Senior Account Executive, Field - Chicago, Illinois

Be essential at Cars Commerce

At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, our reputation-based digital wholesale auction marketplace, Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.

No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challengeand Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.

But don’t take our word for it. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in 2024, we're obsessive about the employee experience. We are among the top 20% being declared “Best” of our industry based on six critical factors that are important to employee wellbeing, like quality of pay, benefits, work life balance and more.

Senior Account Executive

Cars Commerce

About the Role

The Senior Account Executive is responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of dealer accounts by delivering consultative, data‑driven solutions that help dealers increase sales, improve marketing efficiency, and maximize ROI across the Cars Commerce product suite. In addition to retention and expansion within existing accounts, this role is also responsible for generating new business through proactive outreach and strategic prospecting.

This role covers the Chicago, Bloomington (IL), and Wisconsin markets - Candidates must reside within the territory.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Own and manage a book of business, serving as the primary point of contact for assigned dealer accounts

• Generate new business through targeted prospecting, outreach, and strategic engagement with prospective dealer clients

• Drive revenue growth through renewals, upgrades, cross-sell, and new product adoption

• Conduct strategic account reviews to assess performance, uncover opportunities, and align solutions to dealer goals

• Present and position Cars Commerce solutions (Marketplace, Media, Websites, CRM, and related products) in a consultative manner

• Analyze performance metrics, reporting, and market insights to make data-backed recommendations

• Partner closely with internal teams including Product, Marketing, Sales Operations, and Support to ensure dealer success

• Proactively identify retention risks and execute save strategies

• Maintain accurate forecasting, pipeline management, and CRM documentation

• Stay informed on automotive industry trends, competitive landscape, and product enhancements

Qualifications

• 5+ years of sales or account management experience, preferably in digital advertising, automotive, or SaaS

• Proven ability to manage complex accounts, generate new business and drive incremental revenue growth

• Strong consultative selling and presentation skills

• Experience working with performance data, analytics, and ROI-driven conversations

• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills

• Highly organized with strong time management and prioritization abilities

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, quota-driven environment

Preferred Experience

• Automotive industry experience (dealer, OEM, or vendor)

• Experience selling digital marketing, marketplace, CRM, or website solutions

• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently meeting or exceedi