— SPECIALIST ROLE SEARCH
Account Executive Recruitment,
in Ireland.
Your Account Executives turn pipeline into revenue. We find and place SaaS AEs for VC-backed companies across Ireland and EMEA, from founding AEs at Seed to enterprise closers at Series C.
INSTRUCTURE
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CONDUKTOR
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HUMAANS
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NOLOCO
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PHONOVATION
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STORA
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JUST-EAT
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INSTRUCTURE ◆ CONDUKTOR ◆ HUMAANS ◆ NOLOCO ◆ PHONOVATION ◆ STORA ◆ JUST-EAT ◆
— WHAT MOST COMPANIES GET WRONG
Expectations
vs reality.
Most AE hires don't fail on talent. They fail because the role was never defined clearly enough to hire against. We work through three questions before every search.
Is the quota realistic for the pipeline you have?
A strong AE with no pipeline will miss target, however good they are. Before we start, we look at your current pipeline coverage, ramp time and lead flow. If the number only works with a perfect pipeline, we'll tell you, because the hire will be judged against it.
Who generates the pipeline?
An AE supported by SDRs and inbound is a different profile from one who has to self-source most of their meetings. Hiring a closer used to warm pipeline into a role that needs outbound hunting is one of the most common mismatches we see.
What does your sales motion actually look like?
Deal size, sales cycle and buyer change everything. An AE closing €10k deals in 30 days and one closing €150k deals over six months have very different skills. We match candidates to your motion, not to a job title.
— THE PROFILE
What makes
a great AE hire.
The Account Executives who succeed in VC-backed SaaS share a few consistent traits:
01.
Proven in a comparable motion.
Experience selling a similar deal size, to a similar buyer, over a similar cycle. Strong numbers at a large vendor with a well-known brand don't always transfer to a startup where nobody has heard of you yet.
02.
Quota attainment with context.
Not just "120% to target", but what the target was, how it was set, and how much of the pipeline they built themselves. We dig into the numbers so you don't have to.
03.
Self-sufficient on pipeline.
At early stage especially, the best AEs create their own opportunities as well as closing the ones handed to them.
04.
Coachable and process-minded.
Startups change their pitch, pricing and ideal customer often. The AEs who thrive adapt quickly, keep their CRM clean and share what they learn with the team.
— THE MARKET RIGHT NOW
AE talent
in Ireland and EMEA.
Dublin has a deep pool of sales talent, much of it trained at large tech companies. That's an advantage and a challenge: candidates are well trained, but big-tech pay sets their expectations. Startups win on equity, scope, product and a clear path to leadership.
10
Working days to shortlist
30
Days, target time to hire
— COMPENSATION RANGE
Account Executive packages in Irish SaaS companies typically range from €100,000 to €150,000 OTE. SMB AEs earn around €100,000 OTE, mid-market around €120,000 and enterprise €150,000 or more. Pay is usually split 50/50 between base and variable, with 60/40 still common at enterprise level.
— HOW WE RUN AN AE SEARCH
From brief to
signed offer.
A structured process built around speed and quality. Not a CV pile, but a considered shortlist of people who can close for you.
01.
Discovery briefing
We get into your sales motion, deal size, quota, pipeline sources and what success looks like at 3, 6 and 12 months.
02.
Market mapping
We map AE talent across Ireland and EMEA, including the strong performers who aren't actively looking.
03.
Outreach and assessment
Every candidate is approached directly and assessed on motion fit, quota history and genuine interest in your opportunity.
04.
Shortlist delivery
3 to 5 interview-ready candidates, each with a written brief explaining why they fit your situation.
05.
Offer management
We handle scheduling, interview prep, debriefs, compensation benchmarking and counteroffers through to a signed offer.
— RELATED ROLES
Also placing
these roles.
We recruit across the full GTM function for SaaS companies across Ireland and EMEA.
VP Sales Recruitment
Sales leaders who build teams, process and pipeline from Series A to C.
SDR Recruitment
First-line pipeline talent for SaaS companies from Seed to Series B.
Customer Success Recruitment
CSMs and CS leaders who protect and grow revenue.
— FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AE hiring
questions answered.
Everything you need to know before starting an AE search.
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Usually once the founder has closed the first customers and can explain why they bought. The first AE scales a sale that already works, not one still being figured out.
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At Seed and early Series A, a strong senior AE is often the better first hire. A VP Sales makes sense once there's a repeatable motion and a team to build.
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We typically deliver a shortlist within 10 working days and aim to have your AE hired within 30 days. The industry average is over 60 days. Notice periods can add time after the offer is signed.
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It depends on the model you choose: contingent search, embedded recruitment or Recruitment as a Service. We'll recommend the right fit on the discovery call.
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Yes. We place AEs across the UK, EMEA and North America for SaaS companies hiring remotely or opening new markets.
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Yes. TechR Ltd trading as The Recruiter holds Employment Agency Licence EA 4551.
— START YOUR SEARCH
Ready to hire your
next AE?
Book a 30-minute discovery call. We'll tell you what the market looks like for your stage, what a realistic brief looks like, and whether we're the right fit to run the search.