Free account executive job description templates: standard sales, SaaS, agency, media, first-hire, and finance, with commission, OTE, and FLSA guidance.
6 free templates plus the commission and OTE structure, FLSA outside-sales guidance, and account-versus-accounts clarity generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
An account executive is, in US hiring, a salesperson who owns the sales cycle and closes new business, often a company's first dedicated sales hire. The title trips people up in two ways: the plural "accounts executive" usually means a finance role, and the pay is base plus commission rather than a simple salary, which generic templates rarely explain. This page sorts both out, with six templates by industry plus the commission, OTE, and FLSA guidance that matter for a sales hire.
At FirstHR, we build for the small businesses that hire their first account executive, where an owner writes the posting and sets the commission plan. The six templates below cover standard sales, SaaS, agency, media, a first-AE version, and the finance reading of the plural title. Each is ready to use, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
In US hiring, an account executive is a quota-carrying salesperson who owns the sales cycle and closes deals. Pay is base plus commission quoted as OTE, with base around $66,000-$100,000 and SaaS OTE often above $100,000. FLSA depends on outside versus inside sales. The plural accounts executive usually means a finance role. Download six templates as DOCX, by industry, with commission and classification guidance built in.
What Is an Account Executive?
An account executive owns the sales cycle and closes new business: building a pipeline, running discovery and demos, negotiating, and closing deals against a quota, then growing the accounts they win. It is a client-facing, quota-carrying sales role, most common in software, technology, media, advertising, and B2B services.
Because there is no exact federal occupation for account executive, the closest official anchor is sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing (SOC 41-4012), with related detail in the O*NET profile. The one notable exception is agencies, where account executive is a client-services coordination role rather than a closer. For most US employers, hiring an account executive means hiring someone who can own and close deals.
Accounts Executive vs Account Executive
The spelling matters. In US hiring, the standard title is account executive (singular), a sales role. The plural accounts executive most often points to a different job entirely.
Two Spellings, Often Two Different Jobs
Account executive (singular) is the standard US title for a B2B sales role: pipeline, quota, and closing deals. Accounts executive (plural) most often refers to a finance and bookkeeping role, especially outside the US, covering accounts payable and receivable, ledgers, and reconciliations. If you are a US employer hiring a salesperson, you want an account executive. If you are hiring for your books, the finance template below fits, though many US employers would title that role bookkeeper or accounting clerk instead.
This page covers both readings so you can pick the right one, but the bulk of the templates target the US sales role, since that is what most employers searching this mean. For the finance reading, a bookkeeper or accountant template may be a closer fit.
Account Executive Duties and Responsibilities
Sales account executive duties cluster into four areas: pipeline and prospecting, closing, account growth, and process and handoffs. A strong job description picks the responsibilities from each area that match what you sell, rather than listing every possible task.
Pipeline and prospecting
Build and manage a pipeline of opportunities
Prospect and qualify inbound and outbound leads
Forecast pipeline accurately in the CRM
Closing
Run discovery, demos, and presentations
Negotiate terms and close against a quota
Navigate multi-stakeholder deals
Account growth
Grow and retain existing accounts
Drive renewals and expansion
Identify upsell opportunities
Process and handoffs
Keep the CRM accurate and current
Partner with marketing and delivery teams
Represent the company in meetings and events
The emphasis shifts by industry: a SaaS role leans into multi-stakeholder recurring-revenue deals, while a media role leans into a book of advertiser accounts. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process, and the sales representative template covers an adjacent selling role.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your industry and what the role actually does. The core structure is shared, but each version emphasizes the responsibilities, compensation, and classification that fit a specific kind of account executive. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Standard Sales AE
Universal base
The core B2B sales version: own the full cycle, carry a quota, and close deals. The baseline to adapt, with commission and FLSA guidance built in.
SaaS / Technology
Software sales
For software sales: full-cycle recurring-revenue deals, demos, and multi-stakeholder cycles. OTE often above $100,000.
Agency / PR
Client services
For an agency: a client-services role, not a closer. Manages day-to-day client work and supports account managers and directors.
Media / Advertising Sales
Ad sales
For media and advertising sales: prospect, pitch, and close advertising deals, and manage a book of advertiser accounts.
