Sales Director - Chicago

Job description

Enterprise AI is moving from pilots to production, and the constraint is no longer the model — it's the data. Agents are only as good as what they can sense, trust, and act on in the moment, and real-time, event-driven data is becoming the foundation every serious AI system runs on. Solace is the leading platform for the enterprise AI era. Established enterprises worldwide — including RBC Capital Markets, Bosch, Heineken, PSA Singapore, United Airlines, Schwarz Group, and hundreds more — have built their business around Solace to enable intelligent, real-time experiences, modernize their application and integration landscape, and create seamless digital journeys for their customers, partners, and employees. So, the next time you drive a car, order furniture online, fly in a plane, check your bank balance on your phone, your positive experience could be a direct result of our technology—and your hard work! Overview This is a remote-first position, ideal for a senior sales professional with experience navigating complex, consultative sales cycles within large organizations. In this role, you will be responsible for identifying and securing new enterprise accounts, expanding relationships within existing customers, and positioning Solace as a critical enabler of both traditional event-driven architecture (EDA) and next-generation AI-driven initiatives. As organizations accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence, real-time data movement has become a foundational requirement. Solace plays a key role in helping enterprises modernize their integration strategy to support AI workloads—by ensuring that data is delivered securely, efficiently, and in real time across distributed systems. You will work closely with technical stakeholders and executive decision-makers to demonstrate how Solace’s platform can serve as the backbone for modern AI-ready infrastructure. In This Role, You Will Be responsible for establishing, cultivating, and improving Solace’s relationship with clients. Identify new business opportunities to grow with both new clients, and within existing clients – and they lead the sales process from start to finish. Develop and execute territory and account plans that address short-term and strategic goals which include pipeline building, revenue attainment, profit margin, client wallet share, and customer satisfaction. Be a “hunter” and must be a self-starter who is able to work independently. At the same time, be a strong team player — capable of collaborating widely and building a deep relationship with their pre-sales engineer(s) and others. Ultimately, accountable to win new business, and in the process will build strong client relationships (at both the working and executive level), negotiate complex deals, and establish long-lasting client relationships. What You’ll Bring to the Role Consultative selling Ability to build strong executive relationships Proven ability to close large, complex, deals Track record in selling middleware products, solutions, and services Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to connect with clients Ability to pull together a team and lead complex negotiations Bachelor’s degree or equivalent 5+ years of experience managing client relationships in the Enterprise IT space Proven track record of sales success in other IT companies Familiarity with MEDIC / MEDDPICC sales process Willingness to travel as much as 30% of their time (2-3 days a week) Ability to work without sponsorship required Why You’ll Love Working at Solace At Solace, we’re all about smart people, meaningful work, and good vibes. Work with brilliance – Our team is packed with some of the sharpest minds in the industry. Balance matters – We believe work should fit into your life, not the other way around. Hybrid-first – Flexibility is built into how we work, so everyone feels included and empowered. Values-driven – We live and breathe our core values: craftsmanship, trust, courage, freedom, momentum, humility, and human experience. Growth mindset – Our training programs are designed to help you level up, fast. Customer Obsessed – We’re proud of our world-class customer lineup (we’re not shy about it). Keep it fun – We’re social, we keep things simple, and we know how to have a good time. Creative culture – We’ve got a great sense of humour and we make cool videos on topics like MITT and this (check them out!). At Solace, we are committed to a fair, inclusive, and transparent recruitment process. To help identify candidates whose qualifications best align with the role, we use artificial intelligence (AI) tools during the initial stage of resume screening. These tools compare submitted resumes to the job description, focusing on education, experience, and skills. Importantly, all decisions beyond this initial screening—including interviews and final hiring—are made by our human recruitment team. AI is never used to make final hiring decisions. Let’s Talk Not sure you meet every requirement? That’s okay — we’re more interested in your potential and passion. If this role excites you, we’d love to hear from you. Need accommodations during the hiring process? Just let us know — we’re here to support you. Thanks to everyone who applies! While we wish we could connect with every candidate, only those selected to move forward will be contacted. At Solace, we believe that diversity and inclusion drive innovation and growth, both in business and in life. We strive to create an enriching and safe workplace where you can be who you are. If you want to do the best work of your career and feel supported every step of the way, we encourage you to join us! #LI-NM