Government Sales Executive

About Us Merit’s verified identity ecosystem helps trusted organizations across government and enterprise solve critical real-world problems in workforce development, emergency services, licensing, education, defense readiness, and other sectors. Thousands of trusted organizations - including government agencies and nonprofits - use Merit for digital verification of credentials, licenses, training, and skills.

Using Merit, organizations can capture and certify people data in containers called merits (Watch this video to learn more: What is Merit?), and grant them to individuals. All of an individual’s merits are stored in one place, providing people agency over their verified data, giving people secure access, and selective sharing with other organizations.

By connecting organizations and individuals, the Merit Platform supports a robust verified identity network that serves as a source of truth and trust for entire industries; bringing visibility, liquidity, and trust to people’s data.

Florida Division of Emergency Management The Florida Division of Emergency Management partnered with Merit to provide a fast, secure, paperless solution for the verification and time-tracking of thousands of volunteers and paid medical professionals assisting with the statewide COVID-19 vaccination efforts. As a result of our work together, FDEM was named a StateScoop 50 Award winner for the State IT Innovation of the Year.

Ohio Department of Education - Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Program After the Ohio State Legislature created the $125M 2-year Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) educational savings account program, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) contracted Merit to inform parents, guardians, and businesses about the new opportunity and eligibility requirements. Merit developed and delivered support systems, workflows, and digital assets for the ACE program. ODE issued digital credentials to parents and guardians certifying student eligibility, enabling them to use the grants with service providers listed in the Education Marketplace, and the Ohio ACE app is a single destination to view account balances and submit claims.

Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) DPOR partnered with Merit to streamline licensing and digital credentialing for the more than 300,000 Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) partnered with Merit to streamline licensing and digital credentialing for the more than 300,000 professionals across more than 40 industries that are required to have a license to work. With Merit, those licenses are now digital, accessible, and easily verifiable by consumers and businesses.

Our Values Merit’s values are more than just words on paper – they permeate the company’s brand, culture, products, and even individual actions. Our values are: Everyone is a friend. We see opportunities everywhere because Merit has endless ways to grow the already vast and self-propagating Verified Identity graph. Building a network of truth and trust. Merit is modeling the real world of Verified Identity into a digital one, built on merits. Society values truth and merits represent the truth. A rising tide lifts all boats. We think about entire industries and how to make the most impact on people’s lives. When we succeed, our employees, partners, and everyone on Merit should succeed. Measure to meaningfully improve. Work is measured by output, not vanity metrics, and the things we do measure have goals. Use Merit to build Merit. The strength of the Merit network, platform, and company compounds with the addition of every partner, consumer, and employee.

Benefits at Merit Remote first with flexible working hours Unlimited time-off with encouraged minimums  Medical plans designed to provide comprehensive, high-quality medical and prescription drug coverage with low to no deductible Dental and Vision coverage  Employee Assistance Program with 24/7 support Income protection through basic life insurance, voluntary additional life insurance, and disability insurance 401k Program Fully paid parental leave for 6 months for both Moms and Dads Additional support resources like Rightway care concierge, One Medical, Sibly, and SoFi to support employees in getting the most from their benefits from financial to mental health support A dedicated People Operations team always looking for feedback and new opportunities to provide benefits that meet the needs of our employees

The Role

As the Government Sales Executive, you will be responsible for serving as a vital contributor to delivering efficient Software with a Service (SwaS) solutions across various government sectors, including Workforce Development, Grants & Scholarships, Licensing & Regulation, and Emergency Services. Your role is essential to Merit’s organizational success, driving revenue while making a meaningful impact on people's lives. You will manage and drive the entire sales process, nurture leads, coordinate demos, and ensure the smooth progression of deals through our sales pipeline. Your expertise will support Merit's mission and objectives, streamline operations, and ensure the successful and timely execution of deals. 

This position offers the opportunity to significantly impact our growth in a dynamic startup environment where innovation and proactivity are highly valued. Additionally, you will collaborate with the team to enhance our readiness and support the execution of initiatives to expand our engagement and footprint in various states and with resellers and partners.

This Individual Contributor role reports directly to our head of GTM.

