AVP, Federal Sales

Who we are

Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. At Samsara, we are helping improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the physical operations that power our global economy. Representing more than 40% of global GDP, these industries are the infrastructure of our planet, including agriculture, construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing — and we are excited to help digitally transform their operations at scale.

Working at Samsara means you’ll help define the future of physical operations and be on a team that’s shaping an exciting array of product solutions, including Video-Based Safety, Vehicle Telematics, Apps and Driver Workflows, and Equipment Monitoring. As part of a recently public company, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make an impact as we build for the long term.

About the role

Samsara is building its Federal business, and we're looking for the Sales leader who will build out the team and strategy. As the AVP of Federal Sales, you will be the first and most senior specialized Federal hire, accountable for taking the Samsara Connected Operations Cloud into U.S. federal civilian agencies as part of Phase 1 and defense agencies as part of Phase 2 on a dedicated, FedRAMP-authorized government cloud environment.

Federal agencies run some of the largest vehicle and asset fleets in the world, and they are modernizing how they manage safety, maintenance, sustainability, and mission readiness. Samsara already partners with state and local government agencies across the country, including statewide programs. This role turns that foundation into a durable federal practice.

You will operate as the leader of a dedicated federal practice: you'll design the team, hire it, set the go-to-market strategy, shape our partner and contract-vehicle approach, and own federal bookings. You'll work hand in hand with Product, Security and Compliance, Legal, Marketing, Partnerships, and Revenue Operations to make Samsara easy for federal agencies to buy and trust. This role reports to the Vice President of Public Sector Sales.

This is a remote position open to candidates based on the East Coast (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida), with a preference for candidates based in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. This position requires travel up to 40% of the time.

In this role, you will:

• Build and own Samsara's federal go-to-market strategy for civilian agencies, including agency prioritization, territory design, and a multi-year plan that sequences investment against certification milestones and the federal budget cycle - with a plan to expand to defense agencies in the future
• Build Samsara's federal route-to-market with Partnerships: distributors and resellers, contract vehicles such as GSA MAS and GWACs, and co-sell relationships with federal systems integrators
• Hire, develop, and lead a dedicated federal team of account executives, future business development and capture managers, and solutions engineers, starting with a focused pod and scaling headcount as pipeline and bookings prove out
• Own federal pipeline and bookings, with clear leading indicators (agency relationships, qualified opportunities, RFI and proposal activity) in the early stage and full bookings accountability once the authorized product is available to transact
• Develop senior relationships with agency fleet, logistics, operations, and CIO/CISO leaders, and represent Samsara at industry days, federal events, and with government affairs partners
• Partner with Security and Compliance and Product to translate FedRAMP authorization progress into a clear, accurate customer narrative and to bring agency requirements back into the GovCloud roadmap
• Work with Revenue Operations, Finance, and Sales Compensation to design federal-specific pipeline stages, forecasting, quotas, and compensation plans for long-cycle selling
• Partner with Legal, Deal Desk, and Contracts on FAR-compliant terms, teaming agreements, and federal ethics requirements, setting a high bar for compliance across the team
• Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices

Minimum requirements for the role:

• 12+ years of enterprise technology sales experience, with 8+ years selling to U.S. federal government agencies
• 5+ years leading federal sales teams, including leaders of account executives, as a second-line manager or above
• Track record of building or scaling a federal sales practice at a commercial-first SaaS, cloud, or IoT company, including selling through and after FedRAMP authorization
• Consistent over-achievement of federal bookings targets, with closed multi-year, seven-figure agency contracts
• Hands-on experience with federal acquisition: GSA Schedule and other contract vehicles, distributor and reseller models, and teaming with federal systems integrators
• Established relationships with federal civilian agency stakeholders, systems integrators, and the federal partner ecosystem
• Experience leading business development and capture for competitive federal procurements, from pre-RFP shaping through proposal and award
• Eligibility to obtain a Public Trust position

An ideal candidate also has:

• A network that includes experienced federal sellers, capture managers, and solutions engineers who would follow them to a new practice
• Experience co-selling with federal systems integrators inside a direct sales organization, including clear account ownership and compensation rules
• Familiarity with Shipley or a comparable capture and proposal methodology
• Experience designing activity-based or MBO compensation for federal teams before authorized product is available
• Working knowledge of FedRAMP, FAR/DFARS, Section 508 accessibility, and Buy American and Trade Agreements Act requirements, and how they show up in deals
• Experience with Department of Defense or National Guard fleet programs, as a foundation for future expansion

The compensation range shown spans approved pay zones for this role. Your primary work location determines the range applicable to you, which may be narrower than the full range displayed.

The range of annual on-target earnings (OTE) range for full-time employees for this position is below. Please note that OTE pay may vary depending on factors including your city of residence, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Learn more about our total rewards and benefits below.

Total Rewards

At Samsara, we build for the people who keep the global economy moving. We want owners, not passengers, which is why our rewards are designed to fuel high-impact builders. Our compensation program delivers above-market total compensation through a combination of base salary, performance-based bonus/variable pay, and equity (for eligible roles) in a high-growth public company. We meaningfully differentiate pay for our top performers, who have the opportunity to earn above-market compensation that can outpace the broader market over time.

Beyond compensation, we provide the foundations that enable long-term success: a flexible, employee-led remote model, a professional development stipend, comprehensive health and parental leave plans, and more. If you’re ready to build for the long term and own the outcome, your journey starts here.

Flexible Working 

At Samsara, we embrace a flexible working model that caters to the diverse needs of our teams. Our offices are open for those who prefer to work in-person and we also support remote work where it aligns with our operational requirements. For certain positions, being close to one of our offices or within a specific geographic area is important to facilitate collaboration, access to resources, or alignment with our service regions. In these cases, the job description will clearly indicate any working location requirements. Our goal is to ensure that all members of our team can contribute effectively, whether they are working on-site, in a hybrid model, or fully remotely. All offers of employment are contingent upon an individual’s ability to secure and maintain the legal right to work at the company and in the specified work location, if applicable.

Belonging at Samsara

At Samsara, we welcome everyone regardless of their background. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, and other characteristics protected by law. We depend on the unique approaches of our team members to help us solve complex problems and want to ensure that Samsara is a place where people from all backgrounds can make an impact.

Accommodations 

Samsara is an inclusive work environment, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. Please email accessibleinterviewing@samsara.com or click here if you require any reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process.

Our Commitment to Authenticity

We use Tofu, a fraud detection tool, to validate the authenticity of applications and protect against identity fraud. This ensures we are connecting with real people and allows us to prioritize genuine candidates. Please see Samsara’s Candidate Privacy Notice for more information.

Fraudulent Employment Offers

Samsara is aware of scams involving fake job interviews and offers. Please know we do not charge fees to applicants at any stage of the hiring process. Official communication about your application will only come from emails ending in @samsara.com, @us-greenhouse-mail.io or @mail3.guide.co. For more information regarding fraudulent employment offers, please visit our blog post here.