Director of Sales – Avara

📍 Location: Houston, TX (In-Office / Hybrid)

🕒 Type: Full-Time | Early-Stage | High-Impact

About Avara

Avara is an AI-powered HR technology platform incubated by SkillGigs, designed to transform how enterprise companies tap into and retain talent they already know—past applicants, former employees, and internal candidates. The platform helps CHROs and TA leaders reduce hiring costs, shorten time-to-fill, and improve workforce retention—especially in high-churn industries like healthcare, retail, and manufacturing.

Operating under a subscription-based SaaS model, Avara targets contracts ranging from $250K to $3–4M annually. With experienced founders, a fast-moving five-person team, and a $3–4M ARR pipeline already underway, this is a defining opportunity to lead the company’s commercial expansion from the ground up.

About the Role

We’re hiring a Director of Sales to lead Avara’s enterprise go-to-market strategy. This is a foundational “player-coach” role: you’ll initially carry quota as the primary closer while also designing sales infrastructure and scaling a team.

This role requires someone who thrives in ambiguity, knows how to build from scratch, and is energized by early-stage ownership. You’ll collaborate closely with the CRO, Head of Demand Gen, and executive leadership to define processes, close strategic deals, and grow a high-performing sales organization.

What You’ll Do

• Own full-cycle enterprise sales from prospect to close (focus: CHROs and HR leaders)
• Convert MQLs/SQLs from the Demand Gen team into pipeline and revenue
• Build and optimize the sales process, CRM flow, and reporting framework
• Shape outbound/inbound strategy, pricing, packaging, and messaging in collaboration with the CRO
• Hire and coach a high-performing sales team based on defined performance thresholds
• Contribute to GTM feedback loops with Product and Marketing teams
• Track and report sales KPIs directly to founders and exec stakeholders

Ideal Background

• 7+ years in B2B SaaS sales, including 3+ in enterprise sales leadership
• Proven experience selling into HR tech, talent platforms, or workforce solutions
• Strong track record closing complex deals in the $250K+ ACV range
• Experience operating as both a strategic thinker and hands-on closer
• History of building sales processes and scaling pipeline from scratch
• CRM and GTM tech stack proficiency (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
• Comfortable with ambiguity and excited to create new systems and culture

Bonus Experience

• Previous work in high-churn verticals (e.g., healthcare, retail, logistics)
• Experience scaling from $3M to $10M+ ARR
• Exposure to AI/automation platforms or internal mobility software

Who Will Thrive in This Role

✅ You’ve “been there, done that” in SaaS sales and don’t need to be taught the blueprint

✅ You enjoy building systems, not just running them

✅ You’re excited to help shape a division inside a mature company—but understand it still needs to be built like a startup

✅ You can operate independently with limited executive handholding

✅ You view ambiguity as an opportunity, not a blocker

Team & Structure

• Current team: 5 (Founder, President of Digital, 2 SDRs, Product support)
• You’ll be the first senior sales hire for Avara
• Target to close $3–5M in ARR in year one, building off the current pipeline
• New team headcount will scale based on mutually agreed performance thresholds

Interview Process

1. Interview with Founder (Kash)
2. Interview with President of Digital Division
3. (Optional) Strategic walk-through or GTM planning discussion
4. 📆 Timeline: 2–3 weeks

Compensation

• Base Salary: $140K–$160K
• Variable Bonus: $40K–$60K OTE
• Equity: Early-stage package with meaningful upside
• Benefits: 401K, performance-based bonuses, flexible PTO

Work Model

• Hybrid role based in Houston, TX (2–3 days/week in office)
• Open to exceptional candidates in NYC or Austin with travel flexibility
• Remote-first culture with high visibility to senior leadership

Why Join Avara

• Build and own a go-to-market engine from day one
• Partner with visionary leaders and a hands-on founder
• Sell a high-impact product solving a real cost and retention crisis in enterprise HR
• Shape culture, process, and long-term strategy at an early stage
• Be part of a small, mighty team with rapid growth opportunity