First AE (Small Business)
First sales hire
The version generic templates skip: a first dedicated sales hire with direct founder access, building the process while closing.
Accounts Executive (Finance)
Bookkeeping reading
For the finance reading of the plural title: AP/AR, records, and reconciliations. Usually non-exempt and hourly.
Match the Template to the Role
A general B2B closer: Standard Sales AE. Selling software: SaaS / Technology. An agency client-services role: Agency / PR. Selling advertising: Media / Advertising Sales. A first dedicated sales hire: First AE. The finance reading of the plural title: Accounts Executive (Finance). Most US employers searching this want the sales role, so start there unless you are clearly hiring for your books.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company summary, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compensation section, an FLSA note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard sales, SaaS, agency/PR, media, first-AE, and finance. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Account Executive (Standard Sales)
The universal base: own the full sales cycle, carry a quota, and close deals, with commission and FLSA guidance built in. Adapt it to your industry.
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly) unless duties and salary qualify for exemption
Compensation: $_____ [hourly or salary]
NOTE ON THIS TITLE
In US hiring, the standard title for the sales role is "account executive"
(singular). The plural "accounts executive" most often refers to a
finance and bookkeeping role, especially outside the US. This template covers that
finance reading. If you mean the sales role, use one of the sales templates above.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Accounts Executive to support our accounting and
bookkeeping operations. You will handle accounts payable and receivable, maintain
records, reconcile accounts, and help prepare financial reports. A detail-oriented
role for someone with bookkeeping or accounting experience.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Process accounts payable and accounts receivable
•Maintain accurate financial records and ledgers
•Reconcile accounts and resolve discrepancies
•Help prepare invoices, statements, and reports
•Support month-end and year-end close
•Maintain organized financial documentation
•Assist with audits and compliance as needed
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[1-3+] years in bookkeeping, accounting, or AP/AR
•Proficiency with accounting software and spreadsheets
•Strong attention to detail and accuracy
•Understanding of basic accounting principles
•Associate's or bachelor's in accounting or related a plus
FLSA CLASSIFICATION NOTE
A finance accounts executive doing routine bookkeeping is usually non-exempt and
owed overtime. It may be exempt only if the salary and the duties tests are met.
Classify by the actual duties and pay. This is general information, not legal
advice.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Commission, OTE, and Pay
Account executive pay is the part generic templates handle worst. It is rarely a flat salary; it is a base plus commission, quoted as on-target earnings. Understanding the structure is essential to writing a competitive posting.
Base salary
The fixed portion, paid regardless of sales. For a typical AE this is often half to sixty percent of total pay.
Commission / variable
Paid on closed business, against a quota. The variable portion that turns a base into on-target earnings.
OTE (on-target earnings)
Base plus expected commission at 100 percent of quota. The number candidates compare, so state it clearly.
Pay transparency
Many states now require a pay range in the posting. Include the base or OTE range to stay compliant and competitive.
Base Around $66,000 to $100,000
National compensation surveys put account executive base pay around $66,000 to $100,000, with small-business sales roles closer to $72,000 to $78,000 and SaaS OTE often above $100,000. The closest federal occupation, sales representatives for wholesale and manufacturing except technical products, had a median annual wage of $66,780 in May 2024, with the technical and scientific category at $100,070 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Write the commission rules down before you hire: what counts as a closed deal, the rate, when it is paid, and what happens to churned deals. A clear, achievable plan attracts better salespeople and prevents disputes.
FLSA and the Outside-Sales Exemption
Account executive classification is a genuine gray area, and it is a content gap most templates ignore entirely. The answer turns on where the selling happens.
Outside Sales vs Inside or Remote
A field account executive who customarily works away from the office may qualify for the outside-sales exemption, which has no salary threshold. An inside or remote account executive who sells from an office or home usually does NOT qualify, and is then either administratively exempt (if the salary and duties tests are met) or non-exempt and owed overtime. Classify by where the work actually happens, not the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
For the underlying rules, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain the tests in plain terms. Because inside and remote selling is so common now, many account executive roles are not outside sales, so confirm classification before you hire.
