Group Commercial Business Unit Director
Hanley Energy, Ashburn, VA, United States
The Group Commercial Business Unit Director is responsible for developing and executing commercial strategies to accelerate Hanley Energy’s growth across existing client relationships and new business acquisition. This role will establish performance metrics and commercial operating rhythm to ensure the business exceeds targets, while working cross-functionally across finance, operations, marketing, and delivery.
The Group Commercial Business Unit Director will lead Group commercial performance, contribute to P&L leadership, strengthen forecasting and pipeline discipline, and ensure consistent execution across territories and global accounts.
Performance Measures
- Gross margin performance and pricing effectiveness
- Pipeline health, conversion rates, and forecast accuracy
- Customer retention, satisfaction, and strategic account growth
- Sales productivity (quota attainment, win-rate, cycle time)
- Team development, hiring plan delivery, and leadership bench strength
Key Responsibilities
- Define and execute commercial strategies to accelerate Group revenue growth.
- Identify market trends and build commercial plans based on opportunities and customer demand.
- Ensure commercial activities align to company objectives and long-term positioning.
- Drive executive-level partnerships with key stakeholders to support growth and scale.
Group Financial Performance & P&L Ownership
- Share Group P&L responsibility in partnership with the CFO and CEO.
- Support the development of budgets and commercial financial systems.
- Regularly review actual sales performance versus budget and take corrective actions where required.
- Provide input into pricing strategy, positioning, and margin performance.
- Lead and manage the commercial and sales teams, improving performance and key metrics.
- Own forecast discipline and provide accurate forecasting on a regular cadence to senior leadership.
- Set expectations and cadence for pipeline reviews, reporting pipeline status and risks.
- Run quarterly business reviews (QBRs), measuring performance against defined KPIs.
- Ensure adoption of tools and processes that improve sales efficiency and operational management.
- Act as a change leader to drive adoption of new selling practices and go-to-market strategy.
Account Leadership & Customer Relationship Management
- Build, plan, and maintain long-term relationships with key accounts and strategic customers.
- Lead and support negotiation of contracts and forecasting for global accounts.
- Drive quarterly customer business reviews and executive briefings across key accounts.
- Facilitate timely issue resolution and escalation management for critical customer matters.
Go-To-Market Planning, Territory & Resource Optimisation
- Develop and execute comprehensive territory and account plans leveraging internal resources.
- Hold teams accountable to deliver territory and account plans for prospects and key customers.
- Partner with Sales Operations on annual quota planning and territory goal-setting.
- Optimise headcount and resources by region aligned to GTM strategy and growth priorities.
- Work with Marketing to develop campaigns and demand generation programs.
- Make budget decisions on field marketing programmes aligned to pipeline growth.
- Approve solutions and value propositions for key complex opportunities.
- Ensure Hanley Energy’s holistic vision is consistently translated into customer value.
- Motivate, coach, and develop high-performing teams and future commercial leaders.
- Drive adoption of solution-selling skills and embed them into day-to-day routines.
- Build a culture of collaboration, accountability, and engagement across the sales organisation.
- Own hiring decisions, compensation inputs, performance counselling, mentorship, and career development.
Required Skills & Experience
Senior Commercial Leadership Experience (non‑negotiable)
- 10+ years in sales/commercial roles, with 5+ years leading leaders (Sales Directors/Regional Heads/Commercial Managers)
- Experience owning revenue growth across multiple markets/regions (or multi‑business unit)
Proven Delivery Against Targets
- Clear evidence of building and executing growth strategy
- Track record of over‑achievement (not just “managed a team”)
Forecasting + Operating Cadence Discipline
- Strong in pipeline management, forecasting accuracy, QBRs
- Experience implementing KPIs / CRM discipline / sales operating rhythm
Strategic Account Capability + Contracting Strength
- Proven ability to manage large complex accounts
- Experience leading commercial negotiation, frameworks/MSAs, pricing, margin protection
Cross‑Functional & P&L‑Level Thinking
- Commercial leader who can work with CFO/CEO on budgeting, margin, pricing, headcount planning
- Comfortable in trading reviews, performance management, corrective actions
Leadership & Talent Development
- Evidence of hiring, developing, coaching and upgrading capability
- Able to lead change and drive standards (not just “be liked”)
- Data centres / critical power / UPS / MV/LV / EPC / energy infrastructure
- Industrial solutions / mission critical environments
- Complex B2B technical sales with long cycles and high‑value projects
Preferred
- Experience in data centre, mission critical power, energy infrastructure, EPC, or adjacent markets
Company Benefits
- Salary with excellent career development opportunities
- Company Healthcare Plan
- Company Pension Scheme
- Death in Service Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programme & Wellbeing Programme
- Academic assistance & Structured In‑house training