Account Director - Automotive

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Job Title: Account Director - Automotive

Location: US-GA-Atlanta (Sandy Springs - Hybrid))

FLSA: Exempt 

Job Overview: 

The Account Director, NVR looks after Safe-Guard’s existing partnerships with National Vehicle Retailers (NVR). You make sure every dealership, and every department within them, gets great service from Safe-Guard while growing our share of each partner's F&I business.

You will spend time with the people who run the dealership: principals and group executives, general managers, F&I leaders, sales leaders, and fixed operations leaders. You will observe the F&I office and the service department, see how our products and our people show up, and fix what gets in the way. Then, you will bring the partner a plan to do more together.

This is a director-level role that requires executive presence with hands-on problem-solving. You sit across the table from dealer group executives, and you go into the details of a complex operation to find root causes and solve problems. Success depends on influencing people across Safe-Guard without positional authority, following through personally, and escalating with confidence and extreme ownership.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN YEAR ONE

We will measure your first 12 months on six metrics:

• Partner retention. Stores retained by value, and every partner renewed that comes up for renewal.
• Share of wallet. Safe-Guard’s share of each assigned partner’s F&I product business.
• Product and store growth. Product penetration across your portfolio, and the products or stores added to partner programs.
• Store coverage. How often you visit each store, connect with and review progress with F&I, sales, and service leaders.
• Program profitability. Each partner program’s loss ratio against plan, reviewed quarterly with Risk Management.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategy and Planning

• Jointly build and run an annual account plan for each assigned partner, with goals by store and by product.
• Map each partner’s wallet: what they sell today, what they buy from Safe-Guard, and where the gaps are by store and by department.
• Turn penetration, loss, and claims data into recommendations an executive can act on.
• Watch industry trends and gather partner feedback, then bring new product, program, and technology ideas back to Safe-Guard.

Partner Coverage, Service and Growth

• Meet regularly with every level of each partner: dealer principals and group executives, general managers, F&I directors and managers, sales leaders, and fixed operations leaders.
• Make sure each store gets great service from every part of Safe-Guard, including claims, contract processing, training, data analytics, accounting, and technology.
• Grow Safe-Guard’s share of each partner’s F&I product business. Deepen penetration of the products they already sell, introduce the ones they don’t, and extend programs to more stores in the group.
• Develop win/win strategies with partners to improve productivity and increase sales of Safe-Guard products and services.

Account Performance

• Align with the NSD and Acquisition teams on the retention and performance of the assigned NVR portfolio, ensuring partner and Safe-Guard goals are met.
• Establish metrics for performance, progress, and ROI for partners and for Safe-Guard, and give senior leadership accurate forecasts.
• Jointly lead quarterly Business Reviews and Loss Analysis, partnering with Risk Management to communicate overall program performance.
• Keep accurate records of partner interactions and activity.
• Serve as the single point of contact for partner issue escalation and own each issue through resolution.
• Spot recurring operational patterns that affect partners and drive permanent fixes with the right internal owners.
• Lead partner launches and initiatives with project-management discipline: assign, follow up in person, and close the loop.

Cross-Functional and Industry Engagement

• Coordinate internal resources to deliver technology solutions, reporting and analytics, and accounting services to partner leadership and build buy-in from stakeholders outside your span of control.
• Represent Safe-Guard at partner events, industry conferences, task forces, and committees.

WHO THRIVES IN THIS ROLE

The ideal candidate looks like this:

• Compelling. You’ve moved a dealer principal from “we’re happy with what we have” to “let’s do more,” and you can tell us what they did next.
• Confident. You raise the hard issue early and directly, and the relationship is stronger for it.
• Connector. Your relationships outlast the deal and the people. Partners call you before they call anyone else.
• Conscientious. You stay clear and steady as priorities, products, and partner needs shift, and you help partners and colleagues do the same.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 

Experience

• 5+ years of Automotive Finance and Insurance experience as an F&I third-party administrator, in Automotive OEM Financial Services, or in Retail F&I. Automotive OEM experience is a plus.
• A record of retaining and growing multi-store dealer group relationships, from F&I, OEM financial services, lending, dealer technology, or dealership leadership.
• 7+ years of account management experience with high-producing accounts, including growing penetration and share of wallet within an existing book.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and launches without direct authority.
• 3+ years of data analytics experience. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Firm understanding of dealership P&L and operations, including F&I, sales, and fixed operations.
• Comfortable engaging all levels of a dealer group, from the C-suite to the F&I office to the service department.
• Strong negotiation skills and a customer-focused approach to building strategic, high-value relationships.
• Analytical problem solver who works hands-on to get past symptoms and find the root cause.
• Skilled at translating partner needs into clear requirements that technical teams can build from.
• Sound judgment and decision-making in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong organization, prioritization, and attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S
• Must be able to successfully pass a background check and Drug Screen

Company Benefits: 

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance 
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account 
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match
• Company-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Paid Holidays and Vacation
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Programs
• Paid Community Service Opportunities
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Ongoing Training & Personal Development
• And More! 

About Safe-Guard Products International:

Safe-Guard serves Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), top retailers, and independent agents in the automotive finance and insurance industry with the leading Protection Products Platform. Our platform delivers innovative protection products and solutions that protect consumers from the perils of ownership, while providing Finance &Insurance professionals the tools to ignite scalable and sustainable business growth. Safe-Guard’s success is driven by over 850 employees, who serve more than 12,000 dealers and support contract holders across the U.S. and Canada.

For 30 years and counting, our team continues to transform the motor vehicle space, earning a stellar reputation from our partners and peers by providing: 1) the highest quality protection products in the industry, 2) a broad platform of branded product, technology, marketing, and training solutions, and 3) an unwavering commitment to uncomplicated care and customer service.

Safe-Guard Products International is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, disability or protected veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.