Business Lead, Industrial Software - AI Forward

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Fluent Software Group, part of Valsoft Corporation, is looking for a commercially sharp, transformation-oriented leader to step into the Business Lead/Managing Director role for one of our companies in the Industrial Vertical. This is a high-impact opportunity to take ownership of a profitable, established software business and drive the next phase of its evolution: modernizing the platform, embedding AI across operations and product, and capturing growth.  

The right candidate is a next-generation operator who combines strategic clarity with commercial hunger. You don’t need decades in industrial software, but you understand complex B2B environments, earn trust quickly with operators, and know how to turn legacy potential into compounding growth. You’re equally at home reading a P&L, shaping a product roadmap, and challenging a sales team to close bigger. 

You’ll operate with real autonomy, backed by Fluent’s portfolio leadership, proven playbooks, and leading a team of 20–30 people with room to grow. 

ABOUT FLUENT SOFTWARE GROUP 

Fluent Software Group is Valsoft Corporation’s operating group for vertical market software. We acquire, operate, and grow specialized software businesses where deep industry expertise creates durable competitive advantage. At Fluent, we partner with founders and operators to actively scale what they’ve built, bringing hands-on operators, proven playbooks, and the resources to accelerate growth so businesses don’t just continue; they compound and go further. 

THE ROLE 

As Managing Director, you own the business, strategy, revenue, product, and people. You’re accountable for scaling an established platform, building out the team, and positioning the division to lead its vertical for the next decade. 

This role is designed for a business transformation leader who brings AI fluency, commercial edge, and the operational discipline to execute. You set direction, remove obstacles, and hold the team to outcomes that matter. 

NOTE: We welcome candidates from a range of backgrounds and experience levels — what matters is commercial sharpness, a people-first leadership style, and the AI mindset to push products further.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

P&L Ownership & Business Performance 

• Own full P&L accountability for the Industrial Vertical, with targets covering ARR, EBITDA, Rule of 40, and NRR 

• Set and communicate annual, quarterly, and monthly financial and operational goals across all functions 

• Drive revenue growth through disciplined forecasting, pipeline management, and commercial team accountability 

• Identify and execute strategies for cross-sell, upsell, and expansion into adjacent verticals within industrial distribution 

• Report results and strategic progress to Fluent’s Portfolio Manager and Operating Group President 

Business Transformation & AI Strategy 

• Lead a structured transformation of the business: operating model, go-to-market motion, product positioning, and internal workflows 

• Define and drive the division’s AI maturity roadmap, from assisted tooling to agentic workflows that reduce manual effort and compound value 

• Champion AI adoption across sales operations, customer success, R&D delivery, and financial forecasting with accountability for measurable outcomes 

• Partner with R&D to embed AI features directly into the product, evolving it from a system of record to a system of action 

• Govern AI tool adoption across the division, maintaining data security, compliance, and vendor accountability 

• Hold teams accountable for AI outcomes: time saved, decisions automated, costs avoided, and quality improvements 

Sales & Commercial Leadership 

• Lead and develop the sales organization across business development, account management, and sales operations 

• Build best-in-class sales infrastructure: CRM hygiene, quota structures, compensation plans, and pricing optimization 

• Maintain and grow key relationships with large accounts; serve as executive sponsor for strategic clients 

• Establish KPIs and performance dashboards to measure CAC, LTV, MRR/NRR trends, and rep productivity 

• Develop and maintain competitive intelligence programs to inform product and go-to-market strategy 

Product & R&D 

• Ensure clear, market-driven product roadmaps are established, prioritized, and executed 

• Balance R&D investment between new feature develop