Senior Business Developer – Manufacturing & Industrial Automation

A Moving Experience. Senior Business Developer – Manufacturing & Industrial Automation Agentic voice AI is reshaping how work gets done on the industrial frontline, and we are responding to a deep unmet need: giving frontline workers — and the machines and systems they run — a voice that holds up in the tough, noisy, connectivity-poor conditions of the factory floor, warehouse, and field. This is about opening new markets from the ground up. To do it, we are bringing together a team that combines the top commercial and technical talent, with the domain expertise these markets demand. The pace is fast, the technology is new and exciting, and your work moves the business. Your Impact • Engage senior decision-makers across the manufacturing and industrial automation ecosystem — rugged device and wearable makers, connected-worker and MES/MOM platforms, voice-picking and WMS vendors, and SCADA/HMI and EAM/CMMS software leaders — from fast-moving startups to established global names. • Qualify, size, and close opportunities, leveraging the company’s technical, commercial, and partnership resources to increase win rates and accelerate deal closure. • Bring the experience and judgment to prioritize opportunities with the greatest commercial potential. • Drive co-sell partnerships and customer deals from first contact through to close, owning the full cycle — across device and platform OEMs, systems integrators, and ISVs. • Operate as a standalone commercial engine inside a small, entrepreneurial team, with enough technical fluency to hold your own on how manufacturing operations, industrial automation, and edge voice AI for frontline work. Why Join the Team • You get in early on a market about to scale and help define how agentic voice AI for the industrial frontline is won. • This is a new business, so you shape the commercial playbook rather than inherit one. How we sell and partner is still being written, in large part by you. • You bring the autonomy of a start-up and the credibility of an established company to every conversation, with the capital, customer relationships, technology, and brand behind you. • Decisions come fast, obstacles get cleared, and you hold real authority over your part of the business. What You Bring • A track record in sales, business development, or venture capital — ideally selling into or alongside manufacturing, industrial automation, or enterprise/OT software. You know how to find, qualify, and win. • Fluency in manufacturing and industrial automation — Industry 4.0 / smart manufacturing, MES/MOM, SCADA/HMI, IIoT, connected-worker platforms, or the OT/IT stack — ideally on the software or software-integration side; experience with voice, conversational, or edge AI is a strong plus. • Structured, professional, and immediately credible in front of founders and senior leaders. • An entrepreneurial instinct, comfortable with ambiguity, speed, and full ownership of outcomes. • Willingness to travel to customer sites, plants, and industry events). Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. • 8+ years of quota-carrying sales, business development, or partnership experience selling technology into or alongside manufacturing, industrial automation, or enterprise/OT software markets. • Demonstrated track record of sourcing, qualifying, and closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals and partnerships. • Working fluency in the manufacturing and industrial automation landscape (Industry 4.0, MES/MOM, SCADA/HMI, IIoT, connected-worker, or OT/IT). • Willingness and ability to travel to customer sites, plants, and industry events (approximately 30%). • Authorized to work in the country of hire without current or future employer sponsorship. Preferred Qualifications • MBA or equivalent advanced degree. • Experience selling embedded, edge, or voice/conversational AI, or building SaaS/platform partnerships through an ISV or co-sell motion. • An existing network across rugged-device, wearable, connected-worker, WMS, MES/SCADA/HMI, or EAM/CMMS vendors and systems integrators. • Experience standing up a new market, product line, or territory from the ground up in a start-up or intrapreneurial environment. • Proficiency with CRM and pipeline tools and a structured sales methodology • Additional language capability for global, multilingual markets. • Familiarity with Microsoft and NVIDIA partner ecosystem and motions. Location & Travel • Location: Remote — United States, Canada. • Travel: approximately 30% to customer sites, plants, and industry events. What we offer    We offer a generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to the base salary), including:   Salary range $129,400.00 USD- $207,100.00 USD It is not typical for offers to be made at or near the top of the range. The actual salary will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors.   Annual bonus opportunity   Insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision, life, and disability)   Paid time off   Paid holidays   Company contribution to the 401(k) plan  Equity awards for certain positions and levels   Remote and/or hybrid work available depending on the position  All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable, and may be amended, terminated, or replaced from time to time.    Cerence Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNC and  www.cerence.com ) is the global industry leader in creating unique, moving experiences for the automotive world. Spun out from Nuance in October 2019, Cerence is a new, independent company that has quickly gained traction as a leader in the automotive voice assistant space, working with all of the world’s leading automakers – from Ford and Fiat Chrysler to Daimler, Audi and BMW to Geely and SAIC – to transform how a car feels, responds and learns. Its track record is built on more th