Vice President Sales

About Fuel Cycle:

Fuel Cycle empowers leading organizations with agile research solutions that deliver decision-ready insights — fast, flexible, and fully integrated. As a market research disruptor, our AI-powered Insights Platform is built for speed, precision, and scale. With cutting-edge tools and seamless audience connectivity, we help brands ditch the guesswork and make smarter, customer-led decisions at lightning speed.

Why work at Fuel Cycle?

Join a high-growth team where curiosity is valued, ownership is encouraged, and your work drives real-world impact. Whether you’re based at our Los Angeles HQ, New York City hub, working remotely across the U.S., or part of our global team in India, you’ll help shape the future of decision intelligence for some of the world’s most iconic brands.

Overview:

Fuel Cycle is an AI-native SaaS market research company that puts real-time consumer intelligence at the center of enterprise decision-making. We serve Fortune 1000 brands, help business teams synthesize information at scale, and operate a proven platform with a strong and growing installed base of enterprise customers.

The company is at a genuine inflection point. A significant shift to an AI-first product strategy — including new platform capabilities and expanded solution offerings — is underway, and the commercial opportunity ahead of it is material. Fuel Cycle's platform gives enterprise buyers something genuinely new: on-demand consumer intelligence powered by AI, delivered at the speed of modern business decisions.

This is a growth mandate. We are looking for a VP, Sales who is energized by the opportunity to build — to establish a new-logo growth engine, define how Fuel Cycle goes to market, and turn a strong and evolving product into a consistent revenue machine. If you have done this before — built pipeline, developed a high-performing team, and won enterprise deals through commercial insight rather than feature pitches — this role was designed for you.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the VP, Sales will own the sales function end-to-end: strategy, team, pipeline, and quota attainment. This leader will present to the board quarterly, partner closely with the Chief Strategy Officer on GTM direction, and serve as the primary commercial voice at the leadership table.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Work Arrangement: This is an onsite role requiring five days per week in the office.

Sales Philosophy at Fuel Cycle

The CEO has adopted the Challenger Sale framework as the company's go-to-market philosophy. The sales team currently operates on SPICED (Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical Event, Decision). These frameworks are complementary: SPICED governs discovery structure and deal lifecycle; Challenger governs differentiation and how the team teaches customers to see their problem differently. The VP, Sales will lead the team's execution of this methodology — coaching, reinforcing, and modeling the behaviors that make it work in practice.

• Teach — Reframe how buyers think about research ROI and AI-native intelligence

• Tailor — Navigate 5–12 person buying committees across Insights, Product, Procurement, IT & Finance

• Take Control — Drive the buying process forward with commercial insight, not feature demos

Key Responsibilities:

Sales Strategy & New Logo Growth

• Own and exceed annual quota — with full accountability to the CEO and board.

• Build and execute a go-to-market sales strategy grounded in insight-led selling: commercial insight → reframe → consensus-building → close.

• Diagnose and rebuild the top-of-funnel: redefine the ICP, sharpen outbound motion, and establish a pipeline generation engine capable of producing consistent new-logo opportunities.

• Define the ICP, sharpen outbound motion, and build a pipeline generation engine capable of producing consistent new-logo opportunities at enterprise scale.

• Develop sales playbooks and competitive positioning that lead with insight, not product features — equipping the team to challenge how enterprise buyers think about market research and AI.

• Develop territory design, headcount plans, and sales operating budgets in partnership with the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer; present pipeline, forecast, and strategy at quarterly board meetings.

• Leverage Fuel Cycle's Insight-Lab capability to generate commercial insights — industry analyses, consumer data, and thought leadership that open doors and reframe buyer conversations.

• Stay current on Fuel Cycle's AI-first product evolution and translate new capabilities into updated commercial narratives as the platform expands.

• Travel to prospects, clients, and Fuel Cycle headquarters regularly; expected travel approximately 40–50%.

Team Leadership & Coaching Culture

• Lead and develop a growing enterprise sales team — establishing clear expectations, a structured coaching cadence, and a performance culture from day one.

