Interim Global Head of Deal Desk

Fivetran•Oakland, CA

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Interim Global Head of Deal Desk to lead the evolution of our worldwide Deal Desk function for a rapidly scaling SaaS business exceeding $450M in ARR. This senior leader will facilitate the frameworks, processes, and governance that enable predictable, efficient, and commercially sound deal execution across all regions and segments. The Interim Global Head of Deal Desk will serve as a critical partner to Sales, Finance, Legal, Product, Systems, and Partner Marketplace teams—driving alignment on deal structure, commercial policy, and risk mitigation. This role requires an executive-level operator who can move seamlessly between long-term strategy and hands-on problem solving. The ideal candidate has a proven track record scaling Deal Desk in a global, complex, high-growth SaaS environment and excels at leading teams through change. This is a full-time, fixed-term (initially 6 months), hybrid position based out of our Denver, CO or Oakland, CA offices.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in Deal Desk, Revenue Operations, or Commercial Operations within a global SaaS or subscription-based business.
5+ years of experience leading and scaling high-performing teams, ideally in a senior director or equivalent leadership role.
Deep expertise with CPQ, Salesforce, CLM systems (preferably Ironclad), and marketplace transaction models.
Strong command of SaaS pricing strategy - specifically consumption-based pricing models, commercial governance, discounting and margin considerations, and contract risk mitigation.
Track record of building scalable deal processes, implementing robust approval frameworks, and improving deal velocity in complex environments.
Proven ability to influence and collaborate with senior executives across Sales, Finance, Legal, Systems, and Product.
Exceptional analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Executive-level communication skills with the ability to articulate complex concepts simply and persuasively.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision Execute the global vision for the Deal Desk organization, ensuring alignment with company growth objectives and revenue strategy.
Advise on the operating model, team structure, and governance framework needed to support a global enterprise sales engine.
Serve as an advisor on commercial strategy, pricing trends and deal health.
Deal Systems, Infrastructure & Scalability Help support the strategy and roadmap for deal infrastructure to ensure scalable, efficient, and compliant deal execution.
Working with our Systems team, drive system enhancements that increase automation, improve data integrity, and reduce operational friction for sellers and cross-functional stakeholders.
Partner with Legal, Finance, and Systems leadership to maintain a unified, high-quality quoting and contracting experience.
Commercial Guidance & Executive Escalation Provide strategic counsel to senior sales leadership and account teams on complex deal structures, pricing options, concessions, and negotiation strategy.
Act as an advisor for high-risk, non-standard, or strategically significant commercial discussions.
Balance commercial creativity with rigorous governance, ensuring predictable, policy-aligned deal outcomes.
Deal Governance & Cross-Functional Alignment Document and enforce global approval policies, SLAs, and commercial guardrails across Sales, Finance, and Legal.
Lead alignment on commercial exceptions, and deal risk mitigation.
Partner with Finance leadership to ensure revenue predictability, deal hygiene, and commercial compliance.
Marketplace Strategy & Operations Oversee marketplace operations across AWS, GCP, Azure, Snowflake, and Databricks, ensuring a streamlined and compliant transaction experience for customers.
Shape policies and operational standards for Fivetran’s marketplace presence.
Drive cross-functional alignment with Finance, Product, and vendor partners to optimize marketplace transaction efficiency and financial accuracy.
Customer Buying Experience Support the design and continuous refinement of a global purchasing experience that is intuitive, transparent, and scalable.
Simplify processes, reduce friction, and create predictable pathways for customers and internal teams navigating the buying journey.
Ensure sales and supporting teams are fully enabled on deal processes, systems, and policies.
Team Leadership & Organizational Development Mentor and inspire a high-performing global Deal Desk organization.
Foster a culture of accountability, operational excellence, commercial rigor, and exceptional partnership with Sales.