Hello and welcome to The Modern GTM Executive by Lunar Executive Search - read by 2,000+ leading Sales, Marketing, and Executive Leaders within Growth-Stage Technology businesses. We’re here to help people redefine their perspective on modern revenue acquisition models, understand what talent & skills are necessary to do so, and how to find the to 10% of GTM Leaders to execute.
| Sales Hiring Market – Current LinkedIn Job Postings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Within Software Industry – Posted Last 7 Days | ||
| VP of Sales Jobs | 406 | +12% |
| Enterprise AE Jobs | 540 | +2% |
| BDR Jobs | 289 | -11% |
To help readers stay grounded in the reality of today’s GTM hiring landscape, I’ll be sharing a weekly snapshot of active sales roles on LinkedIn. These metrics offer a simple but powerful pulse check: where demand is rising, where it’s cooling, and how the broader software market is shifting beneath the surface.
Quick Hits
(Our updated news & trends sections to highlight all relevant stories you need to know going into this week.)
Funding frenzy: AI titan Anthropic raises $30B at ~$380B valuation in massive Series G round.
International lift: Indian startups pull in $200M+ across 31 deals this week – funding up 50% week-over-week.
Chip innovation: Intel-backed C2i Semiconductors nets $15M to drive AI data-center power tech.
Workforce reset: Salesforce cuts ~1,000 jobs as AI efficiency drives headcount shifts.
Layoff wave: Tech sector permutations push cumulative job cuts toward ~30,000 in early 2026.
Meta update: Meta says it will not pursue bottom-5% performance cuts in 2026.
Market & macro: Big tech stocks slump as AI spending concerns intensify and valuations recalibrate.
AI demand climb: Anthropic reports revenue run-rate doubling in India, fueling enterprise adoption.
The 2026 GTM Compensation Reset
This week, Lunar Executive Search is publishing our US GTM Salary Benchmarks 2026 - a focused look at base, OTE, bonus structures, and leadership compensation across venture-backed software companies.
And the data confirms what many of you are already feeling:
1. Teams Are Leaner. Expectations Are Higher.
Most VC-backed companies are not rebuilding bloated 2021-era org charts.
They’re consolidating around fewer, higher-output sellers and operators.
Smaller teams. Larger territories. Bigger quotas. Less middle management.
Comp is concentrating accordingly.
2. The Middle Is Shrinking
The salary bands show clear polarization:
Strategic AEs now range up to $400K OTE
CRO packages are stretching to $800K OTE
VP Sales roles regularly reaching $600K OTE
Enterprise AEs pushing $320K+ OTE
But this isn’t universal inflation.
Elite operators (those who have scaled from $10M to $100M, consistently closed complex enterprise cycles, or built repeatable GTM systems) are commanding premiums.
Less differentiated profiles are seeing flatter growth.
3. Variable Pay Is Doing More of the Work
2026 isn’t just about bigger bases.
We’re seeing:
Heavier accelerators
Multi-year bonus structures
Retention incentives
Equity refreshers
Backend-loaded comp tied to efficiency and expansion
Compensation is increasingly structured around outcomes and speed-to-productivity, not tenure or pedigree.
4. The CRO & VP Sales Role Has Changed
Boards are no longer hiring revenue leaders to simply “manage the number.”
The modern CRO is expected to:
Operate closer to the deal cycle
Tighten forecasting discipline
Build systems and sell
Drive efficient growth in constrained environments
Revenue leadership today is more operational — and more accountable — than ever.
The Big Takeaway
2026 compensation isn’t about staying “market competitive” in a generic sense.
It’s about paying appropriately for:
Execution under pressure
Trust density inside the org
Efficiency per headcount
Proven scale experience
Talent scarcity exists at the top, not across the board.
If you’re a founder or board member, the question isn’t “what does the market pay?”
It’s: What is the cost of getting this hire wrong?
If you’d like a copy of the full 2026 GTM Salary Benchmark Guide, download here.
If you want the full breakdown of our thoughts on GTM compensation in 2026, and all appropriate salary bands across Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and more, the data is in this report.
We've got a number of active opportunities across our portfolio of software clients at Lunar Executive Search currently.
A few select openings:
(New) RVP of Sales, East – VC Backed – Enterprise AI (NYC, Boston, Philly)
VP of Sales – PE Backed – HealthTech (US Remote)
(New) Chief of Staff - VC Backed - InsurTech (NYC Hybrid)
(New) Revenue Operations Lead - VC Backed - InsurTech (NYC Hybrid)
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Enterprise SaaS (Remote - Central Territory)
(New) Strategic Account Executive - VC Backed - Enterprise AI (Remote)
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - InsurTech (NYC Hybrid)
(New) Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Media Tech (NYC OR LA Remote)
I'm also always looking to speak to great candidates for future roles:
Chief Revenue Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Chief Marketing Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Product Marketing - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Partnerships - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Highlights from The GTM Kickback! Podcast
We've had a number of excellent interviews recently on The GTM Kickback!, with many more already booked and recorded on the way.
Want to be a guest? Ping me on LinkedIn! 😎
We're looking for: High-performance GTM Operators, VC/PE Investors in SaaS, and Leading GTM Consultants for early stage technology businesses
New to "The GTM Kickback!"? Subscribe to the podcast!
This newsletter is powered by Lunar Executive Search - Finding Premier GTM Talent for Growth Stage Tech Businesses.
We help disruptive technology companies grow. For venture-funded start-ups and PE-backed enterprise software firms, we have a track record in finding the Top 10% of Sales and Marketing Leadership Talent, and doing so swiftly.
Reach out here: [email protected]
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Till next time,
Joey
