Senior Account Executive - Newark, NJ

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 marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience Dealer Inspire, trade and appraisal technology AccuTrade, reputation-based wholesale auction Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry. No one ever travels alone here: collaboration is built into our shared values. 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 diverse thinking yields better outcomes. Caring to Challenge, Taking Ownership, and doing the right thing even when it’s hard are core to our success. Built In named us one of the best places to work in Chicago and across the U.S. ready to make your mark? Join a team that drives real change in the automotive industry. Senior Account Executive Territory: Newark, NJ Required: Candidates must reside in territory The Opportunity We are building a next-generation field sales organization, and the Sr Account Executive is at the center of that vision. This role is consultative and solutions-oriented, not transactional. The successful seller walks into a dealership’s GM or dealer principal office, diagnoses business challenges quickly, and architects a multi-product solution across our full portfolio. What We're Looking For: The DRIVE Profile Every successful Cars Commerce Senior AE embodies all five dimensions of DRIVE: Our DRIVE Competency Model D – Disciplined: Rigorous pipeline management, Salesforce hygiene, and forecasting accuracy across a large, complex territory. R – Results-Proven: Multi-year track record of meeting or exceeding quota on complex, multi-product deals. I – Interconnected Solution Seller: Sells across an integrated platform, connecting media, digital retailing, data, and trade tools to unified dealer outcomes. V – Voraciously Hungry: Grit and tenacity to win, intellectual curiosity to stay ahead of automotive retail trends. E – Earning-Motivated: Money motivated; the financial upside of this role is meaningful and energizing. What You’ll Do Consultative Selling & Portfolio Management Own and grow a book of dealer accounts, selling across the full Cars Commerce suite: Cars.com marketplace, Dealer Inspire digital retailing, AccuTrade, and digital media solutions. Lead discovery conversations at the dealer principal, GM, and marketing director level to understand operational and growth challenges. Build tailored, multi-solution proposals that tie products to measurable dealer outcomes such as leads, inventory turn, digital retail performance, and trade acquisition efficiency. Manage complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles from initial engagement through close and expansion. Strategic Account Development Develop and execute account plans across the territory to maximize penetration and revenue per rooftop. Identify whitespace – dealers not yet leveraging the full platform – and create pathways to deeper adoption. Partner with Customer Success and Dealer Success Managers to ensure seamless onboarding and expansion post-sale. Market & Industry Expertise Stay current on automotive retail trends, OEM programs, inventory market conditions, and the competitive landscape to advise dealers as a credible consultant. Serve as a trusted advisor to dealer groups and multi-rooftop accounts, building long-term relationships that insulate against competitive pressure. Operational Excellence Maintain rigorous pipeline, forecasting, and activity data in Salesforce – daily updates, accurate stage management, and 3–5x pipeline coverage. Operate within a structured sales methodology (Sandler, Challenger, SPIN, MEDDIC, or equivalent) and articulate its application. Provide field-level market intelligence to product, marketing, and leadership teams. Travel regularly within the territory; frequent in-person dealer visits are expected. What We’re Looking For Required Experience 8+ years of B2B field sales experience with a documented, multi-year track record of meeting or exceeding quota. Demonstrated success selling complex, multi-product or platform solutions – not singular SKU transactional sales. SaaS, digital media, or marketing technology sales background, especially in verticals with high SMB-to-enterprise dealer dynamics. Comfort operating in a high-activity, travel-intensive field role calling on business owners and senior dealership leadership. Proven ability to run a consultative sales process: discovery, needs analysis, solution design, business case development, and close. Working command of a named sales methodology and demonstrable Salesforce rigor. Preferred Experience Automotive experience combined with the above required experience. Experience selling to multi-rooftop dealer groups or large franchise accounts. Familiarity with automotive retail metrics (VDP views, leads, conversion rates, trade funnels, digital retail workflows). Skills & Competencies Executive presence – ability to build credibility quickly with dealer principals and GMs. Strong business acumen; translate platform capabilities into dealer P&L impact. Natural curiosity and active listening; asks great questions before pitching. Unapologetically money-motivated – driven by the earning upside this role provides. Resilience and self-motivation suited to a field-based, high-volume territory model. Proficiency with CRM tools (Salesforce required) and virtual presentation platforms. Compensation Compensation is structured as a 50/50 base/variable split reflecting the seniority and scope of this role. Uncapped commission potential tied to portfolio growth and new solution adoption. Car allowance or mileage reimbursement. Access to the full Cars Commerce product portfolio as a sales professional – you’ll sell tools that genuinely move the needle for dealers. Why This Role, Why Now Cars Commerce is at an inflection point. We have the broadest product portfolio in our history and are restructuring our commercial organization to sell that portfolio as an integrated platform with real dealer ROI at its center. The Senior Account Executive is the commercial face of that transformation. If you are a seasoned seller energized by complexity, motivated by significant earning potential, and excited to shape a new sales motion at scale, this is your moment. Total Target Compensation Range $154,200.00 – $192,750.00 Our Comprehensive Benefits Package Includes Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up Generous PTO Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day Eligibility & Other For US-based Positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor employment visas at this time. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Applicants: Click here to review our Privacy Policy for Applicants. For current employees, please click here to review our California Privacy Policy for Employees. #J-18808-Ljbffr Cars Commerce