What you will do:

Market and Client Understanding

• Conduct research to gain insights into potential clients, competitors, and industry trends to inform sales strategies
• Stay informed about changes in government procurement policies, regulations, and funding priorities to adapt sales strategies accordingly

Technical and Product Knowledge

• Maintain a strong understanding of the technical aspects of Merit’s products and services offered to communicate their value to government clients effectively
• Have a strong comfort in bridging technical and non-technical conversations around how Merit’s technology is implemented, how customers can leverage Merit's solutions, and how they layer into existing government systems

Client Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with government agencies and leadership to facilitate deal acquisition and execution
• Engage with key stakeholders within government agencies to understand their needs and position the company's offerings effectively
• Engage with leads through consistent follow-up and relationship-building to maximize conversion potential

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure all sales activities comply with relevant government regulations and procurement policies
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with government contracts, ensuring compliance and minimizing financial exposure

Sales Strategy and Coordination

• Work closely with product development, marketing, and legal teams to align sales strategies with product capabilities and compliance requirements
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to draft compelling and compliant proposals tailored to government requirements
• Collaborate with the Finance team to develop the budgeting process for government sales, ensuring alignment with financial goals and compliance with governmental budget constraints

Sales Process Management

• Coordinate and plan demos with the sales support team (Sales Engineering, Subject Matter Evangelists, Solutions Managers, etc.), ensuring the effective presentation of products and services to potential clients
• Regularly review Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to assess feasibility and alignment with Merit's strategic objectives and offerings. Track the entire RFP process from initial review to final submission, ensuring all requirements and deadlines are met
• Facilitate sharing relevant sales materials and resources with prospects to support the sales process
• Oversee the entire deal process from initiation to final contract execution, ensuring efficient stakeholder coordination
• Evaluate deal progress and potential, making informed decisions based on business objectives and feasibility on whether to pursue or discontinue deals

Negotiation and Partnerships

• Lead negotiations with government clients, ensuring favorable terms and conditions for the organization
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with other organizations to enhance the company’s offerings and increase competitiveness in government sales
• Coordinate with government relations teams to support lobbying efforts that could benefit the company's market position and opportunities

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Generate regular reports on government sales performance, providing insights and recommendations for improvement
• Develop and maintain accurate sales forecasts for government accounts to inform business planning and resource allocation

Pipeline and CRM Management

• Accurately log all deal-related updates, activities, and communications into the company CRM to maintain comprehensive and up-to-date records
• Actively track and comprehend deal stages throughout the sales pipeline, ensuring timely progress and alignment with sales objectives

Documentation and Transparency

• Ensure all sales processes and decisions are well-documented for transparency and future reference

Event Participation

• Represent the company at government-focused events, conferences, and trade shows to build brand awareness and generate leads

Requirements

• Proven experience in sales, deal management, or a similar role, with a focus on government sales required
• Familiarity with the consultative sales processes and the ability to analyze and interpret situational data
• Proficiency in HubSpot or other CRM software is preferred
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic sales environment

Your Skills & Experiences

• Collaboration first approach. A strong team player who is able to manage input from and work cohesively with multiple stakeholders to foster alignment, identify, and deliver the most effective and impactful solutions for the collective
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. Able to quickly identify problems, assess accuracy and relevance of information, use sound judgment to generate and evaluate potential resolutions, and make thoughtful recommendations in situations ranging from quick calls on the fly to envision and execute new partnerships and complex long-term projects
• Excellent communication skills. Talent for efficiently and effectively expressing information to individuals and groups using multiple communication pathways. Able to consider the audience and nature of the information (technical, sensitive, controversial) and adjust communication accordingly. Strong ability and willingness to practice active listening and to calmly de-escalate frustration
• An eye for detail. A drive to approach all work in a thorough and conscientious manner, making a point to understand scope and key success metrics with the goal of providing high-quality work outputs that help to advance business objectives
• An advocate and support system for others. A welcoming and supportive professional presence with a strong ability to assess individual needs, provide information or assistance to resolve issues or satisfy expectations, calmly and firmly set issues back on track, and show a strong commitment to providing excellent support
• A leader in Merit’s Success. Demonstrates a deep understanding of the organization and enhances communication across teams by listening to and guiding conversations to build alignment while driving innovation, pulling in appropriate cross-functional stakeholders to set long-term strategic direction, establishing clear expectations and outcomes, and reviewing the department’s progress towards goals, taking corrective action when necessary to ensure efficient resource allocation and clear progress
• A strategist of the big picture. Understands how problems fit into the larger picture and offers expert guidance on complex decisions, foreseeing challenges that might not be apparent to team members and fostering problem-solving skills in others to assist them in resolving complex situations
• A self-aware leader who prioritizes growth. Exhibits our company values in interactions with customers, partners, and coworkers while soliciting frequent feedback and cultivating and expanding a valuable network of contacts and data sources for growth opportunities, continuous learning, market insights, emerging opportunities, and best practices. Regularly shares these learnings to create collaborative opportunities for others to leverage unique skill sets, share perspectives, and work together on challenges to achieve goals that align with leadership’s vision