Sales Director - IL, IN

Job description

**Own the State. Lead the Team. Drive the Growth.** Are you a strategic sales leader with deep expertise in automotive finance and a passion for building high-performing teams? Lendbuzz is looking for a Sales Director to lead our field sales efforts across the states, managing a team of Market Development Managers (MDMs) and overseeing statewide dealer growth, performance, and profitability. As a Sales Director you’ll be responsible for translating our national sales vision into localized strategy and execution. You’ll coach and develop your field team, guide territory expansion, and build strong dealer relationships to ensure consistent growth in contract volume and market share. Reporting to the Chief Sales Officer, you’ll serve as a key driver of Lendbuzz’s success in one of our most important markets. \*\*\*Residence within or near the assigned geographic territory is required.\*\*\* ### Key Responsibilities: - Lead Regional Execution: Own performance across the entire state, setting clear goals for Market Development Managers and ensuring delivery against volume, growth, and retention targets. - Build & Develop Field Teams: Hire, coach, and mentor MDMs—ensuring your team is equipped to build strong dealer partnerships and execute at a high level. - Market Strategy & Expansion: Analyze market trends, identify sub-regional opportunities, and lead execution of a scalable go-to-market strategy across metro and rural areas. - Dealer Growth & Relationship Management: Support your team in signing new dealerships, deepening relationships, and driving adoption of Lendbuzz solutions. - Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with underwriting, credit, inside sales, and marketing to deliver a seamless dealer experience. - Performance Management: Use data-driven tools and reporting to track KPIs, identify improvement areas, and optimize team performance. ### Qualifications: - 10+ years of experience in Automotive Lending, F&I, or Dealer Sales—preferably with multi-market oversight - Proven success in building and managing field sales teams - Strong network of dealer relationships and a track record of territory growth - Highly strategic, with the ability to execute in fast-paced, evolving environments - Strong analytical skills and comfort using performance data to make decisions - Hands-on leadership style — you coach in the field, not from behind a desk - Ability to travel extensively within the state (up to 70–80%) - Bilingual in Spanish and English is a preferred ### What Success Looks Like - A high-performing, accountable field team with strong retention - Scalable, high-intent dealership partnerships - Growth in state-wide market share and contract volume - A coaching culture rooted in visibility, engagement, and consistency - Strong alignment between field execution and senior-level strategy If you’re a growth-minded leader who builds strong teams, owns the market from the front lines, and turns relationships into traction, this role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact as we scale.