Practical hiring guidance for founders, GTM leaders, and scaling teams.
2026 hiring won’t be about “more headcount.” It’ll be about fewer, higher‑leverage roles that unlock revenue efficiency, de-risk AI adoption, and protect growth as buyers get more cautious and cycles get more complex.
Below are seven roles we expect high‑growth B2B tech companies to compete hardest for—with a very practical breakdown of why they matter, what great looks like, what to screen for, and when to hire them.
1) AI‑Fluent Enterprise Account Executive (AE)
Why this role wins in 2026: Enterprise deals are increasingly multi-threaded, security-heavy, and value-proof driven. The best AEs will use AI to sharpen discovery, map stakeholders, and build business cases – without sounding like a chatbot.
What “great” looks like
- Runs commercial discovery that ties pain to measurable outcomes
- Builds mutual action plans and manages multi-stakeholder risk
- Uses AI for research, call prep, and follow-ups – but keeps messaging human
- Knows when to bring in SE/SC and how to “sell the change,” not just the product
Screen for
- Clear ICP thinking (“who do you not sell to?”)
- Deal hygiene and forecasting discipline
- Ability to quantify impact (ROI, payback, risk reduction)
Interview question that reveals a lot:
“Walk me through your last enterprise deal: what changed the buyer’s mind at each stage?”
Best time to hire: When you have a proven wedge + 2–3 repeatable wins and need to land bigger logos.
2) RevOps / GTM Architect
Why this role wins: If 2024 – 2025 was about growth, 2026 is about efficient growth. This person connects the dots between process, data, tech stack, territories, and forecasting so revenue becomes predictable – not heroic.
What “great” looks like
- Builds a single source of truth for pipeline + performance
- Designs territories and routing to reduce leakage
- Improves forecast accuracy, stage definitions, and handoffs
- Implements enablement + tooling that actually gets used
Screen for
- Systems thinking (they fix root causes, not symptoms)
- Ability to influence sales and marketing (not just “report on them”)
- Comfort with messy data and imperfect processes
High-signal task:
Ask them to critique your funnel (even a simplified one) and explain the first three changes they’d make in 30 days.
Best time to hire: Often earlier than you think – as soon as you have multiple reps or multiple channels.
3) Product Marketing (AI Storytelling + Category Clarity)
Why this role wins: Buyers are drowning in “AI features.” The winners will be the companies that translate capability into outcomes, tell a crisp category story, and give sales teams messages that land.
What “great” looks like
- Creates a positioning narrative your team repeats consistently
- Turns AI functionality into “jobs to be done” + proof points
- Produces battlecards that reflect reality (not wishful thinking)
- Aligns product, sales, and marketing around one story
Screen for
- Evidence of moving metrics (win rates, conversion, sales cycle)
- Ability to simplify complex products without dumbing them down
- Customer empathy + competitive sharpness
Interview prompt:
“Explain our product in 60 seconds to a CFO. Now to a technical buyer. What changes?”
Best time to hire: When “why us?” becomes harder to answer – or when sales cycles start stalling due to unclear differentiation.
4) Solutions Consultant (SC) for the Post‑Demo World
Why this role wins: Demos aren’t theatre anymore – they’re proof. With more technical stakeholders involved, the best SCs reduce risk, validate integration realities, and move deals forward by removing uncertainty.
What “great” looks like
- Runs discovery that shapes the demo around real workflows
- Speaks credibly about integrations, data, security, and limitations
- Produces simple proof assets: architecture diagrams, success criteria, pilot plans
- Partners with AEs to drive momentum and next steps
Screen for
- Comfort saying “no” or “not yet” while keeping buyer trust
- Ability to translate technical concepts into business outcomes
- Structured thinking and crisp communication
Interview scenario:
Give them a short brief of a messy prospect environment and ask for:
- discovery questions, 2) demo plan, 3) risks + mitigations.