• Lead the team's execution of the Challenger Sale and SPICED methodology — coaching the behaviors of commercial teaching, stakeholder tailoring, and constructive tension.

• Foster accountability, continuous learning, and servant leadership — removing blockers, celebrating disciplined wins, and investing in the development of each seller on the team.

• Establish rigorous cadences: weekly deal reviews that map the buying committee and identify mobilizers; pipeline hygiene, forecast calls, and QBRs tied to clear metrics.

Enterprise Deal Execution

• Serve as executive sponsor on strategic AI platform deals — engaging directly with C-suite and VP-level Mobilizers to accelerate consensus and close complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities.

• Translate Fuel Cycle's AI and ML capabilities — including new platform offerings emerging from the company's AI-first evolution — into commercial insights that connect platform ROI to specific business consequences the buyer hasn't yet quantified.

• Identify Mobilizers (Go-Getters, Teachers, Skeptics) within prospect accounts and equip them with insight-led narratives that build internal consensus without the VP in the room.

Operational Excellence & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Own accurate revenue forecasting using data-driven pipeline analysis, buying committee mapping, and weekly deal intelligence — with ±10% quarterly accuracy as the standard.

• Drive productivity through scalable sales practices, insight-led enablement programs, and a streamlined technology stack (Salesforce CRM preferred).

• Partner with Marketing to co-develop commercial insights that seed the reframe narrative early in the buyer journey; hold a shared pipeline number with Marketing regardless of reporting structure.

• Work closely with Customer Experience and Client Solutions to maximize net revenue retention and create a seamless, trust-building buyer-to-customer handoff.

• Collaborate closely with the Chief Strategy Officer on GTM strategy, territory planning, and cross-functional alignment.

Your Success Metrics:

• New Logo Growth: Consistent new-logo acquisition driven by insight-led pipeline and mobilizer strategy

• Pipeline Quality: 3–4× quota coverage built through buying committee engagement; deals advancing beyond single champion

• Challenger Execution: Team consistently delivering reframe-and-teach insights at discovery; constructive tension evident in deal reviews

• Team Development: Coaching cadence active monthly per rep; newer sellers given appropriate runway and structured development plans

• Forecast Accuracy: Within ±10% of committed number each quarter

• Net Revenue Retention: Strong NRR supported by tight Sales ↔ CX handoffs; expansion motions disciplined

• Board Reporting: Quarterly board presentation delivered on time with accurate pipeline, forecast, and strategic deal narrative

Who you’ll work with?

• CEO: Direct report — strategic alignment, board prep, and executive deal support

• Chief Strategy Officer: Close collaboration on GTM strategy and cross-functional alignment

• Marketing: Shared pipeline number; VP input on ICP & campaign strategy

• Customer Experience: Retention, expansion & mobilizer relationships

Core Skills, Competencies & Attributes:

Sales Leadership Competencies

• Strategic sales vision & full-funnel pipeline ownership

• Enterprise consultative sales mastery

• Multi-stakeholder buying committee navigation

• New logo growth & pipeline development

• Cross-functional GTM collaboration (Sales + Marketing + CX)

• Servant leadership & high-performance team development

Insight-Led Sales & Methodology Fluency

• Insight-led sales philosophy (Challenger, SPICED, Command of Message, or equivalent)

• Commercial insight development & delivery

• Mobilizer identification & consensus-building strategy

• Constructive tension as a deliberate sales tool

• SaaS metrics fluency (ARR, NRR, CAC, LTV, quota attainment)

• CRM governance & revenue intelligence (Salesforce preferred)

What you’ll bring:

• 10+ years of progressive sales leadership, with at least 4 years in a VP Sales, Regional VP, or equivalent role at a SaaS or AI/ML technology company.

• Demonstrated track record of building enterprise sales organizations that close complex, multi-stakeholder deals — consistently meeting or exceeding $20M+ revenue targets.

• A history of driving new logo growth in enterprise markets — you know how to open new accounts, build pipeline from the ground up, and create repeatable motion where one didn't exist before.

