Senior Account Executive - Public Sector (Federal)

Who are we?

Our mission is to scale intelligence to serve humanity. We’re training and deploying frontier models for developers and enterprises who are building AI systems to power magical experiences like content generation, semantic search, RAG, and agents. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI.

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. We like to work hard and move fast to do what’s best for our customers.

Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are passionate about their craft. Each person is one of the best in the world at what they do. We believe that a diverse range of perspectives is a requirement for building great products.

Join us on our mission and shape the future!

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.

Senior Account Executive - Canada Public Sector (Federal and Provincial)

Location: Ottawa/Gatineau or Toronto (Remote Flexible) | Department: Sales | Reports to: Director of Canadian Public Sector Sales

About the Role

Cohere is seeking a results-driven Canadian Public Sector Account Executive to lead sales efforts across Crown Corporations, Municipalities, Higher Education Institutions, and Law Enforcement Agencies. This role demands a deep understanding of Canada’s public procurement landscape, including federal/provincial frameworks, RFP processes, and the unique needs of Canadian institutions. The ideal candidate will leverage their network and expertise to position Cohere’s AI solutions as transformative tools for public service innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Territory Ownership: Develop and execute a strategic sales plan targeting high-value opportunities in Crown Corps (e.g., CBC, Canada Post), Municipalities (large cities/regions), Higher Education (U15 universities), and Law Enforcement (RCMP, provincial police).

• Relationship Building: Cultivate executive relationships with CIOs, procurement leads, and decision-makers across federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

• Procurement Expertise: Navigate Canadian contracting vehicles (e.g., GWAC, ProServices, provincial supply arrangements) and compliance requirements (TBS IT Standards, PIPEDA).

• Solution Selling: Align Cohere’s AI platform with institutional priorities such as digital transformation, citizen engagement, research innovation, and public safety.

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

• Market Intelligence: Track policy changes (e.g., Canada’s AI Strategy, municipal tech initiatives) and competitor activity to inform sales strategies.

Qualifications

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

• Established network within Crown Corporations, Municipalities, Higher Education, or Law Enforcement.

• Deep knowledge of Canadian procurement processes, including federal/provincial RFPs and standing offers.

• Experience selling SaaS, AI/ML, or enterprise software to public institutions.

• Location: Based in Ottawa/Gatineau or Toronto; remote work considered for exceptional candidates with strong regional ties.

• Bilingualism: Proficiency in English and French is a strong asset.

If some of the above doesn’t line up perfectly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply!

We value and celebrate diversity and 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.

Full-Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

🤝 An open and inclusive culture and work environment 

🧑‍💻 Work closely with a team on the cutting edge of AI research 

🍽 Weekly lunch stipend, in-office lunches & snacks

🦷 Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget to take care of your mental health 

🐣 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months

🎨 Personal enrichment benefits towards arts and culture, fitness and well-being, quality time, and workspace improvement

🏙 Remote-flexible, offices in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, as well as a co-working stipend

✈️ 6 weeks of vacation (30 working days!)