Deal Desk Director - International

Are you ready to unlock intelligence? If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box - we’re looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas, and have some interest and capabilities in others. About the role: Kong is seeking an experienced and strategic International Director of Deal Desk to help build, scale, and lead a best-in-class deal desk and deal operations function supporting our international markets, including EMEA and AP. In this critical role, you’ll drive optimal deal structuring, pricing strategy, and operational efficiency to accelerate revenue growth, ensure compliance, and maximize deal value globally. Your expertise in managing complex deal negotiations, optimizing the quote-to-cash technology stack, and aligning cross-functional teams will be pivotal in delivering a seamless customer experience. As the International Deal Desk Director you will be a player-coach, partnering closely with Sales Leaders and Field Sellers. This is an exciting opportunity to make a global impact by shaping Kong’s go-to-market strategy and deal desk operations across international markets. As an International Deal Desk Director, you’ll work closely with executive leaders and cross-functional teams, gaining high visibility while driving innovative solutions at a fast-growing, industry-leading company. You’ll have the chance to build and mentor a high-performing team, tackle complex enterprise deals, and contribute to a collaborative, people-first culture. We offer competitive compensation, equity, flexible work arrangements, and a comprehensive benefits package, all within an award-winning, growth-focused workplace. Key Responsibilities: Team Leadership: - Take action, provide innovative solutions, and drive consistent improvement - Manage, recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing international deal desk team focused on customer-centricity, collaboration, and operational rigor - Foster a culture of accountability, efficiency, and continuous improvement - Align with AMER Deal Desk team to ensure global consistency and foster collaboration Deal Strategy: - Lead the execution of strategic pricing policies, discount guidelines, and approval frameworks across all international regions (EMEA and APJ) - Elevate pricing acumen within team and across Sales teams - Partner with Sales leaders, managers and sellers to align on Regional goals and strategies to close deals - Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, Legal and Product teams to structure complex enterprise deals ensuring competitive positioning and maximizing profitability - Develop KPI’s to track team engagement and deal influence - Work closely with Product and GTM teams during new product introductions to help define optimal pricing, packaging, and deal structures that maximize market adoption and profitability - Develop and deliver regular training and enablement programs for sales and related teams on pricing, deal structures, quoting tools, and deal processes Cross-Functional Collaboration: - Collaborate with Sales, Sales Operations, Finance, Legal, Product, and Customer Success teams to improve deal velocity, transparency, and adherence to company policies - Act as a trusted advisor to sales teams, providing expertise on deal structuring, negotiations, pricing, and risk assessment Operational Excellence: - Establish and enforce global deal desk policies and governance to ensure compliance and minimize operational risks - Regularly analyze deal desk performance metrics, identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions to drive continuous improvement and scalability - Lead initiatives to continuously streamline processes and automate manual activities within the Deal Desk to scale operations Reporting and Analytics: - Develop comprehensive analytics and reporting frameworks to monitor deal performance, trends, pricing dynamics, and compliance - Provide strategic insights and recommendations to senior leadership based on data-driven analysis Qualifications: - Strategic thinker and problem solver who can thrive in high-growth, fast-paced environments. - Exceptional communicator capable of clearly articulating complex issues to diverse stakeholders. - Experienced, collaborative leader who empowers teams and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. - Extensive experience in Deal Desk, Revenue Operations, Sales Operations, or related roles - Relevant experience supporting EMEA and APJ regions - Deep expertise in quote-to-cash technologies and processes - Proven ability to design, implement, and optimize pricing and deal management strategies - Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills; adept at influencing Sales teams at all organizational levels and engaging with Executive leaders - Strong understanding of financial modeling, profitability analysis, and commercial terms negotiation - Demonstrated leadership experience, with a passion for building and developing teams. - Experience scaling operational processes in fast-growing, global technology or SaaS companies. - Demonstrated expertise in consumption-based pricing models and strategies. #LI-RL2 About Kong: Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500® and AI-native startups alike, Kong’s unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic — on any model, any cloud. For more information, visit www.konghq.com http://www.konghq.com.