Senior Account Executive - US Public Sector (SLED, Civilian and Federal)

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company co-headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, with key offices in London, New York City, Montreal, Seoul, Germany and Paris. Join us!

Why this role?

In this role, you will have ownership of the full sales cycle - from identifying leads to closing deals with Global 2000, large enterprises. We’re looking for an approachable and compelling communicator who loves working with prospects to uncover their needs and feels comfortable developing tailored value propositions around how Cohere’s platform can help them achieve their business goals. You’ll lay the foundation for Cohere’s growth by owning your territory and collaborating with teammates across customer success, sales development, marketing, and solution architecture. You’ll be the voice of the field and help our product and engineering teams prioritize the Cohere roadmap with customer-centric care. It’s a highly self-directed role, so you should be someone who thrives in an unstructured and quickly evolving environment. And your opportunity for impact will be astronomical — Cohere has skies-the-limit potential, and you’ll help us reach it.

US Public Sector (SLED, Civilian and Federal)

Location: Washington, D.C. Metro Area (Hybrid/Remote Flexible) | Department: Sales

About the Role

Cohere is seeking a seasoned Public Sector Account Executive to drive strategic sales growth within U.S. State, Local, Education (SLED), Federal, and Civilian agencies. Based in the Washington, D.C., region—the epicenter of government technology—this role demands a deep understanding of federal procurement, SLED workflows, and civilian agency priorities. The ideal candidate will leverage their extensive network and expertise to position Cohere’s AI-powered solutions as mission-critical tools for public institutions.

Key responsibilities

• Territory Ownership: Develop and execute a strategic sales plan for the U.S. public sector, focusing on high-value opportunities in SLED, Federal (DoD, Civilian), and Education markets.

• Relationship Building: Cultivate C-level and executive relationships with government decision-makers, systems integrators, and channel partners in the D.C. ecosystem.

• Procurement Expertise: Navigate complex contract vehicles (GSA Schedule, SEWP, ITES, state/local cooperatives) and compliance frameworks (FedRAMP, NIST, CMMC).

• Solution Selling: Align Cohere’s AI platform with agency pain points, such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, and citizen engagement, through tailored demos and value propositions.

• Pipeline Management: Forecast accurately, manage RFPs, and collaborate with government affairs, legal, solutions engineering, and marketing teams to win deals.

• Market Intelligence: Track policy changes (e.g., AI Executive Order, NDAA) and competitor strategies to inform sales tactics.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of direct public sector sales experience in the U.S., with a proven track record of closing $5M+ annual quotas.

• Deep knowledge of federal, SLED, and civilian agency procurement cycles and decision-making processes.

• Established network in the D.C. metro area, including federal agencies, prime contractors, and industry associations (e.g., AFCEA, ACT-IAC).

• Experience selling SaaS, AI/ML, or enterprise software solutions to government clients.

• Must be based in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia with willingness to travel (25-35%).

Cohere is committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The salary range listed for this role reflects the expected base compensation. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

For candidates in the US, the Compensation Range is: $230,000 – $430,000 [USD]

The figure above represents On-Target Earnings (OTE). Actual OTE will depend on individual performance.

Full-Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.

• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.

• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.

• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.

• Annual enrichment benefits:

  Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.

  Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)

• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

How and Where We Work:

• Cohere is remote-friendly. We have offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Montreal, and more coming soon.

• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.

• For those not near an office: a co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.

• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

If any of the above doesn’t line up exactly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

We may use AI-enabled tools to screen and assess applicants against the criteria for this position. This helps our recruiters identify potentially qualified candidates, but it doesn't limit the applications our recruiters may review or consider.