Application Guide
How to Apply for Strategic Account Executive - Expansions Team
at Workiva
🏢 About Workiva
Workiva specializes in integrated ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting, helping organizations streamline transparent climate impact tracking and compliance. Unlike generic SaaS companies, Workiva focuses specifically on the growing ESG regulatory landscape, offering a platform that connects data, reporting, and teams. This makes it a unique opportunity to sell solutions addressing urgent global compliance needs and corporate sustainability goals.
About This Role
As a Strategic Account Executive on the Expansions Team, you'll focus on upselling and expanding Workiva's platform within existing large enterprise accounts, collaborating closely with peer Sales, Inside Sales, and Partnerships teams. Your role involves delivering compelling platform demonstrations tailored to client needs, skillfully addressing objections, and guiding complex sales cycles to closure. This position is impactful because you'll directly drive revenue growth by solving critical ESG reporting challenges for established clients.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day involves collaborating with Inside Sales to qualify expansion leads within existing enterprise accounts, then conducting needs analysis calls to understand client ESG reporting gaps. You might deliver a tailored Workiva platform demonstration, addressing objections about data integration or compliance, and strategize with Partnerships teams on joint opportunities to drive closures.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For
- Has 6+ years of enterprise technology sales experience, specifically with complex solutions like SaaS platforms, ideally in ESG, compliance, or financial reporting software.
- Demonstrates a proven track record of navigating and closing large, multi-stakeholder deals within enterprise organizations (e.g., Fortune 500 companies).
- Possesses strong business acumen and executive presence, with the ability to discuss ESG regulations (like SEC climate rules or EU CSRD) and translate them into Workiva's value proposition.
- Can manage multiple complex sales cycles simultaneously, leveraging needs analysis to tailor demonstrations and overcome objections specific to integrated reporting workflows.
📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva
Quantify your enterprise SaaS sales achievements with metrics like deal size, expansion rates, or quota attainment, specifically mentioning ESG, compliance, or reporting software if applicable.
Highlight experience collaborating with cross-functional teams (e.g., Inside Sales, Partnerships) to generate qualified opportunities, as this is emphasized in the job description.
Tailor your resume to include keywords like 'ESG reporting,' 'complex solution sales,' 'enterprise platform sales,' and 'large customer accounts' to align with Workiva's focus.
Research and mention Workiva's specific platform features (e.g., Wdata, Wdesk) or recent ESG reporting case studies to show deep understanding of their solutions.
Emphasize your ability to address objections in regulated industries, as ESG compliance often involves navigating client concerns about data accuracy and audit trails.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain your experience in enterprise technology sales, specifically with complex SaaS platforms, and how it aligns with Workiva's focus on ESG reporting and compliance.", 'Describe a specific example where you successfully expanded an account or upsold a solution within a large enterprise, highlighting collaboration with teams like Inside Sales.', "Demonstrate knowledge of ESG trends (e.g., climate disclosure regulations) and how Workiva's platform addresses these, showing you can speak to client pain points.", "Emphasize your ability to manage multiple sales cycles and navigate objections, referencing Workiva's value proposition in streamlining integrated reporting."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Workiva's ESG solutions page and case studies to understand how clients use their platform for climate impact reporting and compliance.
- → Review recent ESG regulations (e.g., SEC climate disclosure rules, EU CSRD) to grasp the compliance challenges Workiva addresses.
- → Study Workiva's platform features, such as Wdata for data integration or Wdesk for reporting, to discuss specific capabilities during interviews.
- → Look into Workiva's partnerships and integrations (e.g., with ERP systems) to understand how they streamline reporting workflows for enterprises.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with a generic sales resume that doesn't highlight enterprise SaaS or complex solution experience, especially in regulated industries like ESG.
- Failing to demonstrate knowledge of Workiva's specific focus on ESG reporting or mentioning unrelated software sales (e.g., CRM tools) without connecting it to compliance needs.
- Overlooking the collaborative aspect of the role by not emphasizing experience working with cross-functional teams like Inside Sales or Partnerships.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!