Senior Head of Sales (SMB)

Join Proton and build a better internet where privacy is the default

Proton is one of Europe’s fastest growing scale-ups, serving more than 100 million users around the world. Since the launch of our first service – Proton Mail – in 2014 by scientists who met at CERN, Proton now provides an ecosystem of well-known services such as Proton VPN, Proton Drive (encrypted file storage), Proton Pass (encrypted password manager) and much more.

Our mission is to build a more ethical and responsible alternative to Big Tech services, with a focus on end-to-end encryption, privacy, open-source and ease-of-use. Our user-first approach has helped Proton grow organically to serve millions of consumers and businesses around the world, with users from organisations including The Guardian, The New York Times and the UN. Proton does not have venture capital investors, is profitable and self-sufficient, and today has over 500 employees representing over 40 nationalities. We're headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with additional offices in Zurich, London, Paris, Barcelona, Taipei, Skopje, Vilnius and Prague.

As one of Europe's fastest-growing companies, we offer the chance to tackle complex challenges, influence millions and shape a more equitable internet. We want to create more than just one of the world's most impactful tech companies: we want to create a new internet that serves the interests of all people. We need you, your voice, your ideas and your ambition to make it happen.

About the Role

As Proton's Senior Head of Sales (SMB), you will be a key leader responsible for building, shaping, and executing a comprehensive sales strategy from scratch, covering both inbound, outbound and channel sales. This role is ideal for a seasoned sales leader who is comfortable in a hands-on environment, ready to inspire a team, and prepared to engage directly in strategic deal-making as well as operational tasks. Your focus will be on driving scalable sales processes, guiding team performance, and ensuring that all efforts align to accelerate revenue growth and brand visibility in the market.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and Lead a Sales Team: Establish, grow, and manage a team of Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Account Executives (AEs). Guide team members to achieve ambitious goals through coaching and closing skill gaps while fostering an empowering, collaborative culture.
• Develop Sales Strategy: Design and implement both inbound and outbound SMB sales strategies to achieve growth targets. Set clear objectives and actionable plans to drive high-quality leads and successfully close deals, ensuring the entire sales funnel operates smoothly and effectively.
• Ownership of Sales Operations: Take full responsibility for the entire sales cycle, from lead generation to deal closure, with a particular emphasis on building consistent top-of-funnel inflow and high conversion rates. This includes joining calls, structuring pitch strategies, and providing hands-on support as needed.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Track and analyze sales performance metrics, reporting on KPIs, forecasting accurately, and identifying areas for optimization. Use data to pinpoint gaps, support hypothesis testing, and apply insights to improve processes and meet sales targets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing, Customer Support, and Product teams to align sales efforts with wider organizational objectives, ensuring effective campaign alignment and utilizing feedback loops to refine strategies and offerings.

Your Profile

• Experience and Expertise: 10+ years of proven sales experience with a track record of leading B2B sales teams (both inbound and outbound), ideally within a SaaS environment. Experienced in managing the full sales cycle, with a particular strength in sales for small deals (€5,000 - €20,000) with SMBs.
• Hands-On Leadership: Strong hands-on approach with the ability and willingness to support team operations directly, including participating in calls, guiding AEs in call structures, and conducting feedback sessions to drive continuous improvement.
• Market and Customer Insight: Deep understanding of target markets and audience behavior, especially with non-core systems that require a unique sales approach and positioning.
• Tech-Savvy with Sales Tools: Proficient in CRM systems and other sales-related tools. Experienced in setting up and utilizing reporting and forecasting tools to analyze and communicate results.
• Communication and Collaboration: Exceptional communication skills that ensure clear, precise, and constructive feedback. Able to foster collaboration with diverse teams to achieve shared goals and adapt effectively to a variety of interpersonal dynamics.

Key Competencies

Must-Have Hard Skills

• Sales Leadership: Proven experience in leading sales teams targeting small and medium-size businesses, with hands-on abilities in call participation and structuring
• Ownership of the Sales Funnel: Comfortable leading the entire sales funnel, from SDRs (inbound and outbound) to AEs
• Data and Metrics Proficiency: Strong analytical skills to create and interpret reports and make data-driven decisions
• CRM Proficiency: Experience with CRM systems and other sales tools

Soft Skills

• Disciplined and Motivated: Highly driven with a strong sense of purpose and resilience in the face of challenges.
• Empowering and Coaching Orientation: Passion for developing team members, with an adaptable approach to meet the unique motivators of each SDR and AE.
• Creative Problem Solving: Openness to experimenting with novel approaches, utilizing all available options to achieve objectives.
• Feedback-Oriented and Coachable: Actively seeks feedback and strives for continuous improvement.
• Adaptable: Able to quickly adjust to new challenges, organizational changes, and evolving team needs.
• Collaborative Mindset: Works well with cross-functional teams, balancing autonomy with engagement of key stakeholders.

Why Proton:

• Work with the best – Hiring at Proton is extremely selective. We believe that small teams with exceptional talent will always outperform larger teams with more bureaucracy. Build quickly with smart people from some of the world’s top universities and organisations who are here because they want to get things done.
• Grow with us – As one of Europe’s fastest growing tech companies, we provide opportunities for rapid career advancement. We prefer to promote from within whenever possible.
• Do work that matters – Proton’s services are at the forefront of defending freedom and democracy around the world, and our work helps save the lives of journalists and activists working on the front lines.
• Be part of a movement – Proton is not just world-class products and services; we are also leaders of a broader community-driven movement advancing a more socially responsible way of doing business online. Whether it’s through maintaining the core open-source libraries used by thousands of other businesses or providing financial/technological support to aligned organisations, your work will have an outsized impact on the world.
• Benefits – in addition to flexible working hours and career growth support, Proton offers other benefits such as free lunch at the office (or dinner, if needed) along with a supportive, tight-knit in-person office culture. All team members can also be shareholders, with the opportunity to gain outsized financial rewards for our success together.

Check our social media to learn more about Proton: LinkedIn ,Reddit ,X, YouTube

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Proton, we believe diversity drives innovation and strengthens our mission to provide privacy as a default for all. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, or socio-economic background, feel valued and empowered. We strive to create equal opportunities, promote open dialogue, and support continuous learning to ensure every voice is heard and respected.

If you need any extra support or reasonable adjustments during the hiring process, please let your talent partner know.

Candidate Privacy Notice

When you apply for a position, refer a candidate, or are considered for a role at Proton Technologies AG (Proton, we, us, or our), your information is stored in Greenhouse, in accordance with their Service Privacy Policy. This information is used to evaluate your suitability for the posted position. We also retain this information for consideration for future roles that you may apply for or that we believe may align with your background and skills.

If we no longer have a legitimate business need to process your information, we will either delete or anonymize it. Should you have any inquiries about how we use or manage your information, or if you wish to access, correct, or delete your data, please contact our privacy team.

Proton does not accept unsolicited resumes from any sources other than directly from a candidate. Proton will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited offer, even in a situation when the relevant candidate is employed by Proton.

To learn more about our privacy policy, please visit https://boards.eu.greenhouse.io/protongdpr