Director of Automotive Sales

About TEGNA

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) helps people thrive in their local communities by providing the trusted local news and services that matter most. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA reaches more than 100 million people monthly across the web, mobile apps, streaming, and linear television. Together, we are building a sustainable future for local news.

 

Director of Automotive – Premion (a TEGNA Company)

About Premion:
Premion, a division of TEGNA, is an award-winning OTT/CTV advertising platform that delivers premium video experiences across the most trusted media brands in streaming. Recognized by TechLeadership, Gabbcon, and Cynopsis for excellence in OTT and streaming innovation, Premion partners with 125+ top media brands — including Discovery, Viacom, NBC, FOX, AMC, NFL, FuboTV, and more — to offer advertisers brand-safe, data-driven access to engaged audiences at scale. Thousands of national, regional, and local advertisers trust Premion to drive measurable outcomes across the fast-growing Connected TV ecosystem.


Role Overview:

Premion is seeking a Director of Automotive to lead and expand our automotive vertical, with a focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 dealerships. This strategic role will drive revenue growth, deepen relationships with dealer groups, and position Premion as a thought leader in automotive streaming and digital streaming landscape.

The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge of the automotive landscape with expertise in digital and CTV advertising. They will partner with OEMs, dealer groups, agencies, and reseller partners to craft innovative go-to-market strategies, deliver performance-driven solutions, and represent Premion at key industry events and conferences.

This position reports to the Head of Direct Sales and will collaborate closely with regional and national teams to execute sales strategy, develop partnerships, and build long-term growth in the automotive category.



Key Responsibilities:

Drive Automotive Growth: Lead the go-to-market strategy for the automotive vertical, focusing on Tier 2 and Tier 3 dealerships across all markets.

Strategic Partnerships: Build and strengthen relationships with dealer groups, OEM co-op teams, agencies, and automotive marketing partners.

Industry Leadership: Represent Premion as an expert voice within the automotive community — attending, speaking at, and networking within key trade shows, conferences, and associations.

Revenue Leadership: Own P&L responsibility for the automotive category; forecast, track, and achieve revenue targets.

Sales Enablement: Develop and implement category playbooks, training, and best practices for local and regional sales teams to accelerate automotive success.

Market Insights: Provide competitive intelligence and feedback from the field to inform product development, data partnerships, and go-to-market innovation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, product, and analytics teams to build performance storytelling, case studies, and attribution proof points specific to automotive clients.

Thought Leadership: Champion the evolution of OTT/CTV in automotive advertising, helping educate the market on measurement, attribution, and the convergence of linear and digital video.

Qualifications & Experience:

10+ years of experience in digital or video advertising sales, with a strong focus on automotive clients and dealer groups.

Deep understanding of Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotive advertising models, OEM co-op structures, and dealer marketing operations.

Proven success driving revenue in performance-based video, OTT/CTV, or programmatic solutions.

Established network of relationships across auto groups, dealer associations, and automotive agencies.

Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and influence at all organizational levels.

Strategic mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Ability to thrive in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment and travel as needed to meet with clients and represent Premion at events.

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

 

Why Join Premion?

Be part of an innovative team redefining the future of automotive advertising in the streaming era.

Collaborate with leading media and data partners to deliver results-driven, premium CTV campaigns.

Join a culture that values innovation, integrity, and measurable impact.

Opportunity to shape a fast-growing vertical at one of the most trusted brands in streaming TV.

Benefits: 

TEGNA offers comprehensiv