Principal Account Executive

Principal Account Executive
Remote – Limited to candidates residing in Colorado, Virginia, Washington, D.C., or Maryland.

Bluestaq is seeking a Principal Account Executive to own and grow our strategic relationships with key customers worldwide, with a primary focus on high-impact accounts. This high-impact role combines deep account ownership, opportunity shaping and expansion (including influencing requirements and securing new scopes/renewals), with hands-on oversight of program delivery and implementation of enterprise software solutions (including any UDL or custom capability components). 

You will serve as the primary trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, driving revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and mission success through long-term strategic engagement. The role requires blending commercial enterprise account management expertise with an understanding of complex environments, particularly international defense ecosystem, procurement processes, and operational needs, while adaptable to other government, defense, and enterprise customers. 

This US-based position requires approximately 50% travel (primarily to Europe for customer engagements, with some flexibility for other regions). The role involves building key relationships, supporting on-site delivery, and collaborating closely with our UK subsidiary to drive coordinated pursuits, ensure local compliance, leverage regional resources, and deliver seamless execution across international accounts. 

How We Work  

These technical and operational tenets guide how we engage and deliver for our customers: 

• Customer-Centric First – Prioritize mission outcomes and value realization for each customer; default to collaborative, consultative approaches over transactional sales 
• Automate and Streamline Everything – Leverage tools, CRM, and workflows to enable efficient opportunity tracking, program delivery, and reporting from day one 
• Strategy Before Execution – Document account plans, evaluate competitive landscapes, and align internally before advancing pursuits or deliveries 
• Operational Excellence Through Simplicity – Build and manage programs that are straightforward to execute, monitor, and scale with minimal friction 
• Secure and Compliant by Design – Embed security standards, data sovereignty, and compliance (tailored to customer requirements, including rules and classified handling) into every interaction and solution 
• Learn Fast, Iterate Faster – Gather rapid customer feedback, prototype concepts or expansions, and adapt quickly to evolving requirements 
• Challenge Legacy, Champion Innovation – Question traditional approaches while staying grounded in delivering measurable value to customers 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Own the full lifecycle of assigned strategic accounts: from relationship building and opportunity identification/expansion through contract execution, program delivery oversight, and ongoing adoption/sustainment. 
• Develop and execute comprehensive account plans to maximize revenue potential, including upsell, cross-sell, renewals, and new capability introductions across customer portfolios. 
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with key stakeholders (
• This role requires approximately 50% travel (primarily to Europe for customer engagements), including customer meetings, opportunity shaping sessions, program reviews, key industry events (e.g., defense expos), and on-site delivery support. Flexibility exists for occasional travel to other global locations as business needs arise. 
• Partner closely with our UK subsidiary on joint opportunity development, local market access, compliance navigation, resource allocation, delivery coordination, and leveraging UK-based capabilities to support international programs. 
• Shape and influence requirements for expansions or new programs; prepare technical/commercial proposals, demos, proofs-of-concept, and value propositions tailored to customer needs. 
• Oversee end-to-end program delivery post-agreement: coordinate cross-functional teams (engineering, implementation, support), manage scope, timelines, budgets, risks, and escalations; ensure successful implementation, adoption, and value realization of software solutions. 
• Act as the primary escalation point and single point of accountability for assigned customers; drive satisfaction, resolve issues, and identify growth opportunities. 
• Navigate customer-specific procurement processes, funding mechanisms, security requirements, and export controls while ensuring full compliance. 
• Represent Bluestaq in industry events, working groups, conferences, and bilateral engagements. 
• Track account health, forecast revenue, report KPIs, and contribute lessons learned to refine future approaches. 
• Mentor team members on strategic account management and domain-specific best practices. 

Required Qualifications: 

• 8+ years of professional experience in enterprise software sales, account management, customer success, or related roles, ideally with exposure to complex B2B/government/enterprise environments. 
• Proven track record owning and growing strategic accounts, including revenue expansion, relationship management, and delivery oversight in software/cloud/SaaS contexts. 
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 50% or more, primarily across Europe for engagements (including customer meetings, opportunity shaping sessions, program reviews, industry events, and on-site delivery support). This includes flexibility for irregular schedules, short-notice trips, and extended presence at customer locations as business needs dictate. 
• Experience collaborating in matrixed, multinational organizations, including partnering with international subsidiaries (e.g., UK-based teams for regional support). 
• Strong understanding of enterprise software solutions, implementation best practices, and customer value realization. 
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills; ability to engage senior leaders (military/civilian/government/executive). 
• Valid US passport and eligibility for necessary travel authorizations/visas in the EU/Schengen area and other relevant regions. 
• Active or eligible security clearance (or ability to obtain equivalent clearance). 
• US-based residency. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Prior experience selling into or managing EU defense, US DoD/Federal, or similar international/government accounts. 
• Familiarity with defense software domains (e.g., C4ISR, cloud, cybersecurity); adaptable to other regulated environments. 
• Technical aptitude in cloud-native solutions, SaaS platforms, or program delivery tools. 
• Certifications such as PMP, CSM, or relevant sales/account management credentials. 

Required Experience: 8+ years in enterprise account management, strategic sales, or program/client delivery roles  

Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, International Relations, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)