Director of Commercial Operations

Job Details: Job Location: Kansas City, MO 64120, Position Type: Exempt, Duties and Responsibilities

Operational:

• Be a practitioner and proponent of lean manufacturing. Adopt and implement lean in applicable areas of the value stream in area of responsibility.
• Review and evaluate financial statements
• Work with Director of Logistics to ensure proper inventory levels are maintained and meet the needs of our customers.
• Have regular update meetings with Manufacturing to communicate customer and market information.
• Lead and oversee demand planning for the sales team, ensuring alignment with Operations on forecasting and budgeting.
• Collaborate closely with Logistics to set, monitor and achieve proper inventory targets, ensuring that inventory levels meet customer needs and company standards.
• Ensure effective inventory turnover by monitoring slow-moving inventory and implementing strategies to optimize stock levels.

Sales:

• Set policy for national and regional pricing (including any increases) and make major final pricing decisions relative to their product families.
• Set national policy for returns and warranties (Return Goods Authorizations) on all Milbank products and platforms.
• Overall responsibility for new product market research, evaluation and recommendations for development.
• Approve all inventory requests submitted by the Sales team, maintaining full accountability for inventory decisions and outcomes.
• Align our internal teams with manufacturing reps to foster strong relationships.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Sales to promote growth and enhance profitability.
• Work with VP and other directors to build engagement with our reps and customers.

Product Development/Management:

• Overall responsibility for new product market research, evaluation and recommendations for development
• The team is responsible for organizing and leading product training and pricing seminars for employees, representatives and customers.
• Share product roadmap updates with the team and management, coordinating with Engineering and product managers to align priorities with customer needs.

Financial:

• Work with VP and Director of Sales to oversee customer rebate programs that promote profitable sales growth.
• Monitor Sales team gross margin and take action to increase it.
• Understand income statement and educate others about decisions that impact Milbank’s profit.

Competencies

• Product Strategy and Execution – Ability to define and lead product roadmaps.
• Regulatory Compliance – Strong understanding of industry standards and certifications.
• Cross-Functional Leadership – Effective at aligning Sales, Engineering and Operations.
• Industry and Utility Engagement – Builds and maintains strategic utility relationships.
• Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving – Balances technical feasibility with market demand.

Leadership:

• Ability to influence others in a desired direction using goals, training, standard/rules, recognition, coaching, team spirit, assistance, initiatives, self-control, honesty and priority setting to achieve business results
• Ability to delegate and optimize the efficiency of an individual or group while maintaining personal control and a balanced approach
• Ability to communicate effectively and listens attentively: clarifies and restates, uses good grammar, persuades effectively, asks for feedback, invites participation, is enthusiastic and continually checks for understanding
• Ability to recognize performance strengths and limitations of subordinates and can effectively coach them to achieve their maximum potential
• Ability to act in a professional and mature manner both inside and outside the organization while making a favorable impression through behavioral and business acumen
• Ability to understand business goals and translates into short-term actions for self and others
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects
• Ability to manage personnel issues decisively and fairly

Planning and Organization Skills:

• Ability to establish efficient courses of action for self and others including priority setting and process checkpoints
• Ability to develop comprehensive, well defined and realistic plans; execute all facets of the plans while maximizing the use of available resources to complete the plan
• Ability and willingness to delegate effectively, assign responsibilities, communicate expectations, allow for individual flexibility, provide follow-up to gain closure and allow authority required for independent actions

Team-Based Orientation:

• Ability and willingness to consider the impact of one’s own decisions on others, both inside and outside of their immediate work group
• Ability to be effective in cross-functional integration and able to focus on larger, organizational goals rather than narrow, territorial or individual concerns
• Ability to collaborate with other individuals toward common goals by demonstrating respect, listening to others’ points of view, avoiding defensiveness, expressing personal viewpoints with tact, avoiding blaming others or finger-pointing and being persuasive without personal attacks or intimidation

Results Drive and Attitude:

• Ability to set and work toward elevated levels of organizational performance
• Ability to make a commitment to a particular course of action under all levels of uncertainty and situations that lack incomplete information
• Ability to maintain personal and team stamina and productivity over long hours and has the commitment to results that drives beyond the minimum requirements of effort and activity
• Ability to form fact-based opinions and inputs and the willingness to defend their position, even when their position is unpopular
• Ability to maintain good attitude toward work and others under all business conditions
• Ability and desire to learn new processes and procedures to improve business performance
• Ability to lead actions that encourage trust and mutual respect among subordinates, peers and upper management

Travel Required:

Up to 30%

Hours:

Regular 40-hour workweek. Overtime as needed to complete tasks.

Working Conditions:

Office and plant setting

Qualifications: Position Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in business.
• Experience/Skills/Abilities: 10+ years’ experience in sales/operational planning (preferably electrical distribution and utility industry). Ideal candidate will have experience in manufacturing, engineering and sales. Must be able to communicate and motivate all levels of personnel inside and outside company. Must have good financial and business acumen and have experience with product lifecycle management. A strategic thinker with the ability to operationalize long-term and short-term business plans.

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