Sr. Manager, Deal Desk Team & Operations

Job Description

Job Description

About Merlin Group

Merlin Group operates at the intersection of cyber innovation, national security, and technology-driven transformation. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of high-impact technologies across the U.S. public sector and regulated commercial markets, Merlin is uniquely structured around three core tenets – Invest, Enable, and Scale – each designed to address a specific stage of the technology lifecycle. Together, our affiliates – Merlin Ventures, CGC, and Merlin Cyber – form a flywheel that builds enduring capability for customers, partners, and the broader cyber ecosystem, operationalizing technological advancement into mission-ready, enterprise-grade solutions.

At Merlin, we believe our strength lies in our people. Team members are encouraged to be creative, collaborative, and nimble, pursuing paths to deliver the cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions that our customers rely on. From next-generation cyber defense to secure cloud and AI, we are united by one purpose – transforming innovation into mission impact.

The Opportunity

The Senior Manager of the Deal Desk Team and Operations runs the Deal Desk and keeps the sales organization operating efficiently day-to-day. This role owns the quote and purchase order (PO) approval process, approves pricing and non-standard deal terms, and manages a team of deal desk managers. It is also responsible for keeping CRM data, deal records, and pipeline information accurate and current — so the VP of Field Operations and the Finance team have clean, reliable data to drive forecasting and territory planning.

The right person is hands-on, detail-oriented, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment — at ease serving as the approval authority on deals and keeping quotes moving without sacrificing accuracy. They spend their time reviewing deals, keeping the CRM clean, running reports, fixing broken processes, and coaching a team.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Deal Desk Management

• Own and oversee the quote and purchase order (PO) approval process, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely turnaround for the field.
• Serve as the approval authority (and escalation point) for pricing, discounting, and non-standard deal terms within established guardrails.
• Lead and manage a team of deal desk managers, setting standards, workload distribution, and service-level expectations.
• Maintain deal desk policies, approval workflows, and documentation to support consistent, scalable deal execution.
• Partner with Account Executives, Business Unit Executives, and the VP of Field Operations on deal structuring and order accuracy.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance on deal reconciliation, purchase orders, and payments.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with Merlin partners.

Data Integrity & Reporting Support

• Keep CRM data, deal records, and pipeline information accurate, complete, and up to date.
• Maintain clean forecasting inputs — deal stages, close dates, amounts, and updates — so the VP of Field Operations and the Finance team can forecast reliably.
• Build and maintain dashboards and reports that give Deal Managers, Account Executives, and Business Unit Executives visibility into deals and pipeline.

Sales Operations & Execution

• Support the deal desk and sales planning process by supplying accurate deal desk data to the VP of Field Operations and the Finance team.
• Administer territory and opportunity assignments in the CRM as set by leadership, and keep them current as changes occur.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline sales processes and reduce administrative burden on field teams.
• Maintain operational cadences and standard operating procedures across the sales organization.

CRM & Sales Tools

• Serve as the power user and day-to-day owner of Salesforce and connected sales tools, driving adoption across the field team.
• Own CRM data hygiene, pipeline accuracy, and reporting integrity.
• Partner with the Business Operations team on system enhancements, requirements, and testing — acting as the voice of the deal desk.
• Coordinate any needed training on deal desk tools, processes, and workflows.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team.
• Set clear objectives, development plans, and performance expectations.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and execution.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Analytics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, or Field Operations.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience, including managing a deal desk or transactional operations team.
• Strong expertise in deal desk operations, quote/PO approval processes, CRM data management, and sales reporting. Familiarity with how forecasting and territory planning use CRM data.
• Hands-on proficiency with Salesforce or a similar CRM tool and with MS Excel.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, and effective in a fast-paced environment with high deal volume and shifting priorities.

Key Competencies

• Deal Desk & Approval Governance
• Operational Execution
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Process Improvement
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Effective Communication Skills
• Results Orientation

Success Attributes

• Timely, accurate quote and PO approvals with a well-run deal desk.
• Accurate and reliable CRM data, pipeline, and forecasting inputs.
• Appropriate CRM adoption and data completeness across the sales organization.
• Reliable, on-time reporting that leadership and Finance trust for planning.
• A well-run, retained deal desk team.

Benefits & Perks

We want to empower and inspire employees to be and do their best. Our workdays are dynamic, collegial, and fun. Our office features multiple places to work unconstrained by typical office barriers. Our wellness package provides access to an on-site gym and includes medical, dental, and vision insurance along with options for FSA and EAP. We offer 401(k) with employer match, unlimited PTO, and a culture respectful of the reality that not everything in one’s personal life is guaranteed to happen only after hours.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.