Sales Leader - SMB

We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington D.C., London and Amsterdam.

We are the SMB Sales team, a core part of Plaid’s mission to unlock financial freedom for everyone. We believe that by empowering small and medium-sized businesses, we contribute directly to creating a more inclusive and accessible financial ecosystem. Our team is dedicated to building meaningful relationships with our clients, providing innovative solutions that drive growth, and ensuring that Plaid's products enable businesses to thrive. We work collaboratively across teams to meet ambitious revenue goals, all while fostering a culture of continuous learning and development to align with Plaid's vision of financial accessibility and empowerment.

As an Account Executive Leader for our SMB team, you will lead a group of front-line Sales Managers and their Account Executive teams responsible for acquiring and growing Plaid’s SMB customers. You will set strategy and direction for your part of the SMB business, translate it into clear operating plans, and ensure consistent, high-quality execution across teams. You will build and develop sales leaders and AEs, implement a rigorous operating cadence, and partner cross-functionally to shape how Plaid goes to market in the SMB segment. You will leverage your experience in forecasting, pipeline management, and deal strategy to drive predictable growth in a fast-paced, high-growth environment..

Responsibilities:
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of front-line SMB Sales Managers and their Account Executive teams to consistently meet and exceed revenue targets
• Own forecast accuracy and pipeline health across your portfolio; implement and run a disciplined operating rhythm (1:1s, pipeline reviews, QBRs, forecast calls)
• Design and refine territory, coverage, and quota strategies to support growth objectives while ensuring sustainable workloads and strong customer coverage
• Partner with Marketing, New Business Development, Growth, Partnerships, Product, and Customer Success to build and execute the SMB acquisition and expansion strategy
• Provide hands‑on deal coaching for top opportunities and ensure managers are effectively supporting their teams on complex or strategic deals
• Hire, onboard, and develop front-line managers and high-potential AEs, building a strong leadership bench and clear paths for internal mobility
• Use data and insights to diagnose performance, identify bottlenecks, and prioritize initiatives that increase win rates, improve cycle times, and drive productivity
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture that reflects Plaid’s Principles and supports growth, experimentation, and continuous improvement

Qualifications:
• Must-Have Requirements:
• 8–10+ years of experience in B2B sales, including meaningful time leading high-performing SMB or mid‑market teams
• Demonstrated success managing front-line managers and/or multiple sales teams, with clear examples of hiring, developing, and retaining top talent
• Proven track record of owning and delivering against multi‑team revenue targets, including both new customer acquisition and expansion
• Deep experience running a rigorous sales operating cadence (forecasting, pipeline management, QBRs) and using data to make decisions
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with experience partnering with Marketing, Product, Partnerships, and Finance to drive segment strategy
• Excellent communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence across levels and functions
• Nice-to-Have Requirements:
• Prior experience as a 2nd-line SMB or MM sales leader in fintech, SaaS, or infrastructure/platform companies
• Experience in fintech or financial services, especially selling into SMBs or startups
• Background in segment design, GTM experimentation, and scaling new sales motions

Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!

Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at [email protected].

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