Director of Sales, Data Center

Netlist; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Netlist Inc. in Irvine, CA seeks a Director of Strategic Accounts to lead direct engagement with Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers, cultivating executive-level relationships and turning near-term opportunities into sustained revenue.

The role owns the full commercial cycle from targeting and qualification through pricing, forecasting, contract negotiation, and revenue execution, expanding eSSD and DRAM opportunities across RDIMM and Netlist branded products.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in semiconductors, enterprise storage, server memory, servers, or data center infrastructure sales.
• Proven track record closing large strategic accounts.
• Strong relationships with cloud providers, data centers, server OEMs/ODMs, or AI infrastructure players.
• Deep knowledge of enterprise SSD, NVMe, NAND, DRAM, RDIMM, and server architectures.
• Experience managing long qualification cycles and coordinating cross-functional activities.
• Strong understanding of pricing, forecasting, supply allocation, inventory, and contract negotiations.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customer executives, procurement, engineers, and leadership.
• Proven ability to build a new business pipeline with limited existing account infrastructure.
• Strong analytical, presentation, negotiation, and account-planning capabilities.
• Willingness to travel regularly for customer development and account management.

Responsibilities

• Develop direct business with Tier-2 cloud service providers, Neocloud and AI infrastructure companies.
• Build executive-level relationships with procurement, supply chain, engineering, and data center operations teams.
• Identify near-term eSSD and DRAM supply opportunities and convert them into recurring business.
• Lead customer qualification activities in coordination with Netlist engineering and product teams.
• Develop annual account plans, opportunity pipelines, revenue forecasts, and product-demand projections.
• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, supply commitments, and purchase orders.
• Position Netlist as a reliable, long-term supply partner across multiple qualified memory modules and storage products.
• Expand initial eSSD opportunities into RDIMM and Netlist branded products.
• Coordinate internally with product management, operations, finance, engineering, and executive leadership.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast, customer status, and competitive information.
• Monitor Neocloud infrastructure investment, server deployment, GPU demand, and memory/storage requirements.

Skills

Strategic account development

Executive relationship management

Forecasting & analytics

Negotiation

Public speaking & presentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related field

MBA (preferred)

Tools

Pricing & contract negotiation

Job description

Director of Sales, Data Center

Reports To: VP, Sales

Company Overview:

Netlist Inc. (NASDAQ: NLST) is a leading provider of high-performance modular memory subsystems and next-generation storage-class memory solutions. We specialize in cutting-edge technologies that enable innovation in AI, cloud computing, and enterprise infrastructure. Our product portfolio includes DDR4/DDR5 DIMMs, NAND-based SSDs, and advanced interconnect technologies such as CXL and PCIe.

Join our world-class engineering team and be part of shaping the future of memory and storage architecture.

Position Summary:

Netlist is seeking a Director of Strategic Accounts to develop and lead business with emerging Neocloud and AI infrastructure customers. This role will build direct customer relationships, identify recurring demand for enterprise SSD and server memory products, and convert near-term opportunities into sustainable, long-term revenue.

The Director will own the full commercial cycle-from account targeting and technical qualification through pricing, forecasting, contract negotiation, revenue execution and P&L.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop direct business with Tier-2 cloud service providers, Neocloud and AI infrastructure companies.
  
• Build executive-level relationships with procurement, supply chain, engineering, and data center operations teams.
  
• Identify near-term eSSD and DRAM supply opportunities and convert them into recurring business.
  
• Lead customer qualification activities in coordination with Netlist engineering and product teams.
  
• Develop annual account plans, opportunity pipelines, revenue forecasts, and product-demand projections.
  
• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, supply commitments, and purchase orders
  
• Position Netlist as a reliable, long-term supply partner across multiple qualified memory modules and storage products.
  
• Expand initial eSSD opportunities into RDIMM and Netlist branded products.
  
• Coordinate internally with product management, operations, finance, engineering, and executive leadership.
  
• Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast, customer status, and competitive information.
  
• Monitor Neocloud infrastructure investment, server deployment, GPU demand, and memory/storage requirements.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of sales and business development experience in semiconductors, enterprise storage, server memory, servers, or data center infrastructure.
  
• Demonstrated experience developing large strategic accounts from initial engagement through revenue generation.
  
• Strong relationships within cloud service providers, data centers, server OEMs/ODMs, or AI infrastructure companies.
  
• Working knowledge of enterprise SSD, NVMe, NAND, DRAM, RDIMM, and server architectures.
  
• Experience managing long qualification cycles and coordinating technical and commercial activities.
  
• Strong understanding of pricing, forecasting, supply allocation, inventory, and contract negotiations.
  
• Ability to communicate effectively with customer executives, procurement teams, engineers, and internal leadership.
  
• Proven ability to operate independently and build a new business pipeline with limited existing account infrastructure.
  
• Strong analytical, presentation, negotiation, and account-planning capabilities.
  
• Willingness to travel regularly for customer development and account management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct sales experience with Neocloud, hyperscale, GPU cloud, or AI data center customers.
  
• Existing relationships with target Neocloud accounts and relevant decision-makers.
  
• Experience selling enterprise SSDs or server memory modules.
  
• Experience working with semiconductor suppliers, server OEMs/ODMs, distributors, or system integrators.
  
• Experience structuring forecast-based, NCNR, consignment, or long-term supply programs.
  
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related field; MBA preferred but not required

Salary Range: $200,000 - $250,000k