Sales Operations Manager- Commercial, Ford Energy

The Sales Operations Manager - Commercial Contract is a high-impact functional role responsible for defining, executing, and safeguarding the commercial contract pipeline and sales operations frameworks within the Ford Energy Sales Organization. In this role, you will serve as the lead authority on structuring, negotiating, and executing complex commercial transactions for utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and integrated energy infrastructure projects.

As a commercial expert, you will directly oversee the execution of Ford Energy’s most strategic customer-facing negotiations while establishing the standardized sales operations playbooks, risk mitigation frameworks, and deal-approval governance for the organization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Functional Leadership & Commercial Frameworks
   • Standardized Sales Operations: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of standardized commercial contracting processes, pricing models, and deal-review governance tailored for BESS projects.

   • Tools & Systems Architecture: Champion the adoption and optimization of advanced Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools, CRM systems, and commercial tracking databases to ensure seamless transaction execution.

      

2. High-Stakes Deal Execution & Negotiation
   • Direct Customer Negotiations: Take personal accountability for leading high-stakes, customer-facing negotiations and closing Ford Energy’s largest, most complex, or high-risk BESS product supply and service contracts.
   • Risk Mitigation & Analysis: Conduct rigorous commercial and operational risk analyses on proposed deals, designing creative structuring solutions to resolve complex terms while protecting company profitability.

   • Cross-Functional Alignment: Function as the central coordinator across Sales, Legal, Finance, Engineering, Procurement, and Manufacturing by facilitating communication, tracking dependencies, and breaking through bottlenecks, and ensuring negotiated commitments are aligned, understood, and executable.

      

3. Stakeholder & Customer Management
   • Contractual Resolution: Navigate and resolve complex post-signature contract modifications, disputes, and commercial changes both internally and with external partners and our customers. 

You'll have...
Required:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, Economics, or a related field.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in sales operations, commercial contract management, deal structuring, or a related customer-facing commercial role (or 8+ years with a Master's degree).
• Negotiation Expertise: Strong background in leading direct, customer-facing negotiations for high-value capital equipment, utility-scale projects, or complex industrial supply agreements.
• Collaborative Capability: Demonstrated ability to lead fast-paced, startup-style initiatives with influence, and drive consensus within a large, highly matrixed organization—balancing speed, ambiguity, and structure to deliver results.
• Execution Excellence: Highly organized and meticulous, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and shift timelines in a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment.

Even better, you may have...
Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep domain knowledge of BESS, utility-scale power systems, renewable energy markets, or grid-scale infrastructure. 
• Experience implementing or managing enterprise-level Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems. Demonstrated ability to lead fast-paced, startup-style initiatives within a large, highly matrixed organization—balancing speed, ambiguity, and structure to deliver results

Leadership Attributes:

• Commercial Leader: Able to establish and execute standardized sales operations frameworks and deal-governance guidelines, ensuring operational readiness to scale commercial transactions.
• Collaborative Facilitator: Skilled at quickly and efficiently “connect the dots” across teams—identifying dependencies, surfacing risks early, and driving resolution to keep initiatives on track bridging gaps and building operational consensus between Sales, Legal, Finance, Engineering, and external customers to drive aligned execution.
• Negotiation Champion: Maintains a direct, relentless focus on deal velocity, contract quality, and risk management, ensuring our most complex commercial commitments are successfully structured and closed with both internal and external alignment.
• Thrives in Ambiguity: Possesses a startup mindset, taking initiative and driving outcomes while collaborating effectively within a large, matrixed organization.
• People Mentor: Enthusiastic about leading, mentoring, and elevating commercia