Hiring Your First Account Executive
For many small businesses, the account executive is the first real sales hire, made directly by the owner without a sales manager or HR department. Three realities shape this hire, and generic templates address none of them.
The first sales hire is often a small company's most important hire
An account executive is frequently the first real sales hire a small business makes after the founder has been selling. It is a high-stakes hire: the right closer builds repeatable revenue, the wrong one burns a year of runway. Yet most published account executive templates are thin, generic, and written for large sales organizations with established processes and sales operations teams. A small business hiring its first AE is doing it without a sales manager, without a comp consultant, and usually without an HR department. The templates here are written for that reality, including a dedicated first-AE version, so an owner can post a clear, honest role and set the new hire up to actually sell.
Commission structure and FLSA are where small employers get tripped up
Two things make an account executive hire different from a typical role, and generic templates skip both. First, the pay is base plus commission quoted as on-target earnings, and the commission rules need to be written down before you hire, not improvised after the first deal. Second, the FLSA classification is genuinely tricky: a field AE who works away from the office may qualify for the outside-sales exemption with no salary threshold, but an inside or remote AE usually does not and is either administratively exempt or non-exempt and owed overtime. Getting the commission plan and the classification right up front protects both the new hire and the business, which is exactly what the notes in every template here are for.
The offer and onboarding need to handle a commission plan cleanly
Because the offer includes a commission plan, the paperwork matters more than for a salaried role: a clear offer letter that spells out base, commission, and OTE, the standard new-hire forms, and an onboarding that gets the AE into the CRM, the product, and the pipeline quickly. FirstHR fits this people side for a small business: e-signature for the offer letter and commission plan, document management for the signed agreement and job description, task workflows for onboarding, and training modules to ramp a new seller. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a CRM, payroll, or commission-calculation system, so pair it with those tools. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the offer needs to spell out the commission plan, and onboarding needs to get a new seller productive fast, since every week without a full pipeline is lost revenue.
Send the offer and comp plan
Spell out base, commission, and OTE in writing, with the commission rules and the FLSA classification clear from day one.
Ramp into the pipeline
Get the AE into the CRM, the product, and the sales process quickly, with a clear first-90-days ramp and quota.
Set the cadence
Establish pipeline reviews, forecasting, and one-on-ones so a new seller knows how performance is measured.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, commission plan, and onboarding documents organized and easy to find.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, an onboarding template structures the ramp, and an employee handbook template covers your policies. For adjacent sales and account roles you may also hire, the sales manager, account manager, and business development templates cover related positions. FirstHR connects the offer with its commission plan, paperwork, e-signatures, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small business can run the same process every time. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a CRM, payroll, or commission tool, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
In US hiring, account executive (singular) is a quota-carrying sales role; accounts executive (plural) usually means a finance and bookkeeping role.
Account executive pay is base plus commission, quoted as OTE, with base around $66,000 to $100,000 and SaaS OTE often above $100,000.
FLSA classification turns on outside versus inside sales: field sellers may be exempt outside sales, inside or remote sellers usually are not.
Write the commission rules down before you hire, and include a pay range in the posting where your state requires it.
Match the template to the industry: SaaS, media, agency, and finance accounts executive are different jobs.
The first account executive is often a small business's most important early hire, so handle the offer, commission plan, and classification carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an account executive do?
An account executive owns the sales cycle and closes new business. In a US sales role, they build and manage a pipeline of prospects, run discovery calls and demos, negotiate terms, and close deals against a quota, then grow and retain the accounts they win. The role is client-facing and quota-carrying, and it is common in software, technology, media, advertising, and B2B services. The exact mix varies by industry: a SaaS account executive runs multi-stakeholder recurring-revenue deals, while a media account executive sells advertising and manages a book of business. One important exception is agencies, where account executive is a client-services coordination role rather than a quota-carrying closer. For most US employers, though, hiring an account executive means hiring a salesperson who can own and close deals.
What is the difference between an accounts executive and an account executive?
