Location: United States - Minneapolis, MN
Pay: $104,000 - $156,000
Automation Advisor - Transportation & AviationAirports | Airlines | Transit | Rail | Ports | Passenger Terminals
Own an account-based transportation growth strategy, with aviation at its center, that navigates public authorities, operators, contractors, airlines, and complex facility ecosystems.
Location: Open to candidates in any location or remote.The Transportation & Aviation Automation Advisor is Tennant Robotics market expert for airports and the broader transportation sector. The role places particular emphasis on aviation and requires a practical understanding of airport and port authorities, airlines, terminal operators, concession and facility-management partners, public procurement, security-sensitive operations, and multi-party decision structures.
Market Mission- Build and execute a national account-based strategy for priority airports, authorities, airlines, passenger terminals, transit systems, rail, and ports.
- Develop relationships across the authority, operator, airline, contractor, BSC, concession, and facility-management ecosystem.
- Create scalable automation programs for large, high-traffic, extended-hour, security-sensitive transportation environments.
Core Responsibilities- Develop and Advance Robotics Opportunities
- Build and maintain a focused portfolio of high-potential targets, including new customers, existing Tennant customers not yet using robotics, and installed-base expansion opportunities.
- Research target organizations, stakeholders, operating environments, business priorities, and automation maturity.
- Create informed outreach and account-based pursuit strategies with field sales, strategic accounts, channel partners, Marketing, and leadership.
Lead Discovery and Solution Development- Understand the customer's cleaning operation, labor model, workflow, facility conditions, performance requirements, and business objectives.
- Evaluate automation fit, identify readiness risks, and translate customer challenges into clear use cases and measurable outcomes.
- Design the evaluation pathway, including site assessments, demonstrations, testing, pilots, success criteria, and multi-site validation.
Build the Business Case- Translate capabilities into operational and financial value, including labor optimization, consistency, safety, data visibility, service support, and scalability.
- Develop credible ROI assumptions and adapt the value proposition for operations, facilities, procurement, finance, IT, security, and executive stakeholders.
- Position automation as a long-term operating capability rather than a stand-alone equipment purchase.
Orchestrate the Opportunity- Serve as commercial quarterback when designated, maintaining the opportunity strategy, stakeholder map, risks, next actions, and path to decision.
- Coordinate account teams, technical resources, Customer Success, Service, Product, Engineering, Marketing, Pricing, and executive sponsors.
- Maintain accurate CRM information and provide a reality-based view of timing, customer commitment, deployment readiness, and deal risk.
Transportation and Aviation Market Leadership- Map governance, ownership, operating, contracting, and procurement structures for priority transportation accounts.
- Identify decision-makers and influencers across facilities, terminal operations, custodial services, procurement, engineering, innovation, finance, IT/security, sustainability, and executive leadership.
- Develop evaluation strategies for terminals, concourses, baggage and support areas, parking structures, maintenance facilities, depots, and other large transportation spaces.
- Coordinate account-based pursuits across local sales teams, strategic accounts, BSCs, facility operators, distributors, and executive sponsors.
- Create directive aviation and transportation training that helps local teams understand entry points, buying groups, authority structures, and opportunity-development steps.
Experience and Capabilities- Bachelor's and minimum of 7-10 years of strategic sales, account-based marketing, business-development, or facilities experience in aviation, transportation, infrastructure, public authorities, or adjacent markets.
- Demonstrated ability to navigate complex accounts with public and private stakeholders.
- Strong operational discovery, stakeholder mapping, executive communication, pilot design, and commercial judgment.
- Ability to travel 25% nationally for account development, site evaluations, industry events, and field enablement.
Preferred Background- Experience selling into airports, airport authorities, airlines, transit agencies, rail operators, ports, passenger-terminal operators, or their service partners.
- Knowledge of authority governance, public procurement, facility-management agreements, operating partners, and security-sensitive environments.
- Aviation-focused ABM, strategic-account, capital-equipment, facilities-technology, automation, or infrastructure background.
- Established transportation-industry relationships and experience with multi-site or network deployments.
Critical Competencies- Aviation and authority-account fluency.
- Sophisticated stakeholder and ecosystem mapping.
- Operational judgment in high-traffic, continuously operating environments.
- Account-based discipline, executive credibility, persistence, and collaborative orchestration.
Measures of Success- Access and qualified pipeline within priority aviation and transportation accounts.
- Clear account plans covering authorities, operators, airlines, contractors, and service partners.
- Progression from site evaluation to pilot, procurement, deployment, and network expansion.
- Effective transportation playbooks and field enablement.
- Strong forecast accuracy, risk visibility, and cross-functional coordination.
Total Compensation = Pay range + BenefitsPosted salary ranges are made in good faith. Tennant Sales and Service Co. reserves the right to adjust ranges depending on the experience/qualifications of the selected candidate as well as internal and external equity. The salary range reflects both entry into the role and future growth. Total Compensation = Base Salary + Benefits
Benefits = A comprehensive benefits package including multiple medical plan options, 401(k) with a 100% match up to 6%, paid vacation time, 8 paid company holidays and 3 personal holidays dental and vision coverage, wellness rewards, robust family support programs, company-paid disability and life insurance, and a full Employee Assistance Program.
