How to hire Account Executives in Chile and Latin America
An Account Executive (AE) generates and closes new business with companies. In software, SaaS and IT services it is the sales role opened most often, and the one most often confused with two others: the KAM, who looks after existing accounts, and the SDR, who only books meetings.
This guide is for employers hiring AEs in Chile or elsewhere in Latin America: what the role does, reference pay, how the setup differs by country, and how to tell someone who hits quota from someone who only talks about it.
What an Account Executive does
- Builds their own pipeline on top of leads from marketing or an SDR.
- Qualifies early and drops deals that will not buy.
- Runs a consultative sale with several stakeholders (executives, IT, finance, procurement).
- Closes, negotiating scope, price and timing without giving margin away.
- Keeps the CRM honest, so the forecast can be trusted.
In a growing company the first 6 to 12 months are usually mixed: opening opportunities and closing, because inherited pipeline rarely covers the target.
AE vs SDR vs KAM vs pre-sales
| Role | Owns | Right hire when |
|---|---|---|
| SDR / BDR | Meetings booked | Your AEs have empty calendars |
| Account Executive | New-business quota | You need new revenue |
| KAM / account manager | Retention and growth of key accounts | Losing big clients is the risk |
| Pre-sales / sales engineer | Technical solution, demo, proposal | Deals stall in technical evaluation |
Reference compensation
From recent B2B software mandates, for AEs with 3+ years of experience:
| Country | Base reference | Variable | Typical setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | ~CLP 2,000,000 net/month (~USD 2,100) | Commission on closed deals | Fixed-term then indefinite contract; hybrid in Santiago |
| Colombia | ~USD 2,500/month | Commission on closed deals | Remote contractor, or local contract in COP |
These are reference points, not a salary survey. Pay rises with enterprise deals, high ticket sizes or fluent English. One constant: a badly designed variable plan drives good AEs away faster than a modest base.
Hiring across countries
- Residence matters. An AE selling in Colombia needs a Colombian network, not just sales technique.
- Reporting line. A country AE often reports to a regional manager rather than the CCO; that changes the autonomy you need.
- Contract. Without a local entity, a contractor agreement or an Employer of Record is the usual route. Chilean hires follow Chilean labour law; see how to hire in Chile as a foreign company.
- Language. Spanish is required for the local market; intermediate English is usually a nice-to-have, unless HQ runs the forecast in English.
What to assess
| Risk | Signal |
|---|---|
| Quota hit by the product, not the person | Cannot explain what they did differently from peers |
| Inherited pipeline | Every win came from leads that “arrived” |
| Sells on discount | Every success story involves cutting price |
| Short tenure | Moves every 12 months, before results can be measured |
| Decorative CRM | Cannot reconstruct last quarter's forecast |
Ask: “Tell me about a deal you lost in the final stage.” An AE who builds pipeline has that story with names, objections and lessons. For finalists, a psychometric assessment helps separate resilience and drive from a good pitch.
When executive search makes sense
The best Account Executive is busy hitting quota and not reading job ads. If you also need industry experience, residence in another country, or confidentiality because you are entering a market, ads bring volume but not the right person.
That is where executive search helps: mapping who sells similar products to similar clients, direct outreach, and an assessed shortlist. When hiring several AEs at once, or AEs alongside pre-sales and channels, one shared market map stops the roles competing; we show it in this SaaS sales-team case in Chile and Colombia.
Send a search brief · Book a meeting · How to choose an executive search firm in Chile
© Obrii. Original content. Unauthorized reproduction is not allowed.
What people ask us most
Short answers to the questions that come up most on this topic.
- What does an Account Executive do?
- Generates and closes new B2B business: prospects or receives opportunities, qualifies them, runs a consultative sale with several decision-makers and closes. They own a new-revenue quota, not an existing book of accounts.
- How much does an Account Executive earn in Chile?
- In recent B2B software mandates for 3+ years of experience, base pay is around CLP 2,000,000 net per month (roughly USD 2,100), plus commission on closed deals. It varies with industry, deal size and the weight of variable pay.
- How much does an Account Executive earn in Colombia?
- As a reference for remote roles with regional software companies, around USD 2,500 per month as a contractor, plus commission. Under a local employment contract the figure is set in Colombian pesos and social security costs change.
- Should I hire in Colombia as a contractor or as an employee?
- Contractor setups are common when a company has no local entity, but fixed hours and subordination can be read as employment. Validate with local counsel or use an Employer of Record (EOR).
- What should I assess before hiring an Account Executive?
- Quota attainment with evidence (which quota, product and cycle), how they built their own pipeline, and a deal they lost late in the cycle. Be wary of résumés that list client logos without explaining how they got in.