Senior Manager- Strategy and Operations

Swagelok•Solon, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Strategy and Operations is responsible for developing, coordinating, and executing strategic initiatives that advance Sales Support priorities and strengthen the Sales and Service Center (SSC) network. Working within the direction of Sales Support leadership, this role translates commercial strategy into actionable plans, improves processes and workflows, supports channel performance and talent development efforts, and collaborates across corporate commercial functions to drive alignment, standardization, and effective execution of Swagelok’s strategic objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum of 10 years of business management, strategy, operations, project management, or commercial experience, preferably with a premium industrial brand.
Experience across multiple business areas such as Sales, Operations, Finance, Business Administration, Organizational Management, Human Resources, or related functions is preferred.
Global and organizational awareness are also preferred.
Applies business, commercial, and operational knowledge at an organizational level.
Demonstrates the ability to manage complex projects and multiple priorities simultaneously.
Uses advanced problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making skills to develop practical recommendations and solutions.
Builds rapport and influences a wide variety of stakeholders, including distributors, customers, internal departments, and senior management.
Works effectively within a matrixed organization through strong communication, contextual understanding, prioritization, and leadership through influence.
Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to develop clear messaging and support change leadership efforts.
Demonstrates excellent computer and typical office software skills.
Maintains agility to connect across multiple regions and time zones, including through virtual collaboration and occasional travel as business needs require.
Strategic mindset
Managing complexity
Enabling change
Planning and aligning
Collaboration

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred
Occasional travel may be required to support business needs, regional engagement, strategic programs, or SSC-related initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead assigned strategic initiatives and operational programs that support successful delivery of Sales Support processes, programs, priorities, SSC performance, and execution of Swagelok’s commercial strategy.
Research, develop, plan, and coordinate long-range goals, recommendations, and process improvements related to sales support operations, channel performance, channel policy, procedures, distributor expectations, organizational effectiveness, and future-state SSC operating models.
Accountability for successful delivery of Distributor Action Plan (DAP) and Distributor Peformance Plan (DPP) and SSC strategic planning activities, including planning inputs, stakeholder alignment, communications, follow-through, and integration of outputs into Sales Support priorities and channel actions.
Support scalability efforts by clarifying operating expectations, aligning with OpEx messaging, assessing SSC requirements, and identifying process, role, communication, or governance changes needed to support growth and consistent execution.
Serve as a primary point of contact for Strategic Sales to translate Differentiation-related expectations, priorities, and commercial strategies into clear SSC actions, implementation requirements, and communication plans.
Provide connectivity across corporate Commercial teams by aligning messaging, priorities, technology initiatives, channel policies, DAP-related insights, and process improvements that affect Sales Support, Strategic Sales, Commercial IT, Markets, and the SSC network.
Lead or support major Sales Support programs, including Amplify workstreams, by coordinating project plans, managing workstream deliverables, supporting change management, and ensuring consistent updates to leadership and key stakeholders.
Support Commercial IT initiatives, including annual projects, continuous improvement efforts, business process requirements, and commercial ownership or coordination responsibilities related to the PIM roadmap.
Translate strategic expectations from Sales Support leadership, Strategic Sales, Commercial IT, Markets, and other stakeholders into discrete actions, project plans, communications, decision points, and measurable deliverables.
Manage cross-functional project execution by aligning stakeholders, tracking milestones, identifying risks, communicating progress, preparing executive and distributor principal updates, and ensuring deliverables are completed in support of approved priorities.
Optimize and support channel reviews with Sales Support leadership, the Vice President, regional directors, and other commercial leaders to create an aligned view of SSC performance and identify opportunities for improvement, best-practice sharing, and follow-through.
Better leverage DAP inputs across Commercial as a source of performance insight, best-practice sharing, knowledge transfer, continuous improvement, and prioritization of network-wide actions.
Advance talent development processes for the SSC network by creating, maintaining, and standardizing approaches for evaluating, developing, and strengthening channel talent pipelines, including supporting use of programs such as GLP and the SSC Sales Excellence Program.
Develop and maintain metrics, performance feedback models, and assessment approaches to evaluate operational effectiveness, channel performance, project outcomes, and continuous improvement opportunities.
Support governance, communication, and change management for strategic forums, programs, events, and initiatives, including strategy boards, channel updates, distributor-facing programs, executive or distributor principal updates, and cross-functional workstream communications.
Elevate use of the strategy board by supporting agenda development, gathering input, facilitating alignment, documenting decisions, and driving actions that support channel priorities and SSC execution.
Lead or support Sales Support events and distributor-facing forums to provide consistency, continuity of message, coordinated follow-up, and alignment of approach across regions and stakeholders.
Provide transition support for SSC or channel-related changes by coordinating inputs, clarifying expectations, supporting communications, documenting actions, and helping ensure continuity for affected stakeholders.
Optimize and simplify Sales Support work processes and workflows, including opportunities to reduce administrative work, improve role clarity, automate or standardize repeatable work, delegate appropriate activities, and increase scalability across the team and SSC network.