Vice President of Commercial Sales

External

Proofpoint · Sunnyvale, CA

Full-timeOn-siteToday

AccessibilityConversion OptimizationCRMCross-functional CollaborationForecastingLeadership

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About the role

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people. How We Work: At Proofpoint you'll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values: Bold in how we dream and innovate Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities Accountable for results and best in class outcomes Visionary in future focused problem-solving Exceptional in execution and impact The Vice President of Commercial Sales is a senior leader responsible for driving predictable, scalable revenue growth across the commercial segment for a SaaS organization. This role owns the commercial go-to-market strategy, leads and develops a high-performing sales organization, and partners cross-functionally to optimize the entire customer lifecycle-from acquisition through expansion and renewal. The VP of Commercial Sales combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, leveraging data, customer insights, and best-in-class SaaS sales practices to accelerate ARR growth and improve revenue efficiency.

Responsibilities

Revenue Growth & Go-To-Market Strategy

Own commercial segment revenue, including new ARR, expansion, and renewals.

Develop and execute a scalable SaaS sales strategy aligned to company growth goals.

Drive pipeline generation, forecasting accuracy, and predictable revenue outcomes.

Partner with Marketing on demand generation, ICP definition, and conversion optimization.

Establish pricing, packaging, and discounting frameworks aligned with SaaS unit economics.

Sales Leadership & Team Development

Build, lead, and scale a commercial sales organization, including sales leaders, Account Executives, and SDR teams.

Define territories, quota models, and compensation plans that align with ARR, retention, and expansion goals.

Coach leaders and reps on modern SaaS sales motions (land, expand, multi-product, value-based selling).

Foster a culture of accountability, performance, and continuous improvement.

Customer Lifecycle & Retention

Partner with Customer Success to drive adoption, retention, expansion, and net revenue retention (NRR).

Serve as executive sponsor for key commercial accounts and strategic opportunities.

Ensure strong handoffs between Sales, Implementation, and Customer Success.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Product to incorporate market and customer feedback into roadmap prioritization.

Partner with Finance on forecasting, bookings, ARR, and revenue modeling.

Collaborate with RevOps to optimize CRM usage, sales processes, and tooling.

Operational Excellence & Analytics

Own sales KPIs including ARR growth, pipeline coverage, win rates, ACV, CAC efficiency, churn, and NRR.

Drive disciplined forecasting and pipeline hygiene using CRM and analytics tools.

Continuously optimize sales productivity, cycle times, and conversion rates.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

15+ years of SaaS sales experience with at least 5+ years in senior sales leadership roles.

Proven success building and scaling SaaS commercial sales teams in a recurring-revenue environment.

Strong understanding of SaaS metrics including ARR, ACV, LTV, CAC, churn, and NRR.

Experience selling mid-market or commercial SaaS solutions with complex or consultative sales cycles.

Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with Product, Marketing, Customer Success, and Finance.

Experience in high-growth or transformation environments strongly preferred.

Core Competencies

SaaS GTM strategy and execution

Revenue leadership and forecasting rigor

People leadership and talent development

Customer-centric and value-based selling

Data-driven decision making

Executive presence and communication

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you'll love working with us:

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits

Career success on your terms

Flexible work environment

Annual wellness and community outreach days

Always on recognition for your contributions

Global collaboration and networking opportunities

Our Culture:

Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.

We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to accessibility@proofpoint.

Vice President of Commercial Sales

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