Commercial Strategy Manager- Contract Negotiation

Summary

The Commercial Strategy Manager is responsible for directly engaging with commercial customers on strategic, complex nonstandard opportunities that will drive growth while ensuring alignment with Workiva business objectives. This individual contributor will partner with internal cross-functional stakeholders to creatively address our customers’ challenges and empower our customers to rapidly grow through innovative solutions. This role leads the deal engagement by creating an actionable strategy and deal structure.

Responsibilities

Deal Strategy and Negotiation

• Acts as a trusted advisor and thought leader for Sales, Deal Desk, and the customer in the development of complex nonstandard deal strategy with a focus on the commercial aspects of the deal and associated contractual business terms

• Partners with the customer, Sales, and Value Management team to help set objectives, analyze priorities, and ensure customer executive alignment on the strategy for the opportunity

• Leads deal negotiations by thoughtfully balancing the “art of the possible” with the desired business objectives to create a competitive, value-based commercial deal structure that maximizes the value of the opportunity

• Guides Sales and the customer to utilize standard deal structures when possible, but also able to navigate revenue recognition and legal concerns when crafting nonstandard deals; works with Deal Desk to loop in Accounting and Legal when needed

• Advises Sales and Deal Desk on the competitive situation and creates an actionable strategy to meet the outcomes desired by our customers and our business

Internal and External Alignment and Expectation Management

• Partners with Deal Desk to obtain buy-in including briefing senior management and managing internal and customer stakeholder expectations

• Inspires and influences internal stakeholders and approvers to remove obstacles in order to achieve desired business outcomes with short turnaround times

• Facilitates alignment through effective communication within internal and external stakeholders and promptly resolves any confluent to encourage productive and positive interactions

Redlines, Commercial Term Drafting, and Contract Management

• Collaborates on key strategic deals with Deal Desk to lead business-critical contract negotiations, redline activities, and objection handling for nonstandard deals with heavy redlines and/or customer paper

• Advises Deal Desk on nonstandard commercial terms, redlines, and contract language

• Liaises between Sales and Legal by providing guidance on commonly requested edits, non-standard terms, policies, and frequently asked questions

Process Improvement

• Takes part in building the commercial terms library with a focus on standardizing terms, levers, and approval requirements

• Collaborates with teammates and various internal cross-functional stakeholders to develop an internal and external objection handling playbook and talk track for common requests

Forecast Management

• Partners with sales leadership and Deal Desk to prioritize key deals and ensure deal closure

What You'll Need

Education

• Undergraduate Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field.

Skills

• Confidently influence deal structure and business strategy in customer-facing negotiations

• Strong listening, written, and verbal communication skills with ability to synthesize and effectively communicate information across teams

• Ability to remain courteous and professional even during high-stress end-of-quarter deal negotiations

• Work autonomously, set priorities, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, changing environment while exercising sound business judgement and with minimal supervision

• Can quickly identify gaps, problem solve, and then find creative and sustainable solutions

• Strong organizational and time management skills

• Dedicated to excellent customer service while managing multiple priorities with short turnaround times

• Ability to be open and honest in communications with all stakeholders – customers and internal stakeholders including but not limited to Sales, Deal Desk, Legal, Accounting, and senior management

Experience

• 6+ years in customer-facing deal strategy, pricing strategy, and/or value-oriented negotiation roles

• 6+ years in reviewing redlines, drafting nonstandard commercial terms, and redlining customer paper as related to Master Agreements and Sales Orders

• 6+ years experience in architecting deals within a value-based sales process and build a commercial model to support the business case

• Working knowledge of ASC 606 Revenue Recognition rules strongly preferred

• Strong analytical and presentation skills and the ability to articulate concepts to cross-functional stakeholders at all levels

• Experience supporting remote and local Enterprise SaaS sales teams

• Experience with direct B2B sales models

• Experience working with remote cross-functional teams such as Legal, Finance, Product

• Salesforce CRM experience required; Salesforce CPQ experience preferred

• CLM experience preferred

Travel Requirement

• Less than 10% travel

• Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Reliable internet access for any period of time working remotely, not in a Workiva office.

How You’ll Be Rewarded:

• Salary range in the US: 

• A discretionary bonus typically paid annually
• Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire
• 401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package

The salary range represents the low and high end of the salary range for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.