Are you ready to unlock intelligence?
If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box - we’re looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas, and have some interest and capabilities in others.
About the Role:
We’re looking for a Federal AE to drive growth across key Civilian agencies - specifically DOE, DOJ, VA, and Department of Commerce. This role is focused on landing new logos, expanding existing relationships, and helping agencies modernize digital services using Kong’s API and AI Gateway. Ideal for someone who understands Civilian priorities like citizen experience (CX), data sharing, Zero Trust, and cloud/AI adoption, and knows how to navigate complex, partner-driven Federal sales cycles.
What You’ll Do:
• Own and grow a portfolio across DOE, DOJ, VA, Commerce.
• Drive new business + expansion aligned to agency modernization priorities.
• Run full sales cycle (pipeline → capture → close).
• Work closely with SIs + partners (Booz, Accenture Federal, SAIC, Leidos, etc.).
• Build relationships with CIOs, CTOs, program + digital leaders.
• Align Kong to initiatives like CX, interoperability, AI enablement, Zero Trust.
• Develop account plans tied to budget + funding (TMF, FITARA, etc.).
• Maintain clean pipeline + forecasting in Salesforce.
• Represent Kong at agency + industry events.
What You Bring:
• 7+ years selling into Federal Civilian agencies (ideally DOE, DOJ, VA, Commerce).
• Track record closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals.
• Strong understanding of:
CX + digital services
Data sharing / interoperability
Zero Trust + security
Cloud + AI adoption
• Experience with Federal procurement + contract vehicles (GSA, SEWP, CIO-SP3/4, Polaris).
• Comfortable in partner-led motions with major SIs.
• Strong executive presence (CIO/CTO/program level).
• Solid pipeline discipline (Salesforce).
• Background in API, infra, security, or AI is a plus.
#LI-TM2
About Kong:
Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500® and AI-native startups alike, Kong’s unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic — on any model, any cloud. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.
Kong Chicago, Illinois, USA Office
The Pitch, 1 N. State St., 15th Floor Suite , Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60602
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory



