Vice President, Federal Sales

Full Time
Washington, DC, USA
9 months ago

Get to know Okta

Okta is The World’s Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology—anywhere, on any device or app. Our Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds enable secure yet flexible access, authentication, and automation that transforms how people move through the digital world, putting Identity at the heart of business security and growth. At Okta, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We are not looking for someone who checks every single box - we’re looking for lifelong learners and people who can make us better with their unique experiences. Join our team! We’re building a world where Identity belongs to you.

The Federal Sales Team

Due to our expansive growth, we are seeking an exceptional, growth-minded sales leader to join our team as a Vice President of Federal Sales.  The Vice President of Federal Sales will define market tactics to meet annual business goals. They will establish and lead a cross-functional team of experienced sales leaders and account executives in growing a productive and sustainable sales pipeline across the complex Federal territory. This person will help transform and integrate all GTM functions, evolving a world-class field operation while achieving significant revenue growth annually. 

Vice President of Federal Sales

Reporting to the SVP of Public Sector, The Vice President of Federal Sales must have the ability to develop and implement an effective go-to-market plan aligned with Okta’s overall strategy, act as the Okta spokesperson in the Federal region, and be the executive sponsor for key customer and partner relationships. The successful candidate is an inspiring leader of people who can recruit and retain exceptional sales talent and support the team in delivering on the agreed metrics.

What you’ll be doing 

  • Develop and execute a strategy to overachieve against annual revenue targets and long-term growth.
  • Attract, recruit, hire, and mentor the federal leadership and federal sales team. 
  • Manage a team of Federal second/front-line leaders and partner closely with other cross-functional teams (SEs, PS, Channel/Alliances team, Legal, Desk Desk, etc.).
  • Create an open, inclusive, and positive team-oriented environment, all the while building a results-driven culture of accountability and transparency.
  • Lead by example, set expectations, follow through effectively, provide coaching and mentorship as needed, and ensure that managers do the same for their team.
  • Accountable for consistently delivering and overachieving against targets – ensuring Okta’s goals and objectives are achieved consistently and sustainably.
  • Analyze data and dynamics to maximize existing successes and create new sales growth opportunities
  • Accountable for accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual forecasting
  • Establish and manage data and supporting metrics (pipeline coverage, ASP, etc.)
  • Effectively develop, design, build, and execute all aspects of the Federal business plan to predictably and consistently generate short-term results while holding a long-term perspective of overall results.
  • Unearth customer insights, define the value proposition, and determine appropriate sales and marketing strategy to maximize growth objectives.
  • Own the federal pipeline generation strategy and work with internal stakeholders to execute against the strategy.
  • Ensure the best utilization of supporting resources jointly with the Sales management team Develop and maintain relevant senior-level contacts within the Okta partner eco-system (ISVs, resellers, and GSIs).

What We Are Looking For:

  • Success hiring, leading, and developing high performing Federal sales teams
  • Success adapting and scaling in fast-growing and changing environments
  • Success effectively influencing key stakeholders both externally and inside Okta
  • Success orchestrating and aligning decision-makers around a common objective
  • Deep understanding of SaaS / Cloud Go-To-Market and the Federal landscape across Civilian, DoD, & FSI

 What you’ll bring to the role

  • 8+ years’ experience building and running Federal sales teams in the software industry
  • 2nd line management experience is preferred 
  • Must have previously led a $20M+ (minimum) ARR sales organization with 40%+ growth
  • Relevant software industry experience in any of the following: IT systems, cloud enterprise or infrastructure management, application development and management, security, business applications, and/or analytics. Subscription, SaaS, or Cloud software experience.
  • History of consistently meeting/exceeding targets and objectives personally and as a leader.
  • Excellent leadership and influencing skills; ability to build strong business partnerships both outside and within the organization.
  • Skilled at business planning and diligent at measuring and communicating progress towards the plan, identifying roadblocks, and coming up with appropriate solutions.
  • Highly professional persona and polished demeanor. Strong verbal and written communication skills; effective at delivering executive-level presentations.
  • Mastery of Consultative/solution selling methodologies like MEDDPICC, Challenger, Solution Selling, and Sandler
  • Technically strong and accustomed to selling into The C-Suite and Line of Business
  • Operationally strong and experienced bringing process and rigor to his/her organization
  • An innovator with the courage to nourish “outside the box” thinking to surface and pursue new ideas

 Okta’s Top 5 Core Leadership Competencies are part of the deeply ingrained principles that guide all of our company’s actions. They also align strongly to our cultural cornerstones, our Okta values: love our customers, empower our people, never stop innovating, act with integrity, and maintain transparency. It’s our expectation that our managers and leaders embody these core competencies:

 Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.          

  • Demonstrates Self-Awareness (EQ): Using a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and weaknesses.
  • Develops Talent: Developing people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
  • Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
  • Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.

Additional requirements:

  • This position requires the ability to access federal environments and/or have access to protected federal data.  As a condition of employment for this position, the successful candidate must be able to submit documentation establishing U.S. Person status (e.g. a U.S. Citizen, National, Lawful Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee. 22 CFR 120.15) upon hire.

#LI-Remote

Below is the annual On Target Compensation (OTE) range for candidates located in California, Colorado, New York and Washington. Your actual OTE, which is inclusive of base salary and incentive compensation, will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable) and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: https://rewards.okta.com/us. 

The annual OTE range for this position for candidates located in California, Colorado, New York, and Washington is between:$463,000—$695,000 USD

What you can look forward to as an Okta employee!

  • Amazing Benefits
  • Making Social Impact
  • Fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Okta 

Okta cultivates a dynamic work environment, providing the best tools, technology and benefits to empower our employees to work productively in a setting that best and uniquely suits their needs. Each organization is unique in the degree of flexibility and mobility in which they work so that all employees are enabled to be their most creative and successful versions of themselves, regardless of where they live. Find your place at Okta today! https://www.okta.com/company/careers/.

Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please use this Form to request an accommodation.

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