About the role
About Us
We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?
Who You Are
As the Account Director for the Automotive and Consumer Electronics markets, you will own the commercial success and market entry strategy in Japan. Your mission is to cultivate deep, executive-level relationships with battery cell makers and OEMs by developing and executing engagement plans for both existing and prospective customers.
Success requires leading through influence, coordinating complex technical and commercial stakeholders to advance opportunities aligned with Sila’s strategic roadmap. We seek a seasoned commercial leader who acts as a key advisor to internal leadership, providing critical guidance based on deep local market knowledge. You will build rapport effectively from executive leadership to working-level teams and be responsible for crafting high-value contractual agreements and developing multi-year customer forecasts.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Define and execute comprehensive account strategies for key accounts in Japan, influencing Sila’s go-to-market strategy and product roadmap by synthesizing customer feedback and competitive intelligence.
- Cultivate and strengthen deep, multi-level relationships with key decision-makers at customers to act as a trusted advisor and advocate for Sila's solutions.
- Lead complex commercial negotiations and manage the entire sales cycle, developing multi-year forecasts and demand projections to inform strategic planning and resource allocation.
- Act as the primary commercial point of contact, capable of hands-on account management to ensure the successful progression of opportunities, and lead large, cross-functional internal teams through influence to ensure alignment on customer deliverables and timelines.
- Mentor junior commercial team members by modeling best practices in negotiation and complex account management, acting as a resource for navigating challenging customer dynamics.
- Stay informed about industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies, and effectively share critical insights with internal teams.
Knowledge and Skill Requirements
- Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in strategic account management or technical business development, focusing on automotive supply chains and/or battery cell makers.
- Proven experience selling novel products that require physical integration and long qualification cycles.
- Expertise in leading complex, C-level negotiations for multi-year agreements.
- Fluency in English and Japanese is required, with international experience and familiarity with Japanese business culture being essential.
- Exceptional presentation skills with the proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions
- Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location
- At least 50% travel required, both domestic and international.
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Working at Sila
We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.