OverviewpeopleIX is on a mission to redefine how organizations run HR in the age of AI. What started as a people analytics platform is evolving into the data and automation engine for modern HR, a place where disconnected HR systems come together, people data becomes actionable, and high-impact workflows run themselves.We believe people data is the foundation of great people management. That’s why we’re building an AI-first people intelligence and automation platform that lets HR teams orchestrate processes, trigger workflows, and act on insights, without relying on IT or data experts. Our focus isn’t on dashboards; it’s turning insight into action.In 2026, we’re doubling down on workflow automation as our core product: think n8n for HR, powered by a deep people data layer and agentic AI. From onboarding and absence management to compliance and pay transparency, peopleIX helps HR teams run leaner, faster, and with real business impact.We’re a small, ambitious team building for companies with 500+ employees across Europe. We move fast, challenge legacy HR thinking, and care deeply about building things that get used every day. If you want to help shape the next generation of HR platforms, peopleIX is the place to do it.About the roleThis is not a “wait-for-inbound” sales role. This is a founding sales role.As our Founding Account Executive, you will build the sales motion together with the founders. You will help define how we sell, who we sell to, and how we consistently generate and close pipeline in midmarket and enterprise accounts.You own the full sales cycle end-to-end, from first touch to close and you actively create your own opportunities. You experiment, iterate, and turn what works into repeatable playbooks that scale beyond you.If you’re excited about building a sales function from scratch, working hands-on with founders, and doing the hard work required to win in a competitive market, this role is for you.What you’ll doBuild & close pipelineOwn the entire sales cycle: prospecting, discovery, demos, negotiation, and closingActively get in front of People Ops, People Analytics, HR Automation leaders, Controllers, and CHROsClose midmarket and enterprise deals and consistently carry and beat quotaWrite the sales playbookBuild our ICP definition, messaging, and sales narratives together with the foundersTurn early wins and losses into repeatable sales motionsHelp define pricing logic, deal structures, and qualification criteriaCreate demand (not just follow up on it)Build lead lists and outbound strategies proactivelyRun campaigns together with our Growth Lead and Demand Generation ManagerAttend and leverage events, host webinars, roundtables, dinners, and small executive formatsDo whatever it takes to create meaningful conversations and pipeline, creatively and pragmaticallyBuild for scale & automationThink AI-first and automation-first in how you sellContinuously improve tooling, workflows, and processes to make sales more scalableCollaborate closely with product to feed market signals back into roadmap decisionsGrow beyond yourselfWork with partners and ecosystem players to unlock larger dealsHelp lay the foundation for future Account ExecutivesOver time, grow into building and leading your own sales teamYou are / You haveFluent in German and strong in EnglishBased in Cologne, with a strong onsite presence2+ years total sales experience1-2+ years closing B2B SaaS dealsExperience running €25k–€100k+ deals with 5–6 month sales cyclesComfortable selling into complex organizations with multiple stakeholdersThrive in early-stage, unstructured, high-growth environmentsStrong ownership mindset. You take responsibility and create momentumBonus: Experience selling to HR, People Ops, HR-ITWhat this role is notNot an inbound-only roleNot a “just close what marketing gives you” roleNot a place for rigid playbooks or big-company sales politicsThis role is for someone who wants to build, experiment and own outcomesWhat we offerA founding role with real influence on company directionDirect collaboration with the founders on GTM and productCompetitive salary and equity participationHybrid role in CologneTeam offsites and events every six weeksThe opportunity to help redefine an entire HR category and grow with itAbout the interviewWe want to make the process as simple, enjoyable, and knowledgeable as possible for everyone involved. We typically have 4 stages:Short getting-to-know call (30 min)Deep-dive into your background and role (1h)Case Study (2h)Meet The Team: lunch/ get to know the team you’ll work with 🥳We provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability status, socioeconomic background and other characteristics. #J-18808-Ljbffr