Hiring talent
Operator-led search for SaaS and B2B Account Executives across Australia and APAC — shortlisted by someone who has carried the number themselves.
$115k–$190k+
Typical OTE range, SaaS AE (base + commission)
Fast
Typical shortlist turnaround — ask us for the current benchmark
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane
Markets covered, plus wider APAC
What this role actually is
As an account executive recruitment agency working across SaaS and B2B tech, we see the title get used loosely. A true Account Executive owns a full sales cycle — qualifying pipeline, running discovery and demos, negotiating commercial terms and closing — not just taking meetings an SDR has already booked. We qualify which of these your business actually needs before we start a search:
High volume, short cycle, transactional close.
Multi-stakeholder deals, 30–90 day cycle.
Complex procurement, 6–12 month cycle, land-and-expand.
Get this distinction wrong in the brief and you’ll interview candidates who are excellent at the wrong motion.
Sydney and Melbourne typically sit 5–15% above these ranges. Figures reflect SaaS/B2B tech, 2026.
| Level | Experience | Base | OTE (base + commission) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate AE | 0–2 years | $65k–$75k | $90k–$110k |
| Mid-level AE | 2–5 years | $84k–$95k | $115k–$130k |
| Senior / Enterprise AE | 5–8 years | $100k–$130k | $150k–$190k |
| Strategic AE | 8+ years | $130k–$160k | $190k–$240k+ |
Our search process
SMB, mid-market or enterprise, and the number that defines success.
Identify AEs already carrying a comparable or larger number.
Pipeline generated, quota attainment, deal complexity, tooling.
Live scenario or role-play against your actual sales motion.
Compensation guidance and 30/60/90-day check-ins after start.
Why hire through Bluebird
0% (TBC)
Retention at 12 months — real figure TBC
0% (TBC)
Sourced off-market — real figure TBC
0+ (TBC)
AE placements to date — real figure TBC
0-month (TBC)
Replacement guarantee — real figure TBC
Every consultant on our sales desk has carried an AE number themselves — they know the difference between a candidate who talks about pipeline and one who can actually build it.
Some hires are bigger than one role. If that’s you, here’s the engagement that fits:
A confidential, senior-level search for Sales Director, VP Sales or CRO hires.
No upfront fee
Learn moreIncluded in your search
Coordinate multiple AE hires when you’re standing up or scaling a whole sales team.
No upfront fee
Learn moreIncluded in your search
Hiring your first AE (or first few) to open Australia or APAC as a new market.
No upfront fee
Learn moreIncluded in your search
No Account Executive roles are open right now. Register your interest and we’ll reach out when the right opportunity appears.
Most AE searches deliver a qualified shortlist within a few business days, depending on how tightly the brief is scoped and current market conditions.
An SDR generates and qualifies pipeline; an Account Executive owns the deal from qualified opportunity through to signed contract. Many AE hires are internal SDR promotions — we can help you assess readiness for that step too.
Yes. The brief starts by defining which motion you’re hiring for, since the skill set, comp structure and interview process differ meaningfully between them.
We share benchmark OTE splits and accelerator structures for your segment and city as part of every search, so an offer is competitive without overpaying.
Yes — contract and contract-to-permanent options are available where a business needs to cover a territory or backfill quickly.
Yes. We actively work Brisbane and the wider APAC market, and support Australian companies hiring AEs to open a regional market.
