Strategic Sales Director, West

Cresta is on a mission to turn every customer conversation into a competitive advantage by unlocking the true potential of the contact center. Our platform combines the best of AI and human intelligence to help contact centers discover customer insights and behavioral best practices, automate conversations and inefficient processes, and empower every team member to work smarter and faster. Born from the prestigious Stanford AI lab, Cresta's co-founder and chairman is Sebastian Thrun, the genius behind Google X, Waymo, Udacity, and more. Our leadership also includes CEO, Ping Wu, the co-founder of Google Contact Center AI and Vertex AI platform, & co-founder, Tim Shi, an early member of Open AI.   We’ve assembled a world-class team of AI and ML experts, go-to-market leaders, and top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, Sequoia, and former AT&T CEO John Donovan. Our valued customers include brands like Intuit, Cox Communications, Hilton, and Carmax and we’ve been recognized by Forbes and Bain Consulting as one of the top private AI companies in the world.   Join us on this thrilling journey to revolutionize the workforce with AI. The future of work is here, and it's at Cresta.

About the role:

As a Strategic Sales Director at Cresta, you will drive revenue growth by leading our largest and most complex sales opportunities. Reporting directly to the RVP of Strategic Sales, you're a natural hunter—skilled at identifying and closing net-new business, curating pipeline, and building strategic, long-term relationships with executive decision-makers. You’ll have a direct impact on the company’s trajectory by landing flagship accounts and expanding our footprint within strategic customers.

This is a high-impact, high-visibility role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced startup environment and is passionate about using cutting-edge AI to solve real-world business challenges. You'll help shape our sales strategy, influence cross-functional priorities, and contribute to building a high-performing, customer-obsessed sales culture.

 

Responsibilities: 

• Build and maintain a high-quality pipeline of new strategic opportunities through proactive outreach and prospecting
• Design and execute strategic account plans focused on unlocking new revenue streams and expanding customer value
• Lead complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles from initial outreach to close
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives at Fortune 500 companies, clearly articulating Cresta’s value proposition and business impact
• Partner with Customer Success to identify expansion opportunities and drive sustainable growth within existing accounts
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, and Engineering to influence roadmap and drive customer success
• Identify, target and gain access to appropriate leaders in prospect accounts, building and cultivating your network of decision makers 
• Develop and drive the overall long-term strategy for the account, aligned to customer business objectives
• Consistently meet or exceed quota in a high-growth, performance-driven environment

Qualifications We Value:

• 7+ years of enterprise SaaS sales experience with a proven track record of hunting and closing net-new business
• Experience leading complex sales cycles with C-level stakeholders at Fortune 500 companies
• Strong ability to build executive-level relationships and influence strategic decision-making
• Deep understanding of value-based selling and building business cases that tie to customer ROI
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and thriving in a fast-paced, early-stage environment
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to lead cross-functional teams toward a shared goal
• Willingness to travel up to 25% or more as needed

Perks & Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and people-first benefits package to support you at work and in life:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with plans to fit you and your family
• Flexible PTO to take the time you need, when you need it
• Paid parental leave for all new parents welcoming a new child
• Retirement savings plan to help you plan for the future
• Remote work setup budget to help you create a productive home office
• Monthly wellness and communication stipend to keep you connected and balanced
• In-office meal program and commuter benefits provided f