• Deep fluency in insight-led sales philosophy — whether Challenger Sale, SPICED, Command of Message, or equivalent frameworks. You can teach, coach, and model the behaviors, not just name the methodology.

• Proven ability to navigate 5–12 person buying committees: identifying Mobilizers, building consensus strategy, and managing Talkers across Insights, Research, Product, Marketing, Procurement, IT, and Finance stakeholders.

• Experience selling AI-powered platforms, data/analytics solutions, or enterprise SaaS to Fortune 1000 companies — with fluency in translating evolving ML capabilities into measurable business outcomes.

• Fluency in revenue operations: pipeline governance, forecasting accuracy, cadence design, and CRM hygiene (Salesforce preferred).

• Comfort presenting to boards and C-suite stakeholders — clear, credible, and capable of holding the room.

• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40–50%, including regular travel to Los Angeles and to enterprise prospect and client locations.

Nice to Have

• Experience with market research, consumer insights, data platforms, or adjacent enterprise analytics industries.

• Familiarity with Fuel Cycle's Insight-Lab or comparable research technology ecosystems.

• Background in generative AI, LLM-based, or custom AI solution selling to enterprise buyers.

• Experience building a commercial insight library or thought leadership program as a sales enablement asset.

• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.

What makes you stand out:

• You are energized by building — you see a growth opportunity ahead of you and you know exactly what to do on day one.

• You have internalized insight-led selling — you naturally lead with a reframe, challenge buyer assumptions respectfully, and build constructive tension as a deliberate tool, not an accident.

• You can map a buying committee in the first discovery call and immediately identify who the Mobilizers are and how to equip them.

• You are genuinely excited about AI and can hold a sophisticated, credible conversation about a rapidly evolving platform — and why it changes the economics of enterprise research.

• You lead with empathy and accountability in equal measure — your team trusts you and performs because of it.

• You are a coach first — your instinct when a deal stalls is to get in the rep's corner, not take it over.

• You thrive with ambiguity — you build structure where none exists and don't wait to be told how.

• You are comfortable on the road — this is a high-travel role and you see client and prospect time as a competitive advantage, not a burden.

Benefits & Perks:

Fuel Cycle is committed to supporting the well-being, flexibility, and growth of our team. We offer a competitive and inclusive benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans

• 401(k) with Company Match: Plan for your future with our retirement savings program

• Equity Purchase Option: Participate in Fuel Cycle’s long-term success

• Flexible Work Schedule: Empowering you to balance life and work

• Generous Time Off:

  • 15 vacation days and 7 sick days per year

  • 12 company holidays

  • 4 floating holidays/recharge days to rest or celebrate what matters to you

• Paid Parental Leave: Time to bond with your growing family

• Monthly Internet & Phone Stipend: Support for remote work setup

• Wellness & Lifestyle Perks: Access to tools like Rightway (healthcare navigation), Headspace (mental wellness), Peloton (fitness), and more

• Team Connection Perks:

  • Weekly community lunches, refreshments, and snacks at our LA & NY headquarters

Compensation Overview:

The expected starting salary range for this position is $180,000 - $230,000. This range represents the typical starting compensation offered to candidates hired into this role. Final base salary will be determined based on a variety of factors, including location, work experience, skills, knowledge, education, and certifications.

In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for sales commission, and may include an equity grant or purchase option. These components make up your total compensation package, which will be reviewed in greater detail during your initial recruiter conversation.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Equal Opportunity:

At Fuel Cycle, we embrace the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and are committed to fostering an inclusive company culture. We believe that everyone, regardless of their background or identity, should have equal access to opportunities for growth and advancement. Our selection processes and career pathways are designed to be fair, transparent, and free from bias. We value the unique perspectives and contributions of each team member, knowing that this diverse range of experiences strengthens our team. Fuel Cycle stands firmly against discrimination based on disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law.

Fuel Cycle is an equal opportunity employer and fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, as needed, to enable them to perform the essential functions of their job and participate in the application and interview process. If you require accommodations during any part of the application process, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss your needs.