Sales Director - Tiers

Aptiv•Troy, MI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sales Director is responsible for driving strategic growth across regional automotive Tier 1 suppliers and OEM customers. This role focuses on securing wins, managing complex multi-year programs, and expanding adoption of advanced connector and interconnect solutions. The ideal candidate brings deep automotive expertise, strong technical sales capabilities, and a proven ability to influence both engineering and executive stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field; MBA preferred.
10+ years of experience in automotive sales, preferably in connectors, interconnects, or automotive electronics.
Proven success managing Tier 1 suppliers and/or OEM accounts.
Strong experience with automotive design cycles, RFQs, and platform-based selling.
Deep knowledge of automotive systems: EV powertrain, ADAS, infotainment, body electronics.
Strong understanding of automotive quality and program requirements (PPAP, APQP, IATF 16949).
Demonstrated success in design-in selling and influencing engineering decisions.
Excellent executive communication and negotiation skills.
Strategic mindset with ability to manage long, complex sales cycles.

Responsibilities

Own and lead commercial relationships with key automotive Tier 1 suppliers and OEM customers.
Develop and execute multi-year account strategies aligned to vehicle platform roadmaps and program launches.
Build strong relationships across engineering, purchasing, and executive leadership within customer organizations.
Manage long design cycles tied to vehicle platforms, ensuring early engagement in RFQ/RFI processes.
Deliver against aggressive revenue and margin targets tied to automotive platforms and programs.
Build and maintain a high-quality pipeline aligned to future vehicle platforms (3–7 year horizon).
Lead forecasting aligned to customer production volumes and platform lifecycles.
Identify growth opportunities in emerging automotive trends such as electrification (EV/HEV), autonomous driving, connectivity, and lightweighting.
Expand share of wallet within existing Tier 1 accounts and penetrate new OEM platforms.
Collaborate with customers to identify unmet needs and position innovative connector solutions.
Partner with engineering and product management to align product roadmaps with automotive requirements (e.g., high voltage, high-speed data).
Lead pricing strategy, contract negotiations, LTAs (Long-Term Agreements), and sourcing discussions.
Navigate cost engineering, value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE), and annual cost-down expectations.
Ensure compliance with automotive commercial and quality requirements.
Monitor automotive megatrends, competitive landscape, and regulatory impacts (e.g., EV adoption, safety standards).
Provide insights to guide innovation in connector technologies (high-speed, sealed, miniaturized, high-power).
Lead and develop key account managers and the Tier1 sales teams.
Foster collaboration across teams supporting major OEM platforms.