborative sales executive who has a proven track-record of closing complex, multi-stakeholder federal deals within federal markets. Vanta has a kind and talented team, and while some have prior security experience, many have been successful at Vanta without it. What you’ll do as a Account Executive, Federal Civilian at Vanta: - Working alongside the Head of Public Sector and other Federal AEs, help develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to build, maintain, and expand Vanta for Government business across priority civilian agencies. - As an individual contributor, proactively work to cultivate, pursue, and capture federal civilian sales opportunities. - Serve as the primary point of contact between Vanta and key federal civilian accounts, and represent Vanta’s Sales Team at industry events and conferences. - Work cross-functionally to drive the sales and implementation of complex contracts, services, and solutions, with the ability to close sales through effective sales and negotiation methods. - Be a builder who takes a “no job too small, no job too big” approach to creating a durable, repeatable, and scalable federal sales motion. Beyond selling, you will work cross-functionally to help create marketing materials, build relationships with key channel partners, and streamline GTM ops. - Establish and grow strategic relationships with federal decision-makers, systems integrators, and technology partners to expand access and accelerate deals. - Serve as a subject matter expert on the federal civilian market, helping inform Vanta’s product roadmap, pricing strategy, service delivery, and positioning to meet customer needs. How to be successful in this role: - 8+ years of progressive enterprise sales experience, including at least 4 years selling to federal government agencies within a SaaS company. Experience working in the federal government is a plus. - Entrepreneurial mindset that biases to action and leads with resilience through a fast-moving, complex, and collaborative environment. - Strong understanding of the federal government sales cycle, federal procurement landscape, including contract vehicles, compliance requirements (e.g., FedRAMP), acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS), and partner ecosystems. - Strong verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to demonstrate Vanta’s vision and values to a variety of public sector audiences. - Develop a deep familiarity with Vanta’s software platform and how it can be used by government agencies to support real-world challenges. The ability to establish rapport with highly technical prospects is essential. - Strong collaboration with internal partners and external counterparts. - A deep passion for Vanta’s mission, public sector innovation, and mission-driven work. - A high level of empathy for customers, you are a consultative seller with a track record of long-term customer retention - Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future employer sponsorship. - Uses AI in day-to-day work to amplify their skills and strengthen their outcomes, applying it across routine workflows, actively building fluency through experimentation, and exercising sound judgment to ensure AI-assisted work meets a high quality bar. What you can expect as a Vanta’n: - Industry-competitive salary and equity - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with 100% of employee-only benefit premiums covered for most medical plans - 16 weeks paid Parental Leave for all new parents - Health & wellness stipend - Remote workspace, internet, and cellphone stipend - Commuter benefits for team members who report to the SF and NYC office - Family planning benefits - Matching 401(k) contribution with immediate vesting - Flexible PTO policy, plus 80 hours of Sick Time - 11 company-paid holidays - Virtual team building activities, lunch and learns, and other company-wide events! - Offices in SF, NYC, London, Dublin, Tel Aviv, and Sydney To provide greater transparency to candidates, we share base pay ranges for all US-based job postings regardless of state. We set standard base pay ranges for all roles based on function, level, and country location, benchmarked against similar-stage growth companies. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors and may vary based on candidate location, skills, depth of work experience, and relevant licenses/credentials. #LI-remote At Vanta, we are committed to hiring diverse talent of different backgrounds and as such, it is important to us to provide an inclusive work environment for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender identity, age, religion, sexual orientation, veteran or disability status, or any other protected class. As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage and welcome people of all backgrounds to apply. About Vanta We started in 2018, in the wake of several high-profile data breaches. Online security was only becoming more important, but we knew firsthand how hard it could be for fast-growing companies to invest the time and manpower it takes to build a solid security foundation. Vanta was inspired by a vision to restore trust in internet businesses by enabling companies to improve and prove their security. From our early days automating security monitoring for compliance standards like SOC 2, HIPAA and ISO 27001 to creating the world's leading Trust Management Platform, our vision remains unchanged.  Now more than ever, making security continuous—not just a point-in-time check— is essential. Thousands of companies rely on Vanta to build, maintain and demonstrate their trust— all in a way that's real-time and transparent. Referral Instructions If you are being referred for the role, please contact that person to apply on your behalf.      
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