Founding Account Executive - m/f/d
Sales & Business Development
Ghent, Belgium · Remote
The Job
As Founding Account Executive at Powernaut, you join as one of our first two commercial hires, working directly alongside the founders and people with deep expertise in the energy space. You'll help us scale Powernaut from its Belgian base into a European leader.
You take full ownership of the sales cycle, from opening new business to closing deals. You'll work hand-in-hand with marketing to turn leads into conversations, and conversations into contracts. The role suits solution sellers who enjoy turning complex energy problems into clear, value-driven partnerships.
You'll operate with high autonomy, helping us open new markets while staying aligned with Powernaut's vision.
We're hiring two Founding Account Executives across our core markets — Benelux, DACH and France — with each hire owning their region end-to-end. We're also open to candidates covering other European markets where English is the working language, including the Nordics, UK, Eastern Europe, and beyond.
Here's what your impactful role will entail:
New Business Development: Identify and engage C-suite executives and key stakeholders in your region, building on the leads marketing provides. Use creative outreach to open doors.
Value Selling: Move beyond transactional sales. Diagnose client pain points and show how Powernaut helps them solve their problems.
Pipeline ownership: Build and manage a high-value pipeline in our CRM. Guide complex deals from prospecting and qualification through to contract negotiation and close.
Strategic collaborations: Work with Marketing on messaging and lead generation, with Product on field feedback into the roadmap, and with our Account Management and Delivery team to make sure customers get real value after signing.
Building the engine: Co-design the sales playbook — ICP sharpening, outbound motion, qualification, deal reviews — and make it repeatable for the salespeople who join after you.
Your day-to-day will be dynamic and impactful:
Proactively prospecting high-potential clients in your region with marketing support.
Designing and delivering tailored pitches that resonate with stakeholder needs.
Closing significant deals that align with Powernaut's mission and revenue goals.
Coordinating with Account Management and Delivery to ensure a smooth hand-off after close.
Spotting and capitalising on upsell opportunities within your growing portfolio.
Where this can go
We're building a commercial team that will grow well beyond these two hires. For the Founding AE who proves it in the field — consistent closing, sharp commercial judgment, and the instinct to make others better — there is a real path to leading the sales organisation: hiring, coaching and structuring the team as we scale across Europe.
We don't hand out titles on day one; they follow demonstrated impact. But if you want to build and lead a sales team, not only carry a number inside one, this role is designed for you.
Your Profile
We're looking for an entrepreneurial operator who is ready to make a tangible difference.
Required
Solution selling: A track record in managing complex sales cycles, negotiation, and closing deals. You sell value, not features.
Collaboration: Comfortable working alongside marketing, product, account management, and delivery. Sales here is a team effort.
Languages: English. In addition, German for DACH or French for France. Candidates covering other European markets can operate fully in English.
Location & travel: Willing to work from our Ghent HQ at least once every three months to collaborate with the team in person. Frequent travel to clients across your region is expected — we plan it with notice and are happy to discuss a cadence that works around your commitments.
Helpful, but not required
Enterprise sales background specifically — or a demonstrable appetite to move into enterprise sales after success in a related field.
Early-hire experience: you've been a first or early sales hire before, or you've scaled revenue from (near) zero and know what 0→1 selling demands. Bonus if you've coached or mentored junior salespeople and enjoyed it.
Start-up or scale-up experience.
Knowledge of the European energy landscape. A plus, not a requirement. What we care about most is your sales acumen and your willingness to learn the technical and regulatory complexity of energy on the job. If you have never sold into energy before but have the appetite, please apply.
Additional European languages.
What's in it for you?
Impact: Your work will directly shape our growth trajectory, our sales culture and the commercial playbook every future hire will use.
Autonomy: The freedom to manage your own work and strategy, with the tools and support you need to excel.
Team: Become an integral part of a dynamic, expert team of quick-thinking, fast-acting people who are passionate about what they do.
Compensation: A competitive salary package with fixed and variable components (OTE), complemented by participation in our attractive stock option plan.
Purpose: The profound satisfaction of making a meaningful and lasting positive impact on our planet by accelerating the climate transition.
Environment: Work from the Wintercircus in Ghent, a hub that fits the spirit of a fast-growing, innovative startup.
Before you apply
Not sure you tick every box? Apply anyway. Our requirements list only what would genuinely stop you doing the job.
Powernaut is an equal-opportunity employer. We hire on demonstrated ability — whatever your gender, background, nationality or career path. Need flexible hours, part-time, or an adjustment to our interview process? Just ask.