Head of Commercial Operations
Sulzer · Birmingham
Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.
About the role
Sulzer is a global leader in fluid engineering and industrial services. Backed by more than 13,500 employees worldwide, annual sales of CHF 3.6 billion, and a network of over 160 manufacturing and service locations across the globe, Sulzer supports customers in some of the world's most essential industries.Within Sulzer Services, we provide specialist maintenance, repair, retrofit and reliability solutions for rotating equipment, helping customers improve asset performance, reduce downtime and extend equipment life. To support our continued growth, we are seeking a Head of Commercial Operations who will play a pivotal role in driving profitable growth and enhancing customer satisfaction across our UK & Nordics Services business. By optimising sales processes, tools and commercial strategies, you will improve sales effectiveness and efficiency, enabling our teams to deliver greater value to customers and strengthen Sulzer's market position.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and execution of commercial excellence strategies that strengthen sales effectiveness, customer value, and market growth.
- Champion the development and expansion of Long-Term Service Agreements (LTSAs), working closely with Sales, Operations, and Service Centre leaders to identify opportunities and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
- Drive the centralisation, standardisation, and continuous improvement of tendering, proposal management, and bid processes to increase efficiency, improve win rates, and enhance the customer experience.
- Act as the key commercial link between service centres, Sales, Operations, and leadership teams, fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and ensuring a coordinated approach to customer opportunities.
- Provide commercial leadership through performance analysis, pipeline visibility, forecasting, and process optimisation, enabling data-driven decision-making and sustainable profitable growth.
Qualifications/Experience and Knowledge Required
- Extensive experience managing long‑term service agreements, including structuring, negotiating, and optimising multi‑year commercial contracts to maximise customer value and organisational profitability.
- Significant experience in commercial excellence, sales operations, or senior commercial leadership within a complex B2B or technical/engineering environment, with a proven record of driving commercial performance.
- Demonstrated success in delivering strategic commercial initiatives that improve sales effectiveness, grow revenue, enhance profitability, and strengthen long‑term customer outcomes.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability, with hands‑on expertise in CRM platforms, sales‑enablement tools, forecasting systems, and data analytics to inform decision‑making and commercial strategy.
- Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder‑management skills, with the ability to lead cross‑functional programmes, challenge constructively, and drive alignment across senior leadership.
- Proven experience leading transformational projects, developing and improving commercial processes, and building commercial capability at scale to support sustainable growth
What we offer you
- This role can be performed on a hybrid or remote basis, with regular travel across the region as required. Ideally, you will be located within reasonable commuting distance of one of our service centres, enabling you to stay close to our operations, customers, and teams while maintaining strong engagement with day-to-day activities.
- A competitive basic salary
- Annual personal bonus scheme based on company and personal performance
- Private Medical Insurance
- Car/Allowance
- 33 days annual leave.
- Defined pension contributions.
- Access to Medicash helping you cover everyday health costs like dental optical and physiotherapy plus a range of wellbeing perks.
- Confidential support via Employee Assistance Programmes.
- Access to discounts on shopping entertainment lifestyle plus opportunity to apply for Costco membership.
- Discounted personal car leasing for you your family and friends.
- Long Service Awards celebrating your commitment.
- Continuous learning opportunities through Sulzer Learning Pathways.
- As a Silver Award holder of the MoD Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we welcome and support veterans, reservists and Cadet Adult Volunteers with policies for training, camps and deployment, plus a growing internal military network.
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Sulzer is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the strength of a diverse workforce and are committed to offering an inclusive work environment.
We are proud to be recognized as a Top Employer 2026 in Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the USA.