Director of Commercial Operations

The Director of Commercial Operations leads customer facing (commercial) operations with the charter to drive sales efficiency and effectiveness and customer service excellence. Reporting to the Vice President Sales, there are two key functions/teams under the leadership of the Director: 1) Customer Service; and 2) Inside Sales. The Director is a strategic and operational leader responsible for building and optimizing the systems, frameworks, and programs that power a high performing sales organization. In close, cross-functional partnership with Manufacturing, Marketing, and Finance, this role ensures sellers have the capabilities, insights, incentives, and operating rigor needed to drive consistent, profitable growth. The vision for a wholistic approach to Commercial Operations is to drive an optimized cost to acquire and serve customers. The integrated and data driven approach is intended to drive operational effectiveness and growth with robust analytics.

Formica has a significant investment in people and infrastructure to manage and drive the commercial process. The business has relied heavily on territory-based outside sales to engage with current and potential customers, mainly to drive specification for products. Forward plans for the business are to maintain this approach while expanding engagement and commercial relationships further down the value chain. Leveraging proven technologies, process best practices, and an optimized organization will help to mature a systematic and data driven approach to drive commercial and business success. The aim is to cost effectively engage with the targeted areas of the value chain to grow the business and Formica’s position in the market, especially residential.

The Director of Commercial Operations will have the following responsibilities:

1. Lead customer service to drive high customer satisfaction with an optimal overhead footprint, including defining and measuring team KPIs and SLAs, customer satisfaction measurement and resolution, systematizing customer service activities to include in a 360-degree customer view, creating a holistic inside sales-outside sales-customer service value stream, and optimizing approaches with operations.


2. Manage and develop the inside sales team, optimizing customer and opportunity engagement with the field sales team including defining the role of inside sales, enabling a seamless inside-field sales engagement process and 360-degree view utilizing technology (CRM/CDP), collaborating with Marketing on customer journeys and identifying where automation-inside sales-field sales should be applied, leveraging the ~500K annual inbound inquiries, assuring sales velocity, and defining and measuring team KPIs.


3. Own the requirements and prioritization of the commercial tech stack selection, investment, deployment, and user adoption including new technology evaluation, system/tool rationalization, integration with other systems (martech stack), administration, training and data quality/compliance/governance to drive sales team efficiencies and effective business decision making. Systems include (ERP, CRM, CustomerSat, BI, CDP…). Collaborate with IT on systems deployment, maintenance, and improvements.


4. Collaborate with IT/Analytics on the enablement and production of commercial analytics relevant to the lead/opportunity funnel, orderbook, and revenue. Ensuring access to regular reporting and dashboards for the commercial team and company management that inform decision making, ensure effective commercial execution, and align with company growth objectives.
   
   
   
   • Develop monitoring and methodologies to analyze sales metrics and to provide insights, support decisions, and highlight areas for process improvement.
   
   
   • Enable training activities that will ensure sales teams understand and effectively utilize systems and reporting resources.
   
   
   • Create Sales strategies and develop budgets/policies/procedures to support the sales infrastructure.
   
   
   • Collaborate with area and regional sales leaders to develop and execute sales management disciplines and processes for sales excellence
   
   
   
   


5. Direct sales forecasting and planning and actively contribute to the S&OP process. Be the owner of sales performance reporting and outlook by segment.


6. Drive sales strategy and resource deployment by providing analytical thought leadership and meaningful business insights about market conditions, competitors, and Formica’s position in the market while helping to establish strategic priorities for growth.

1. Drive sales operating model through design, implement, and evolve the sales skills framework, sales methodology, and supporting tools. Design and lead Strategic Account Management framework and account prioritization, ensuring consistent account planning and opportunity management. Build and govern the Strategic Account Review process, including cadence, metrics, and executive reporting.

Competencies/Skills:

• Strategic and highly execution-oriented


• Data-driven with strong business judgment and intellectual curiosity


• Effective in ambiguity and transformation


• Credible with both senior leaders and frontline sellers


• Collaborative, pragmatic, and outcomes-focused


• People Management and Development


• “Product Management” of Internal Tools


• Commercial Tech Stack Architecture


• Data Analysis/BI Analytics/Reporting Tools


• Deep expertise in CRM Systems and Commercial Automation


• 360 Degree Customer View


• Customer Satisfaction Measurement


• Process Optimization


• Strategy Development


• Sales and Operations Planning


• Sales Forecasting and Reporting


• Training - Knowledge Development – Change Management


• Demonstrated AI proficiency