Strategic Account Director – Commercial

SDI Presence•Chicago, IL

1d•$180,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Strategic Account Director – Commercial, is an experienced, results-driven relationship leader and individual contributor with a demonstrated track record of retaining, expanding, and deepening multimillion-dollar enterprise client engagements. This position is responsible for managing and growing a defined portfolio of Fortune 500 commercial accounts in the Chicago market, with a primary focus on contract renewals, account expansion, and the long-term health of client relationships. The role is not a hunting position — success is measured by the depth of client partnership, renewal rates, and revenue growth within the existing account base. A successful candidate will bring consultative account leadership skills to bear across SDI's full portfolio of managed services, IT consulting, Data & AI Services, and advisory offerings — identifying opportunities to expand SDI's footprint within accounts, surfacing and escalating new pursuits to the appropriate sales resources, and ensuring clients consistently realize measurable value from their SDI engagement. This role works closely with SDI's Xchange team, as a meaningful portion of the account portfolio originates through or is actively supported by SDI's workforce development and apprenticeship program.

Requirements

Must be based in Chicago and available for regular in-person client engagement.
8–12 years of experience in account management, client leadership, or enterprise sales — with a demonstrated focus on growing and renewing large, complex accounts rather than new logo acquisition.
Established track record of managing and expanding Fortune 500 commercial accounts, with consistent achievement of revenue retention and growth targets across multi-year engagements.
Proven success closing and renewing deals in the $1M–$10M range across IT managed services, professional services, consulting, or technology solutions.
Deep familiarity with the Chicago enterprise commercial market, with an existing executive network and the credibility to engage at the C-suite and VP level across target accounts.
Expert in consultative account leadership — able to understand complex client business environments, connect SDI's capabilities to client priorities, and build long-term strategic relationships.
Experience developing and executing account plans, managing multi-stakeholder client relationships, and driving renewal and expansion outcomes in a structured, disciplined way.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with delivery, solutions, and practice teams to manage client expectations, resolve escalations, and ensure high-quality outcomes.
Strong executive communication, presentation, and negotiation skills — comfortable facilitating C-level business reviews and delivering value-oriented proposals.
Results-oriented self-starter with the ability to manage a complex portfolio of accounts independently while working collaboratively across sales, delivery, and leadership teams.
Proficiency with CRM tools (Salesforce or equivalent) for pipeline management, account documentation, and forecasting.
BA/BS or equivalent strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing accounts that include workforce development, apprenticeship, or talent placement engagements as part of the broader client relationship.
Familiarity with SDI's core technology areas including ServiceNow, managed services, public safety solutions, or Data & AI Services.
Experience in defining and delivering ROI and business cases for large-scale technology initiatives.
Demonstrated public-facing communication skills, including executive presentations, webinar participation, or thought leadership contributions.
Advanced degree preferred.
Ability to support organizational development activities including recruiting, mentoring, and community building within SDI's commercial practice.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary relationship owner for a defined portfolio of Fortune 500 commercial accounts, accountable for client satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth within the assigned book of business.
Lead contract renewal efforts across the account base, developing account-specific strategies to secure multi-year commitments and ensure continuity of managed services and technology engagements.
Advise senior client executives on technology trends, industry priorities, and SDI's evolving capabilities — positioning SDI as a trusted strategic partner rather than a transactional vendor.
Identify and develop account expansion opportunities across SDI's full portfolio, including managed services, ServiceNow, advisory consulting, and Data & AI Services — and escalate qualified new opportunities to SDI's sales organization for pursuit.
Shape and influence solutions that align with client strategic priorities, partnering with SDI's delivery, solutions, and practice teams to ensure commitments are met and client outcomes are realized.
Develop and maintain account plans for each assigned client, including relationship maps, renewal timelines, whitespace analysis, and strategic growth objectives.
Conduct regular executive business reviews with clients to assess solution performance, surface emerging needs, and reinforce SDI's value and partnership.
Collaborate closely with SDI's Xchange team to support and grow Xchange-originated accounts, ensuring continuity of apprenticeship and workforce development engagements and identifying opportunities to expand the broader SDI relationship within those clients.
Drive profitable revenue growth within the account base, with deal sizes typically ranging from $1M to $10M across multi-year managed services, consulting, and Data & AI Services engagements.
Maintain disciplined CRM hygiene and pipeline reporting, providing accurate forecasts and account status updates to sales leadership on a regular basis.