Head of Commercial (Sales & Customer Operations)
Nottinghamshire | £60,000 – £65,000 + Bonus + Benefits
Eaton Syalon are exclusively partnering a well-established, growing SME with a strong reputation for quality and supply chain excellence in the appointment of a Head of Commercial.
This is a pivotal role, not focused on individual sales delivery, but on leading, developing and evolving a multi-layered sales and account management function.
Reporting into the senior leadership team, you will take full ownership of sales, account management and customer service teams, with a clear mandate to bring greater structure, visibility and direction to how the function operates.
The business has strong foundations and a loyal customer base. The opportunity now is to unlock the next phase of growth through leadership, alignment and consistency.
The Role
This is not a role focused on maintaining performance.
It is an opportunity to:
Lead and develop a small multi-layered team across:
* Sales
* Account Management
* Customer Service / Support
Introduce clear structure, KPIs and performance frameworks
Move the function from reactive to proactive growth
Shape the commercial strategy — defining how growth is delivered, not just what is delivered
Align commercial activity with operational capability, ensuring what is sold can be delivered effectively
A key focus will be:
* Unlocking value within an existing customer base through structured account development
* Bringing greater visibility and consistency to pipeline and tender activity
* Creating a more forward-looking, insight-led approach to new business
* Building a high-performing, collaborative commercial culture
Key Areas of Focus
Leadership & Team Development
* Lead, coach and develop an established team
* Create clarity around roles, expectations and performance
* Drive improvement through structure and coaching, not disruption
Commercial Strategy & Growth
* Define and implement a scalable commercial approach
* Introduce meaningful KPIs and performance tracking
* Improve pipeline visibility and conversion
Commercial & Operational Alignment
* Work closely with operations, buying and wider teams
* Ensure a joined-up approach between sales, service and delivery
New Business & Tender Strategy
* Strengthen tender approach and win rates
* Build greater forward visibility of opportunities
* Introduce a more structured approach to long sales cycles
The Person
We are seeking a commercial leader, not an individual contributor.
You will have:
* A track record of delivering growth through a team, not purely through personal sales
* Experience leading sales, account management and/or customer service functions
* A background within contract-led, relationship-driven environments
* Experience improving structure, performance and clarity within a commercial function
* Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to balance growth with operational delivery
* Exposure to tenders, pipeline management and longer B2B sales cycles
Sector Experience
We are particularly interested in individuals who have operated within service-led, contract-driven environments, such as:
* Managed services or service-led B2B environments
* B2B distribution, merchanting or managed supply
* Facilities management / outsourced services
* Apparel supply/Business supplies
* B2B distribution, merchanting or managed supply
* Education or public sector-facing organisations
* Healthcare or medical supply
* Promotional products / branded merchandise
* Product-led or manufacturing businesses with a strong service, account management and delivery model
* Catering, hygiene or workplace consumables
Approach & Style
* Able to bring structure and direction without disrupting a positive culture
* Collaborative and credible with both internal teams and customers
* Comfortable operating within an SME environment, where visibility and ownership are high
Why This Role?
This is an opportunity to step into a business with:
* Strong foundations
* A loyal, established customer base
* Clear untapped potential
…and to lead, shape and accelerate the commercial function at a critical stage of growth.