Sales Development Representative - Automotive

Podium; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career pathway to Account Executive

Uncapped commissions

Benefits & Wellbeing Allowance

Onsite CBD Melbourne offices

Onboarding & training

Job summary

Podium in Melbourne seeks a Sales Development Representative (SDR) on the Auto team. You'll be the first point of contact for new-car dealerships and dealer groups, mapping structures, identifying accounts, and opening executive-level conversations that lead to qualified product demonstrations.

Work with AEs and CSMs to understand context, timelines, and integrations, ensuring credible, well-timed conversations. Prior automotive experience is a plus; this is a pathway into a closing role.

Qualifications

• Clear communication and phone presence with professional demeanor.
• Ability to own tasks and drive territory with minimal direction.
• Resilience and willingness to learn in a fast-paced sales environment.

Responsibilities

• Research dealer groups to identify right accounts and timing.
• Prepare before calls by understanding dealership context and integrations.
• Initiate executive-level conversations with decision-makers at OEM/new-car dealerships.
• Build interest and educate prospects on Podium's value for growth.
• Qualify opportunities and schedule product demos for Account Executives.
• Collaborate with Account Executives and Customer Success to ensure a seamless handover.
• Maintain accurate Salesforce records and pipeline activity.

Skills

Strong communication

Autonomy

Persistence

Growth mindset

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Melbourne, Australia

At Podium, we bring AI Employees to local businesses that turn every conversation into revenue. Trusted by 60,000+ businesses across Auto, Home Services, and Aesthetics, Podium captures and converts leads 24/7, driving both new business and repeat customers.

In under 24 months, we crossed $100M in AI Agent ARR, scaling 300% year-over-year. During this time, we’ve deployed 10,000 AI employees to empower real business outcomes for our customers. Podium is building what we believe will be the most impactful AI employee ecosystem for local business.

Podium has been recognized as the Best AI Implementation by Inc. Magazine, highlighted by OpenAI for building revenue-driving AI Agents, and awarded the #1 AI Agent for Business Operations by G2.

Our operating principles guide daily behavior and ensure we hire people who will thrive at Podium. If you're hungry for growth, aligned to our operating principles, and ready to get to work, you won't find a better place to learn and accelerate your career.

Location:

Melbourne

The Role

At Podium, we're on a mission to help local businesses win. From family-owned retailers and medical practices to automotive dealerships and multi-location brands, our AI-powered platform helps businesses attract more customers, communicate more effectively, and get paid faster.

As a Sales Development Representative (SDR) on the Auto team, you'll be the first point of contact for new-car dealerships and dealer groups, and play a critical role in our growth within the automotive vertical. This is a research-driven function where you'll map dealer group structures, identify the right accounts and the right timing, and open strategic, executive-level conversations that lead to qualified product demonstrations for our Account Executives.

You'll work closely with AEs and CSMs to understand account context, existing integrations, and dealership operations, so that every conversation you have is informed, credible, and well-timed. If you have automotive industry experience, whether from a dealership, an automotive IT provider, or a related automotive technology business - and you're looking for a genuine pathway into a closing role, this is where it starts. Many of our top-performing Account Executives started as SDRs, including on the Auto team.

What You'll Be Doing

• Research dealer groups and their organizational structures to identify the right accounts, the right stakeholders, and the right timing to engage.
• Prepare thoroughly before every call - understanding the dealership's situation, existing systems and integrations, and likely pain points.
• Initiate and hold strategic, executive-level conversations with dealer principals, GMs, and other decision-makers at OEM/new-car dealerships and dealer groups.
• Build interest by understanding prospect challenges and educating them on how Podium can help them grow.
• Qualify opportunities using a consultative sales approach and schedule high-quality product demonstrations for the Account Executive team.
• Partner closely with Account Executives and Customer Success Managers to understand account context and ensure a seamless, well-coordinated experience from first conversation through to handover.
• Maintain accurate records and pipeline activity within Salesforce.
• Consistently meet monthly targets for qualified meetings and pipeline generation, with an emphasis on quality and fit over volume.

What You'll Bring

• Strong understanding of the automotive industry, ideally gained at a dealership, an automotive IT provider, or a related automotive technology business.
• A mature, professional, and polished communication style, with a strong phone presence and the ability to hold a powerful, credible conversation within a short interaction.
• High autonomy - able to take ownership of a task or territory and drive it forward without constant direction.
• Coachability and initiative, with a demonstrated ability to apply feedback quickly.
• Comfort with doing the preparation and research required before making contact, and the patience to work through the coordination and internal checks that this approach requires without becoming frustrated.
• Persistence balanced with patience - this role rewards thoroughness over speed.
• We're looking for people who commit, build expertise, and grow with a role rather than moving on quickly.
• A growth mindset and ambition to progress into an Account Executive role over time.
• Experience selling into or working with dealerships is highly desirable. Previous SDR or outbound sales experience is a bonus but not essential.

What We Offer

• A clear and transparent career pathway into an Account Executive role on the Auto team, with structured coaching and ongoing sales development.
• Competitive base salary, superannuation, and uncapped commission with accelerators for overachievement.
• A $650 monthly Benefits & Wellbeing Allowance to spend however you choose.
• Comprehensive onboarding, sales training, and continuous professional development.
• A collaborative, high-performing culture that celebrates success and rewards ambition.
• Modern CBD offices in Melbourne's Queen & Collins precinct with end-of-trip facilities, bike storage, and lockers.
• Fully stocked kitchen with complimentary snacks and drinks.

Podium is an equal opportunity employer and we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage everyone of all ages, genders and backgrounds to apply.

Successful candidates are required to undergo a background check and must have full-time Australian working rights on an ongoing basis.