Senior Account Executive - Washington, DC

Cars.com LLC; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 154,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first workplace

Competitive compensation

Medical, Dental & Vision plans

Paid holidays

Job summary

Cars Commerce is seeking a Senior Account Executive to lead in the Washington, DC territory, selling across Cars.com marketplace, Dealer Inspire digital retailing, AccuTrade, and digital media solutions. You will diagnose dealer challenges and architect multi-product proposals to drive measurable outcomes.

The role emphasizes consultative selling, territory development, and travel to meet dealers. A proven multi-product sales background and Salesforce discipline are essential for success.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of B2B field sales with a multi-year quota track record.
• Experience selling multi-product or platform solutions in automotive or marketing tech.
• Comfort in travel-heavy field role calling on dealer leadership.
• Proven consultative sales process: discovery, needs analysis, solution design, business case, close.
• Strong command of a named sales methodology and Salesforce rigor.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow a book of dealer accounts across Cars Commerce suite: Cars.com marketplace, Dealer Inspire digital retailing and websites, Accu-Trade, and digital media solutions.
• Lead discovery conversations at dealer principal, GM, and marketing director level to understand each dealer’s challenges.
• Build tailored, multi-solution proposals tying Cars Commerce products to dealer outcomes (leads, inventory turn, digital retailing performance).
• Manage complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles from initial engagement through close and expansion.
• Travel regularly within your territory; this is a road-warrior role with frequent in-person dealer visits expected.

Skills

Executive presence

Business acumen

Active listening

Sales experience

CRM proficiency

Tools

Salesforce

CRM platforms

Job description

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 Challenge and 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. We are proud to be named one of Built In's 2026 Best Places to Work in Chicago and across the U.S. Ready to make your mark? Join a team that's driving real change in the automotive industry.

Senior Account Executive Territory: Washington, DC • 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 is not a transactional role. It is a consultative, solutions-oriented position for a seasoned seller who can walk into a dealership’s GM or dealer principal office, quickly diagnose their business challenges, and architect a multi-product solution across our full portfolio. This is a high-visibility individual contributor role with significant earning potential, direct field presence, and a clear mandate: elevate how we sell, deepen how we partner, and grow revenue across your dealer portfolio. The Sr Account Executive is a level above our Field Account Executive. Candidates must demonstrate mastery of the full DRIVE framework — not just meeting criteria, but consistently modeling each dimension at a senior level.

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 — demonstrated across a large, complex territory R — Results-Proven: Multi-year track record of meeting or exceeding quota on complex, multi-product deals — not just strong individual years I — Interconnected Solution Seller: Sells across an integrated platform; connects media, digital retailing, data, and trade tools to unified dealer outcomes V — Voraciously Hungry: Grit and tenacity to win in a competitive market; intellectual curiosity to stay ahead of automotive retail trends. E — Earning-Motivated: Unapologetically money-motivated — the financial upside of this role is meaningful, and the right candidate will be energized by it.

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 and websites, Accu-Trade, and digital media solutions
• Lead discovery conversations at the dealer principal, GM, and marketing director level to understand each dealer’s operational and growth challenges
• Build tailored, multi-solution proposals that tie Cars Commerce products to measurable dealer outcomes (leads, inventory turn, digital retailing performance, 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 your 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 competitive landscape to advise dealers as a credible industry 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 be able to articulate how you apply it
• Provide field-level market intelligence to product, marketing, and leadership teams
• Travel regularly within your territory; this is a road-warrior role with frequent in-person dealer visits 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 single-SKU transactional sales SaaS, digital media, or marketing technology sales background, particularly in verticals with high SMB-to-enterprise dealer or franchisee 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, if 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 retailing workflows)

Skills & Competencies

• Executive presence — ability to build credibility quickly with dealer principals and GMs
• Strong business acumen; can 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 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. In this spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the compensation for this role. The range is expressed as total target compensation (base salary + variable). If you are hired at Cars Commerce, your total target compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills and/or experience. 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.

Benefits

For US-based Positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Please note that 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.

Welcome! At Cars Commerce, we think big, push boundaries, and rise together as a team. It’s all the challenge and energy of a job in the tech industry, backed by 25 years of proven resilience and growth as a leading consumer brand. Imagine getting to work on a team with a bold mission to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. A culture that’s a unique mix of innovation and collaboration. Exciting training and development opportunities that empower you to take ownership of your career. For our employees, every day is an opportunity. We’re a remote-first workplace that embraces diversity at every level. Inspired by our values, we intentionally create opportunities for our employees to grow and make an impact in our industry and local communities. Let’s move your career forward together.