The two spellings often mean different jobs. In US hiring, the standard title is account executive (singular), which is a B2B sales role focused on closing deals and managing client accounts. The plural accounts executive most often refers to a finance and bookkeeping role, especially outside the US, covering accounts payable and receivable, ledgers, reconciliations, and financial reporting. So if you are a US employer hiring a salesperson, you want an account executive, and your job description should describe a quota-carrying sales role. If you are hiring someone to manage your books and financial records, the finance accounts-executive template fits, though many US employers would title that role bookkeeper or accounting clerk instead. Decide which role you actually need first, because the duties, pay, and classification are completely different.
How much does an account executive make?
Account executive pay is usually a base salary plus commission, quoted as on-target earnings, or OTE. National compensation surveys put the base around $66,000 to $100,000 depending on industry, with small-business sales roles closer to $72,000 to $78,000 and OTE for software roles often above $100,000 and up to $200,000 at the higher end. The closest federal occupation, sales representatives for wholesale and manufacturing except technical products, had a median annual wage of $66,780 in May 2024, while the technical and scientific category was $100,070. Pay varies enormously by industry and by the base-to-variable split: SaaS and technology pay the most, while media and small-business sales pay less. When you post the role, state the base, the commission structure, and the OTE, and include a pay range where your state requires it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is an account executive exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on where and how they sell. A field account executive who customarily and regularly works away from the employer's place of business may qualify for the outside-sales exemption, which has no salary threshold. An inside or remote account executive who sells from an office or from home usually does not qualify for outside sales, and is then either administratively exempt, if the salary and duties tests are met, or non-exempt and entitled to overtime. This is a genuine gray area that many employers get wrong, and it is worth getting right before you hire. Review DOL Fact Sheet 17F on the outside-sales exemption, and classify based on where the work actually happens and what the employee actually does, not just the job title. Confirm with a qualified advisor for any role near the line. This is general information, not legal advice.
What qualifications does an account executive need?
The core qualification is a track record of selling. Most account executive roles look for one to three or more years in a sales or closing role, or strong experience as a sales development representative ready to move up, along with a record of meeting or exceeding quota. Beyond experience, the key skills are strong communication, discovery, and negotiation, comfort owning a pipeline and forecasting in a CRM, and a self-directed, goal-oriented mindset. Industry experience matters: a SaaS role wants software sales experience, a media role wants advertising sales, and an agency account executive role wants client-services and coordination skills. A bachelor's degree is commonly preferred but often not required, since results matter more than credentials in sales. For a first sales hire at a small business, resourcefulness and the ability to build a process from scratch are especially valuable.
What is OTE and how should I structure account executive pay?
OTE, or on-target earnings, is the total an account executive earns at 100 percent of quota: base salary plus expected commission. It is the number candidates compare between offers, so state it clearly. A typical structure is a base salary that is half to sixty percent of OTE, with the rest paid as commission on closed business. For example, an $80,000 OTE might be a $48,000 base plus $32,000 of commission at full quota. The most important thing for a small employer is to write the commission rules down before you hire: what counts as a closed deal, the commission rate, when it is paid, and what happens to deals that churn. A clear, written, achievable plan attracts better salespeople and prevents disputes. Many states also now require a pay range in the job posting, so include the base or OTE range.
Does a small business hire account executives?
Yes, very commonly. An account executive is often the first dedicated sales hire a small business makes once the founder can no longer handle all the selling. Software startups, agencies, media companies, and B2B services businesses all hire account executives, and for many small companies it is one of the most important early hires because it is the first step toward repeatable, scalable revenue. The challenge is that a small business usually makes this hire without a sales manager, a compensation consultant, or an HR department, so the job description, the commission plan, and the classification all fall to the owner. That is exactly why this page includes a dedicated first-AE template and detailed guidance on commission structure and FLSA classification, so a small employer can make this high-stakes hire with confidence.
What should an account executive job description include?
A strong account executive job description names the industry and makes the quota-carrying sales nature of the role clear up front, then includes a job summary, responsibilities grouped into pipeline and prospecting, closing, account growth, and process, and the qualifications, which center on a track record of selling. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are four: a clear compensation structure with base, commission, and OTE rather than a vague salary; an FLSA note covering the outside-sales exemption versus inside or remote sellers; pay transparency to meet state requirements; and industry framing, since a SaaS, media, agency, and finance accounts executive are different jobs. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. Getting the compensation and classification right is what separates a strong sales posting from a generic one. This is general information, not legal advice.
