Services Senior Account Executive (A&E)

Job Description

We help the world run better
At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging – but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.

The Opportunity

The Aerospace & Defense (A&D) industry is undergoing a critical transformation driven by the imperative for resilient supply chains, smart manufacturing (Industry 4.0), regulatory modernization, and digital continuity across complex programs. The commercial Defense Industrial Base (DIB) — companies like Northrop Grumman, GE Aerospace, RTX (Raytheon Technologies), Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris — is investing aggressively in enterprise technology to maintain competitive advantage and meet next-generation mission demands.

We are seeking a Senior Services Account Executive (SAE) to join SAP's Public Sector Services Sales organization, specifically covering the commercial Aerospace & Defense segment. This is a T4-level advisory sales role focused on selling complex SAP Professional Services engagements to the defense industrial base. You will own one major anchor account (a name-brand A&D prime) plus three to four additional strategic accounts, carrying a quota of approximately $12–$15 million in Total Contract Value (TCV).

This is not a transactional sales role. You will act as a trusted strategic advisor to the world's most sophisticated engineering and defense manufacturing organizations — positioning SAP Professional Services as the differentiator that enables these clients to accelerate time-to-value, minimize implementation risk, and achieve their digital transformation objectives. You must be equally comfortable in a six-minute executive conversation with a CIO as you are rolling up your sleeves to develop a white paper, executive briefing, or scope of work document.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Account Leadership & Demand Generation

• Own the Account Strategy: Conduct deep research and comprehensive analysis on your assigned accounts' specific business imperatives (e.g., program profitability, complex MRO, ITAR/regulatory compliance, supply chain resilience). Understand the manufacturing-focused terminology and operational realities of aerospace manufacturing.

• Territory Planning: Develop and execute a territory plan across your anchor account and supporting accounts. Leverage all available assets — Industry Value Advisors, Marketing, Delivery Executives, and Alliance Partners — to build a robust pipeline (4x coverage target).

• Drive the Digital Thread: Position services that support the full lifecycle of A&D products — from design through manufacturing to sustainment and operations — helping customers navigate the shift to the Cloud (RISE with SAP, S/4HANA).

Advisory Sales Execution & Relationship Management

• Consultative Selling: Build deep, trusted relationships with C-level executives (CIOs, CTOs, COOs) and senior program managers by demonstrating an intimate understanding of their operational challenges. This requires the ability to have concise, meaningful conversations at the executive level while also being able to go deep on technical and delivery specifics.

• Deal Management: Navigate complex, multi-stakeholder decision-making processes across geographically dispersed client organizations. Manage the full sales cycle from qualification to close, ensuring deal structures meet SAP's profitability goals and the customer's value requirements. Expect to manage both TCV and Contract Value (CV) quota metrics.

• Internal Collaboration: Act as the "Services Captain" — building strong internal bridges with License/Cloud Sales (AEs), Alliance Partners (GSIs), Delivery teams, and Product Management to present a unified "One SAP" front to the customer.

• Hands-On Contribution: Be willing to get your hands dirty. Produce and contribute to substantive written deliverables including executive briefings, white papers, research documents, and Statements of Work (SOWs). This role requires someone who operates at multiple levels — executive engagement AND detailed work.

Governance & Delivery Success

• Business Management: Manage the business of your territory, ensuring accurate forecasting of bookings, consumption, and adoption against your quota.

• Program Governance: Play a key role in steering committees and governance boards of active engagements, ensuring that what was sold is delivered successfully and that customer satisfaction remains high.

Experience & Role Requirements

Must-Have Qualifications

• Proven Sales Track Record: This is non-negotiable. You must have a demonstrated history of selling — consistent quota achievement or over-achievement in complex services sales, advisory engagements, or enterprise solution selling. A delivery background alone is not sufficient.

• Aerospace & Defense Industry Experience: Direct experience working in or selling into the A&D manufacturing sector. You must understand the language, operational realities, and business drivers of the commercial defense industrial base (DIB). This is NOT a federal/government sales role — it covers the commercial industrial base (prime contractors and their tier-one suppliers).

• Executive Communication Skills: Ability to engage at the C-level with confidence, clarity, and conciseness. You should be able to deliver a compelling, meaningful six-minute conversation with a senior executive as effectively as you can develop a detailed scope of work.

• Multi-Level Operator: Ability to operate across multiple levels of client organizations — from C-suite strategy discussions to hands-on technical and business value conversations. Willingness to roll up your sleeves is essential.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• SAP Technology Familiarity: Prior experience with SAP products (S/4HANA, ERP, PLM, Supply Chain, S4 PEO, and RISE with SAP) or competitor enterprise business application platforms. Understanding of Cloud implementation methodologies and the on-premise to SaaS transition.

• Project Delivery Experience: Candidates who have both delivered and sold complex services engagements bring a distinct advantage. Prior experience managing or delivering SAP implementation projects provides credibility and depth in advisory conversations.

• Advisory Sales Background: Experience in consultative or advisory selling — positioning professional services as a strategic enabler rather than a commodity.

• Commercial Acumen: Deep understanding of complex negotiation terms, Master Services Agreements (MSAs), and Statement of Work (SOW) structures for large-scale enterprise projects.

Soft Skills & Attributes

• Executive Presence: Ability to project confidence and professionalism when presenting to senior leadership at Fortune 100 A&D companies.

• Listening Skills: Exceptional ability to listen actively, synthesize complex information, and respond with insight — a hallmark of effective advisory selling.

• Hands-On Work Ethic: Willingness to do the detailed groundwork — research, writing, preparation — not just manage relationships at a high level.

• Adaptability: Ability to function effectively and independently in a fast-paced, matrixed environment with geographically dispersed clients requiring significant travel.

• Sales Methodology: Familiarity with structured sales methodologies (e.g., MEDDIC, Challenger, Value Selling) to qualify and progress complex opportunities.

Role Logistics

• Level: T4 (Senior Services Account Executive)

• Organization: Public Sector Services Sales — Aerospace & Defense

• Quota: a traditional services TCV quota + a cloud services (ACV) quota as well. Dual quota structure (TCV + ACV)

• Location: Flexible — no hard location requirement. Clients are geographically dispersed (e.g., Florida, Southern California, Dallas, DC, and other key A&D hubs).

• Travel: Significant travel expected given the dispersed nature of the client base.

• Account Portfolio: One major anchor account (e.g., a top-tier A&D prime) plus three to four additional accounts. Final account assignment determined collaboratively based on candidate strengths and experience.

Why SAP A&D Services?

You will be working with the companies that protect the world and connect the globe. SAP's A&D Services portfolio covers approximately 55 strategic accounts within the commercial aerospace and defense industrial base — some of the most complex, high-value organizations on the planet. This is a role for a strategic thinker and proven seller who wants to move beyond transactional sales and shape the future of the Aerospace & Defense industry through technology.

You will join a collaborative team of experienced services sales professionals, backed by deep delivery expertise, industry value advisors, and the full weight of the SAP ecosystem. If you have lived in the A&D world, speak the language, and know how to win — we want to talk to you.

• #LI-LE1

Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.

We win with inclusion
SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our Guidelines for Ethical Usage of AI in the Recruiting Process.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Requisition ID: 456000 | Work Area: Sales | Expected Travel: 0 - 60% | Career Status: Professional | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: Virtual - USA #LI-Hybrid