Account Executive, Business Development

Job description

Vital Lyfe is a tech company redefining water autonomy through innovation, creating a new category of personal water-making technology built to scale where infrastructure can't. About the Role We've built the go-to-market foundation: a proven GTM motion, a disciplined sales process, and our first distributor contracts across key markets. Now we need an Account Executive to run it and grow it. You'll own the outbound motion, build top-of-funnel pipeline, and carry deals from first touch to close across our maritime, humanitarian, military, and retail channels. This is a full-cycle role for a builder: you'll prospect, qualify, and close, while helping refine the playbook as we scale. What You'll Do - Own the full outbound motion, prospecting, cold outreach, qualification, and early business development, to build and grow a consistent pipeline across maritime, humanitarian, military, and retail markets. This includes identifying customer pain points and establishing first relationships with new distributor, retailer, and channel partner opportunities. - Own the entire sales cycle end to end: discovery, demos, proposals, negotiation, contract redlines, and final signature, coordinating with legal or leadership on terms so deals close without unnecessary handoffs, across distributors, retailers, and end customers. - Consistently deliver against quarterly and annual revenue and quota targets across assigned market segments, with accountability for pipeline coverage sufficient to hit target. - Work within our established sales process and CRM, maintaining rigorous pipeline hygiene, accurate forecasting, and reporting. - Develop tailored proposals, presentations, and outreach that speak to the needs of each market segment. - Feed market intelligence back to the team on customer needs, objections, competitor activity, and new opportunities. - Represent Vital Lyfe at industry events and trade shows to build networks and generate demand. - Partner with the Head of Sales to sharpen the outbound playbook, messaging, and qualification criteria as we learn. What We're Looking For - 3+ years of experience in sales, business development, or account management, with meaningful outbound/prospecting experience. - Proven track record of building pipeline from scratch and meeting or exceeding targets. - Full-cycle experience: comfortable prospecting cold and closing deals. - Strong written and verbal communication. You craft outreach that gets replies and presentations that land. - Disciplined and process-driven: you follow a sales process, keep the CRM clean, and forecast honestly. - Self-starter who thrives with autonomy in a fast-paced, early-stage environment. Preferred Skills & Experience - Experience selling hardware, consumer technology, or into water treatment, desalination, maritime, defense, or humanitarian markets. - Existing network of distributors or channel partners in relevant markets. - Experience with modern outbound tooling (CRM, sequencing, enrichment). - Experience as an early sales hire at a startup. Why Join Vital Lyfe? - Work on high-impact problems with global relevance - Help scale breakthrough technology in water security and climate resilience - Early ownership in a high-growth, engineering-led startup - Run a proven sales motion with real traction, first distributor contracts already signed - Clear growth path as the sales team's founding AE - Join a tight-knit, mission-driven team in a fast-paced environment Location Requirement: Ability to work 100% onsite in Torrance, CA (remote or hybrid work will not be considered) Vital Lyfe is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vital Lyfe is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.