Manager Commercial Operations Jobs in Chicago, IL

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The Director, Commercial Strategy and Operations serves as a strategic business partner to executive and commercial leadership, driving profitable growth through commercial strategy, organizational transformation, operational excellence, and disciplined execution. This role leads commercial operations, business planning, governance, and performance management while helping shape enterprise strategy, improve organizational effectiveness, and enable scalable growth across a complex, global manufacturing organization.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, data-driven executive who combines strong commercial and financial acumen with a proven ability to lead large, complex organizations through change. They bring the executive presence to influence senior leaders, develop high-performing teams, align cross-functional stakeholders, and deliver sustainable results through strategic thinking, operational excellence, and disciplined execution.

If you're a hands-on, self-starting leader who brings strong business judgment, exceptional leadership capability, and a consistent approach to solving complex challenges, apply today!

What You Will Do

Commercial Strategy & Operations

• Lead commercial strategy execution by optimizing pricing, improving commercial processes, and enabling faster, data-driven decision-making to support profitable growth.
• Oversee partner programs, rebates, incentives, and channel initiatives, ensuring alignment, governance, and consistent execution.
• Enhance commercial reporting and analytics capabilities by leveraging data to provide insights that support executive and commercial decision-making.
• Partner with IT and business stakeholders to improve commercial systems, processes, and tools for scalability and effectiveness.

Change Leadership & Organizational Capability

• Lead enterprise-wide transformation initiatives that improve commercial effectiveness, operational execution, and organizational capability.
• Drive adoption of standardized frameworks, processes, and tools that promote consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop leaders and teams by fostering a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and execution.
• Partner with business leaders to identify opportunities, simplify processes, and strengthen organizational effectiveness.

Strategic Business Partnership & Performance Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership by translating business strategy into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Support strategic decision-making by providing clear analysis, scenarios, risks, and recommendations related to commercial and operational priorities.
• Partner across Sales, Product Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to resolve complex challenges and accelerate execution.
• Lead forecasting, planning, and performance management processes to align commercial strategies with enterprise objectives.

Governance, Financial Stewardship & Risk Management

• Establish commercial governance frameworks, pricing guardrails, and decision rights that balance customer needs, profitability, and risk.
• Ensure financial discipline through effective controls, compliance, and data integrity while enabling sound business decisions.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex commercial decisions involving pricing, contracts, channel programs, and business exceptions.
• Partner with Legal, Sales, Product Management, and Finance to evaluate business risks and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.

What You Will Bring

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related discipline required; MBA preferred.
• Experience: 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in commercial operations, business strategy, finance, sales operations, or general management within a global manufacturing organization, preferably within the electrical, network infrastructure, industrial technology, or related technical products industry. Proven experience leading large, complex teams with multiple layers of direct and indirect reports, driving transformation, and delivering measurable results in a multi-site, global environment.
• Skills: Strong commercial acumen with the ability to develop and execute business strategies, translate complex data into actionable insights, solve business challenges, establish scalable processes, and improve organizational effectiveness.
• Interpersonal Skills: Executive-level communication and influencing skills with the ability to build credibility with senior leaders, align cross-functional stakeholders, develop high-performing teams, and drive accountability across a global organization.
• Work Environment: Proven success operating within a global, matrixed organization while managing competing priorities, navigating ambiguity, and leading through change in a fast-paced environment.
• Travel: Ability to travel up to 20%.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive Pay & Benefits: Enjoy a robust Total Rewards Program that includes health, financial benefits, and more.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible work options to help you achieve the perfect work-life balance. This role will require you to be in the office 50% of the time (schedule based on manager's discretion).
• Generous Time Off: Take advantage of our generous vacation, sick days, holidays, plus a volunteer day to give back to the community.
• Retirement & Growth: 401(k) match, profit sharing, and abundant growth and development opportunities to help you advance your career.
• Parental Leave: Because we care about your family and your future.

Compensation: The expected annual base salary range for this role is $200,000 - $230,000. This role qualifies for an incentive plan based on individual and company performance. Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

Making the connections that matter. Join us and apply online to be part of the Panduit team. We believe great ideas thrive when every voice is welcomed, valued, and empowered. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to fostering a workplace culture where inclusion, belonging, and accountability are woven into everything we do. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Panduit will not sponsor applicants for work visas now or in the future. All roles, including remote positions, require an in-person interview as part of the hiring process.