Automotive Industry Go To Market Director

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Job Category

Sales

Job Details

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Department Description:The Industry Advisor team is a specialized, growing team within Salesforce. Our primary role is to accelerate Salesforce growth by establishing industry credibility, best practices, and thought leadership in the industries we serve. Our deep industry experience, elevated points of view, and non-sales “advisor” approach are the secret sauce for Salesforce's distribution teams. We are the closest thing Salesforce has to a customer internally, and we consistently bring an industry lens to everything we do, ensuring Salesforce is seen as a thought leader, strategic partner, and trusted subject matter expert in the industries we support.

Role Description

We are seeking a dynamic leader to join our Advisory team as the Industry Advisor Director for Automotive. In this role, you will collaborate with customers and a number of cross-functional groups within Salesforce. Your responsibilities will include developing a strong point of view, supporting strategy for the automotive industry, staying abreast of industry trends, and identifying the best opportunities for Salesforce growth in the industry.
Additionally, you will engage with customers and collaborate with field leadership teams on strategic customer engagements, approaches, industry events, and localized initiatives. As an advisor to C-level executives at customer organizations, your role will involve ensuring that we effectively listen to the voice of the customer and build lasting partnerships.
The ideal candidate will have experience across multiple segments within the automotive ecosystem. Specifically, experience across OEMs, suppliers, manufacturing operations, dealerships, mobility services, electric vehicles (EVs), connected vehicles, and related domains is desired. Ideally, this experience intersects with technology across operations, customers, supply chains, assets, and AI-driven digital transformation initiatives. Furthermore, you should possess comprehensive knowledge of industry trends and how they impact customers. Familiarity with Salesforce’s solutions and capabilities within the automotive industry is crucial. Excellent presentation skills are desired, as you will be the face of the industry and the face of Salesforce when engaging with key customer stakeholders.
You will work cross-functionally with a number of internal stakeholders, including sales, marketing, product, solution engineering, enterprise architecture, sales programs, enablement, and others.
Ability to travel

Core Responsibilities

Industry Expertise

• Leverage deep automotive industry experience to bring a non-sales perspective on key industry topics.
• Focus on automotive sub-sectors and emerging trends to elevate customer conversations, increase field acumen, and create internal and external dialogue with influential leaders.
• Operate across the full power of Customer 360 and Salesforce’s complete portfolio of solutions.

Stakeholder Alignment

• Partner with AMER OU leaders and business partners to align with priorities and strategies, crafting customized and prioritized points of view for customer engagements.

Customer and Executive Engagements

• Engage customers in both 1:1 and 1 settings, including executive briefings, roundtables, customer meetings, and industry events.

Account Strategy

• Serve as a trusted advisor and partner to sales teams by creating relevant, customized points of view and engagement strategies for key accounts.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to translate customer needs into impactful Salesforce solutions.

Your Impact – How You Will Execute

• OU Strategy Owner – Account planning and target opportunity identification
• Account Mapping and Planning – Convert strategy into actionable account plans
• Account-Specific POV – Tailor and translate Salesforce solutions and messaging to customer priorities
• Engage with Customers – Present vision and elevated industry perspectives
• Drive Deals to Closure – Deliver solutions, roadmaps, and value-based outcomes
• Relationship Building – Develop long-term relationships with prospective and current C-level executives to support their transformation strategies

Success Criteria

• Help Salesforce exceed the AMER Automotive industry target for the fiscal year
• Successfully grow industry awareness and maintain a positive multi-year growth trajectory
• Ensure customer success and measurable business outcomes

Minimum Requirements

• Industry expertise working in, owning a P&L for, or consulting and implementing technology solutions within the automotive industry
• Managerial experience leading geographically dispersed teams with varying experience levels and competencies
• Deep understanding of automotive industry challenges, technology trends, and business transformation initiatives, including manufacturing modernization, connected vehicles, electrification, autonomous technologies, mobility services, supply chain optimization, and customer experience transformation
• Significant experience translating industry trends into successful business and technology strategies
• Held an active role in a company's digital transformation efforts through technology adoption and business process improvements, or served as a key business and/or IT stakeholder
• Ability to independently create thought leadership content and executive presentations
• Strong communication and writing skills with the ability to work across business functions
• Exceptional presentation skills in both small and large-scale settings
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced environment and craft compelling positioning
• Exceptional team player with proven ability to lead through influence
• Ability to synthesize complex ideas and transform them into actionable points of view

Preferred Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven success operating in a matrixed environment
• Experience and demonstrated success across multiple roles within the automotive industry
• Experience and demonstrated success across multiple organizations in the automotive ecosystem
• Membership and preferably active participation in leading automotive industry associations
• Experience spanning both business and IT functions

Unleash Your Potential

When you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance andbe your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you cando your best. Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future — but to redefine what’s possible — for yourself, for AI, and the world.

Accommodations

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Posting Statement

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In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions. The typical base salary range for this position is $208,180 - $278,460 annually There is a different range applicable to specific work locations. In California and New York, and select cities in the metropolitan areas of Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Washington DC, the base pay range for this role in those locations is $228,970 - $306,250 per year. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.