Sales Manager, Automotive - MSA

Microsoft • Detroit, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Microsoft Advertising (MSA) empowers the largest advertisers around the world to reach their maximum potential through digital advertising solutions on the Microsoft Advertising platform. We are seeking top performing Account Executives with digital advertising experience who can drive revenue and increase customer satisfaction by developing and cultivating strategic client relationships and delivering customized solutions aligning to the client’s advertising needs. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.
As a Sales Manager focused on the Automotive industry, you will drive Microsoft Advertising revenue growth, develop exceptional client relationships and deliver client obsession through direct management of a group of Account Executives and/or Account Managers. You will leverage your proven track record of building, managing, and growing high-performing sales teams as you will be accountable for managing the development of the sales strategy, planning and execution across segments and solution areas to drive sales revenue, digital and business transformation. This role will be responsible for developing, leading, and scaling high-performing sales teams within the automotive advertising ecosystem and have a deep understanding of the dynamics of automotive media buying and selling. This opportunity will allow you to develop internal talent and capabilities and foster a culture of inclusion, learning and achievement as part of your responsibility for people management.
This role requires a proven selling, buying, and/or planning advertising solutions experience for domestic automotive manufacturers (OEM) along with building and maintaining senior-level relationships with both agency partners and direct brand stakeholders, resulting in the successful acquisition and retention of advertising contracts. Additionally, this role requires a deep media sales experience, strategic thinking, client obsession, a passion for innovation and best practice sharing, while showing you can deliver exceptional individual and team results over time.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Effective January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees who live within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S. or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S., country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Sales, Marketing, Computer Science, Engineering (e.g., Electrical or Mechanical), Business Management, Economics, or related field AND 5+ years experience in sales, marketing/advertising, managing high performance sales and technical-sales teams, and/or leadership roles in multi-tiered large organizations
• OR Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Sales, Marketing, Computer Science, Engineering (e.g., Electrical or Mechanical), Business Management, Economics, or related field AND 6+ years experience in sales, marketing/advertising, managing high performance sales and technical-sales teams, and/or leadership roles in multi-tiered large organizations
• OR equivalent experience.
• 2+ years direct/formal, indirect/informal, and/or project team people management experience.

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering (e.g., Electrical or Mechanical), Business Management, Economics, or related field AND 6+ years experience in sales, marketing/advertising, managing high performance sales and technical-sales teams, and/or leadership roles in multi-tiered large organizations
• OR Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering (e.g., Electrical or Mechanical), Business Management, Economics, or related field AND 10+ years experience in sales, marketing/advertising, managing high performance sales and technical-sales teams, and/or leadership roles in multi-tiered large organizations
• OR equivalent experience.
• A deep understanding of the dynamics of automotive media buying and selling with in the Automotive industry
• 2+ years experience leading teams and/or managers in a Sales organization.
• 4+ years direct/formal, indirect/informal, and/or project team people management experience.
• A proven track record of building and maintaining senior-level relationships with both agency partners and direct brand stakeholders, resulting in the acquisition and retention of advertising contracts.

Responsibilities

• You will drive sales excellence as you lead and transform the business and accelerate growth to drive success leveraging your industry knowledge.
• You will demonstrate a strong understanding of how to navigate complex, highly matrixed organizations to influence media budgets and drive investment across multiple advertising channels.
• You will deliver success through empowerment and accountability by modeling, coaching, and caring as well as attracting and retaining great people. You will drive business growth by leading sales planning and strategies to achieve consumption and sales targets. Sets direction, creates vision, inspires others and demonstrates presence.
• You will hold team accountable for forecasting expected sales revenue within the portfolio/customer segment(s) within their markets by defining expectations and goals to guide the development strategies to manage pipeline and meet sales goals by reviewing forecasts, assessing and mitigating risks, and ensuring strategy alignment with business priorities and share best practices while maintaining a high level of commitment and accountability.
• With your expert understanding of digital media platforms and technologies including competitor potential impact, you will leverage this to understand industry trends and how they shape market making opportunities.
• You will direct long-term customer satisfaction growth and maintenance strategies and drive business portfolio management to contribute to overall business growth as you manage relationships with customer stakeholders and the collection of feedback within the portfolio to identify and understand the drivers of satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction.
• You will direct the development and implementation of strategies for maximizing selling and customer add opportunities and ensure plans highlight solutions to solving additional business and technology issues while providing guidance on storytelling strategies to lead account conversations, evaluating account performance, developing short- and long-term strategies, and acting upon optimization opportunities.
• As a thought leader and trusted advisor to executive-level business decision makers across their business areas you will leverage and socialize best-in-class sales and communication techniques to direct efforts to lead teams and key internal and/or external stakeholders with deep industry expertise (e.g., industry solutions executives) and to enable their team(s) to build firmer relationships with decision makers across business areas.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager