Commercial Director - Operations - BFSI/FinTech

Role: Commercial Chief Of Operations

Role Summary: The Commercial COO will be responsible for driving commercial success by overseeing key business areas, including sales performance management, deal management, business forecasting, and the optimization of sales tools (such as CRM systems). This role requires a high-energy, execution-focused individual with deep expertise in sales and deal management who thrives in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.

The role entails the following responsibilities:

Sales Performance Management:

- Sales Strategy & Execution: Develop and execute sales origination strategies to meet revenue and asset growth targets.

- Performance Leadership: Establish and lead a world-class sales performance management process that motivates the team, tracks performance metrics, and drives continuous improvement.

- Market Engagement: Represent the business at client and industry events, promoting trade and supply chain finance solutions.

- Establish specific, measurable goals for trade finance products and services to be sold to corporate clients. This could include targets for volume, revenue, number of clients, specific product targets.

- Implement systems and processes to monitor progress towards these targets. This may involve regular reporting on KPIs, user of CRM to track client interactions, and periodic performance reviews against targets.

- Meet or exceed the established sales targets by developing and executing effective sales strategies for trade finance products, identifying new business opportunities within the existing client base.

Deal Management:

- Deal Structuring: Ensure all necessary insurance and compartment/insurer eligibility criteria are met for successful deal placement.

- Problem Solving: Actively collaborate with the commercial team to solve deal execution challenges, identifying the best paths forward for successful outcomes.

- Process Leadership: Lead and run regular deal execution processes, continuously identifying and implementing process improvements.

- Escalation Management: Proactively address roadblocks and escalate issues as necessary to keep deals on track.

Business Forecasting:

- Data-Driven Insights: Provide reliable business forecasting to inform internal processes, including liquidity planning, revenue projections, and resource allocation.

- Collaboration: Work closely with finance and other teams to ensure that forecasts are aligned with strategic objectives.

Sales Tools & CRM Management:

- Tool Optimization: Oversee the management and optimization of sales tools, especially CRM systems, to ensure the sales team is fully equipped to track and close deals effectively.

- System Improvements: Continuously review and improve sales tools and technologies to streamline processes and maximize efficiency.

- Use insights from performance tracking to identify areas for improvement in the sales process, adjust sales strategies, forecast future performance and future targets.

Skills and experience:

- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, or a related field.

- 10+ years of experience in commercial roles within financial services, fintech platforms, or payment companies.

- Proven experience in sales performance management, deal execution, and sales forecasting.

- This includes setting, tracking, and achieving sales targets and quotas with a focus on pipeline metrics analysis and conversion rates.

- The candidate is expected to lead regular weekly and monthly sales meetings to track and report progress.

- Data Usage: Ability to use sales data analysis, market trends, and performance metrics (such as SQLs, MQLs, sales cycle length, sales activity metrics, and pipeline velocity) to inform decision-making and improve conversion rates.

- Experience selling trade finance solutions, such as supply chain finance, dynamic discounting, and receivables finance, is a strong plus.

- Strong knowledge of CRM systems and sales tools, with proven experience optimizing them for performance and efficiency.

- A hustler mentality, with the ability to motivate teams and get results in a fast-paced, high pressure environment.

- Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to proactively address and resolve challenges.

- Strong communication and relationship management skills, able to represent the company with clients and partners.