Account Executive (french speaking)

Overview

We are fonio.ai. We build a phone AI that sounds like a real human and can handle full calls end-to-end. Our customers use it for customer support, appointment booking, lead qualification and much more. Since launching a little over a year ago, more than 6,000 businesses have chosen fonio

We launched in France a few months ago, and our traction has exceeded expectations. Demos are stacking up, customers are signing, and the market is responding. It's time to accelerate, and that's why we're expanding our Account Executive team for the French-speaking market. Our short-term ambition: to open an office in Paris.

To hear what our AI sounds like, you can call it directly: +33 9 48 19 41 84.

Your role

You run multiple demos and discovery calls every day with clearly pre-qualified inbound leads from the French-speaking market. You show prospects how our phone AI works and the concrete value it delivers for their business.

You own the full sales cycle from first contact to close, with clear monthly and quarterly targets. Our best AEs consistently exceed 130% of quota.

When you're not on demos, you work your warm leads, prepare follow-ups, and keep your pipeline clean and up to date in the CRM. After closing, you ensure a smooth handover to Customer Success.

Who you're really competing against

Your real competition is the €300/month answering service that picks up 40% of the time, the voicemail that scares prospects away, and the status quo. This is a conviction sale, not a feature-matching exercise. If that framing resonates, you're in the right place.

The team

You'll report to Mana Gritti, Country Lead FR/CH/BE and ex-founder. You'll work hand-in-hand with Alex Brix (CCO, ex-Canva), Daniel Keinrath (CEO, previously scaled and sold a B2B startup to 2,500 customers) and Matthias Gruber (CTO, former European web development champion, has led tech teams of 100+ people). At fonio, you join people, not a logo.

What to expect

• Inbound demos: 8–16 qualified demo meetings per day, with no cold outreach required

• End-to-end sales: full ownership of your sales process through closing

• Quota ownership: clear monthly and quarterly targets, top performers at 130%+

• Lead management: structured follow-ups and clean pipeline hygiene in the CRM

• Teamwork: tight collaboration with your team, Marketing, and Customer Success

• Impact: help shape our sales motion in a fast-scaling startup, with a Paris office to build in the coming months

What we offer

• €70,000 – €120,000 OTE (base + uncapped commission), depending on experience

• Based in Paris or Vienna — with a Paris office opening in the short term

• Top equipment of your choice and very short decision-making paths

• Close collaboration with Product, Marketing, and Customer Success

• The rare opportunity to join a market in full acceleration with a product customers love (Trustpilot 4.8★)

What you bring

• At least 2 years of experience in B2B SaaS sales (startup or scale-up experience is a plus)

• SME experience is a must. A mid-market background can work, provided you can demonstrate comfort with short sales cycles, high volume and an SME ICP — not an enterprise profile who would close 3 deals per quarter

• Proven closing performance across a clear funnel

• Strong product and technical understanding

• Native-level French and fluent English (the core team is based in Vienna, so English is essential day-to-day)

• Confident presence on the phone and in demos

Don't apply if…

• You need a fixed playbook and sales ops to get going

• Ambiguity paralyzes you rather than energizes you

• You're looking for a comfortable 9-to-5

How to apply

To maximize your chances, do both:

• Also apply via the standard form below, so we have your CV and can connect it to your call.

• Call our AI at +33 9 48 19 41 84 and pitch yourself in 2 minutes. It's the best way to show us you can sell on the phone — the core of the job. The best calls move directly to the next round.

Hiring process

1. 15 min intro call

2. 45 min interview including a short case study

3. 45 min culture call with the founders