Best time to hire: When deals are lost to “technical uncertainty” or when AEs spend too much time on solutioning.
5) Data Partnerships Lead
Why this role wins: Data is a moat – when it’s sourced ethically, contracted properly, and productised. Partnerships that enrich your offering (datasets, integrations, marketplaces) can unlock new routes to revenue.
What “great” looks like
- Builds partnership strategy tied to your ICP and roadmap
- Negotiates agreements with commercial and compliance awareness
- Creates repeatable partner motions (co-sell, co-market, integration playbooks)
- Understands data value chains and the constraints around sharing/usage
Screen for
- Deal craft and stakeholder management (legal, product, security)
- Ability to quantify partner ROI and prioritise ruthlessly
- Experience operationalising partnerships (not just “signing” them)
Best time to hire: When partnerships are already happening ad hoc – and you’re feeling the cost of inconsistency.
6) Customer Value / Expansion Lead (NRR Engine)
Why this role wins: Net Revenue Retention is still the most efficient growth lever. In 2026, customers expect measurable value, not just adoption. This role turns outcomes into renewals and expansions.
What “great” looks like
- Defines value metrics and builds outcome reviews customers care about
- Identifies expansion triggers and creates a repeatable motion
- Partners with product + support to reduce churn drivers
- Creates referenceable wins (case studies, champions)
Screen for
- Commercial instincts + customer empathy
- Ability to drive hard conversations (renewal risk, scope, ROI)
- Comfort with data and executive stakeholder management
High-signal question:
“Tell me about a renewal you saved. What did you change – commercially and operationally?”
Best time to hire: As soon as renewals become meaningful – or when churn is “mysterious.”
7) Commercial AI Ops (Emerging Role)
Why this role wins: Everyone wants AI in their GTM motion. Few companies operationalise it safely and effectively. This role builds the workflows, governance, and measurement to turn AI from experiments into reliable leverage.
What “great” looks like
- Implements AI workflows across prospecting, QA, enablement, and forecasting support
- Creates guardrails (prompt standards, approval flows, compliance)
- Measures impact (time saved, conversion lift, quality improvements)
- Partners with RevOps, Security, and Legal to keep it scalable
Screen for
- Operational rigor + curiosity
- Ability to translate AI into repeatable process change
- Comfort working cross-functionally and documenting decisions
Best time to hire: When your team has AI “everywhere,” but results are inconsistent and risk is rising.
A Simple Hiring Order (If You Want a Shortcut)
Every company differs, but a common sequence looks like:
Seed: AI‑fluent AE + PMM-lite + SC (if product is complex)
Series A: RevOps/GTM Architect + Expansion/Value Lead
Series B: Data Partnerships Lead + Enablement + Commercial AI Ops
If you’re scaling quickly, you’ll often hire RevOps earlier than planned to avoid chaos compounding.
Quick Scorecard: What to Look For Across All 7 Roles
Regardless of title, the best hires in 2026 tend to share three traits:
- Commercial thinking: ICP clarity, outcome focus, deal discipline
- Technical fluency: data/integrations constraints, security awareness, practical AI use
- Change velocity: ability to thrive in ambiguity and build the plane while flying it
The Hiring Mistake to Avoid
The biggest misstep we see: hiring “big company” titles without stage-fit outcomes.
A brilliant person in the wrong stage can look average. A stage-fit operator can look exceptional.
Instead of asking, “Do we need a Head of X?” ask:
“What must be true in 90 days for this hire to be a success?”
Closing Thought
If you’re hiring in 2026, the market will reward companies that build clear messaging, measurable customer value, and efficient revenue systems – with AI integrated responsibly.
Question: Which of these roles is your highest-leverage next hire – and what problem are you solving first?
If you’d like, tell me your stage (Seed/A/B), ACV, and sales motion (PLG, sales-led, hybrid) and I’ll suggest the best next 2 hires plus a practical scorecard for each.