Strategic Account Manager - Steele Group

Account Manager, Dealer Solutions Account Management – Steele Group (CRM)

Location: [Halifax]
Department: Dealer Solutions Account Management
Reports to: Area Director, CANADA, Dealer Solutions, Sales and Account Management
Partners with: Performance Managers / Product SMEs, Professional Services, Customer Success, Support

Employment Type: Full-Time

Role Overview

• The Account Manager, Solera Dealer Solutions, Account Management is the primary relationship owner for a defined book of automotive dealer rooftops or dealer group accounts. This role is responsible for customer retention, renewal execution, product adoption, and expansion of existing solutions, with no responsibility for new logo acquisition.
• The Account Manager collaborates closely with Solution Performance Managers / Product SMEs/Professional Services who deliver hands-on training, workflow optimization, and adoption strategies across DMS, CRM, Service, and Marketing products. Together, they ensure customers achieve operational improvements and measurable business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Relationship Ownership

• Serve as the main point of contact for dealer leadership, including Dealer Principals, General Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, BDC Managers, and OEM field reps.
• Build deep, trusted relationships that strengthen long-term loyalty and strategic alignment.
• Conduct proactive business reviews, executive updates, and ongoing communication touchpoints.

Renewal & Retention Management

• Own renewal preparation, negotiation strategy, and contract execution for assigned accounts.
• Identify at-risk accounts early and collaborate with internal teams to develop recovery plans.
• Ensure customers receive clear ROI value stories tied to their operational goals.

Account Planning & Expansion Growth

• Develop structured annual and quarterly account plans capturing:
• Key goals & initiatives for fixed ops, variable ops, and marketing
• Product adoption status and opportunities
• Whitespace and expansion opportunities
• Risk indicators and mitigation plans
• Drive expansion revenue through cross-sell and upsell of additional modules across the portfolio:

CRM: lead management, showroom, BDC optimization

Product Adoption & Performance Support

• Partner with Solution Performance Managers/SMEs to ensure customers fully adopt and utilize their solutions.
• Align SPM engagements to dealership goals such as:
• Higher service lane throughput
• Improved lead response and conversion
• Reduced no-shows through scheduling optimization
• Better marketing ROI and customer retention
• Ensure insights from SME performance reviews are translated into actionable account plans.

Customer Health & Risk Mitigation

• Monitor product utilization, customer satisfaction, support ticket trends, and performance KPIs.
• Document customer health trends and create action plans to address red/yellow indicators.
• Engage cross-functional teams to resolve escalations, integration challenges, or workflow gaps.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Collaborate closely with Customer Success, Product, Support, and Professional Services to ensure seamless customer experience.
• Provide field insights on product enhancements, competitive threats, adoption barriers, and dealer operational needs.
• Work with Marketing on customer communication, events, and campaign engagement.

Qualifications

Required

• 3–6+ years in automotive SaaS, dealership technology, or automotive retail operations.
• Strong understanding of dealership workflows across fixed ops, variable ops, CRM, and marketing.
• Experience managing a customer book of business, with accountability for retention and expansion.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and presentation skills.
• Ability to analyze data and translate insights into customer recommendations.
• Preferred
• Experience with automotive DMS, CRM , Fix Ops Service Scheduling/Inspection, and Marketing platforms.
• Background in dealership operations (BDC, service lane, sales management, or digital marketing).
• Familiarity with OEM programs, certification requirements, and compliance standards.
• Prior success using account planning methodologies (e.g., plan-on-a-page, mutual success plans, health scoring frameworks).

Success Metrics

• Renewal rate and churn reduction across the assigned book of business
• NDR (Net Dollar Retention) and Expansion revenue driven by multi-solution growth
• Product adoption and usage of metrics for DMS, CRM, Service, and Marketing
• Customer satisfaction (NPS/CSAT) and reduction in escalations
• Completion and quality of account plans
• Effective collaboration with Performance Managers/SMEs

Competencies

• Customer Advocacy – Builds trust and drives dealer success.
• Business Acumen – Understands dealership KPIs and operational workflows.
• Relationship Leadership – Manages complex stakeholder groups across rooftops.
• Account Planning – Strategic thinking with strong documentation and follow-through.
• Communication & Influence – Clear, professional, and proactive.
• Collaboration – Works seamlessly with SMEs and cross-functional partners.

Travel

60–75% depending on territory size, dealer visits requirements.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Solera group is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, provincial, and local fair employment practices laws.