Sales Operations Manager
Date: May 10, 2023
Location: Columbia, MD, US, 21044
Company: W. R. Grace & Co.
Requisition ID: 21954
Built on talent, technology, and trust, Grace is a leading global supplier of catalysts and engineered materials. The company’s two industry-leading business segments—Catalysts Technologies and Materials Technologies—provide innovative products, technologies, and services that enhance the products and processes of our customers around the world. Grace employs approximately 4,300 people in over 30 countries.
Job Description
Grace is seeking a Sales Operations Manager to join our Sales team! This role reports to the Sales Enablement Director located at our corporate headquarters in Columbia, MD.
This position is the Sales Operations liaison between the regions and corporate and has two main focus areas: First is the responsibility for proactively managing, analyzing, coordinating, and communicating monthly and forward-looking sales demand forecast data to ensure linkage between functions that support it (Sales, Demand Planning, Supply, Order Fulfillment, Finance, Marketing, etc.). This process requires leadership and key decision-making skills related to the timely analysis and reporting required to support business decisions and reporting to Executive Leadership. The second key focus area involves management of the sales contracting (proposal) process, including contract management, management of pricing process, pricing analysis, process discipline, and customer strategies reporting.
Responsibilities
- Partner with demand- determine opportunities built into the financial forecast
- Work with sales to ensure Salesforce.com data accuracy to support the forecast
- Utilize analytics to identify and assess patterns related to customer, pricing, and margin data and influences.
- Manage and oversee customer pricing approvals, pricing analytics and process adherence
- Manage and communicate clear summary of customer forecasts, risks and opportunities against forecast in support of planning and business activities. Communicate prioritization.
- Work closely with cross-functional teams to identify options and solutions to mitigate execution risks
- Order execution support. Open order tracking; invoice tracking, check for accuracy
- Identify and implement process improvements required to improve forecast accuracy, business planning and process discipline across the sales cycle.
- Ensure customer contracts and proposals include right language to support business goals. Tracking of adherence to key terms.
- Manage and update metal forecast which includes metal index data.
- Manage routine touchpoints with partner organizations on order execution and timing to feed forecast.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree
- Minimum of 7+ years in a sales demand forecasting, S&OP, accounting, financial roles or other relevant experience
- CRM and demand planning systems experience
- Strong analytical ability and understanding of financial impact of business dynamics and forecast changes
- Ability to summarize, report, and communicate sales demand shifts and dynamics.
- Deep understanding of the processes associated with the sales cycle and the ability to influence the process to deliver business results
- Excellent judgment. Ability to think critically to integrate and assess various sales and financial inputs and make decisions in support of business goals
- Attention to detail and accuracy. Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage and prioritize multiple issues simultaneously
- Excellent knowledge of Excel, including pivot tables and models.
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA or above
- 10+ years in a sales demand forecasting, S&OP, accounting, financial roles or other relevant experience
- Specific SAP and Salesforce.com experience
Grace is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Grace via email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Grace. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Grace as a result of the referral or through other means.
Nearest Major Market: Baltimore