Overview
A leading brand implementation and maintenance organization is seeking a Commercial Analyst to support its sales department. This role focuses on leveraging analytical skills to create actionable insights, maintain sales data integrity, and develop reports that inform decision-making. The Commercial Analyst will own pricing strategy, competitive analysis, and cost-based pricing models to ensure competitiveness and margin-consciousness across all segments and geographies.
Responsibilities
Sales Reporting and Dashboard Management
- Develop and maintain sales dashboards and reports tracking pipeline health, deal progress, win rates, and key performance metrics using spreadsheets, dashboarding tools, and Salesforce.
- Ensure accuracy and consistency of sales reports, including pipeline data, revenue forecasting, and performance tracking with pricing KPIs and margin analysis.
- Communicate reporting updates and changes effectively to stakeholders.
- Collaborate with sales teams to identify and refine critical data points for decision-making and strategic planning.
Data Analysis and Insights Development
- Conduct in-depth analyses to identify sales trends, opportunities, and risks, providing recommendations to sales leadership.
- Perform root-cause analyses including win/loss analyses at the segment level to inform pricing strategy.
- Present data-driven insights clearly to diverse audiences, from sales representatives to executives.
- Explore innovative tools and methodologies to enhance analysis and reporting accuracy.
- Analyze segment win rates and competitive bid data to optimize pricing and competitive positioning.
Sales Pipeline and Forecasting Support
- Monitor and analyze pipeline data regularly to maintain visibility into deal stages, potential revenue, and risks.
- Support sales forecasting by refining models and collaborating with leadership to align with business objectives.
- Define and maintain routine reporting processes for KPIs and SLAs, tracking metrics such as win rate, conversion rate, activity volume, quota attainment, and pipeline coverage/aging.
Pricing Analysis and Strategy
- Manage raw material and labor cost pricing models, monitoring external indices (e.g., Bureau of Labor Statistics) to adjust internal pricing benchmarks.
- Develop and maintain surcharge frameworks for commodities like fuel, adjusting pricing based on market fluctuations.
- Build and maintain segment-level pricing models analyzing price elasticity by division, product type, and customer group.
- Catalog competitive bid data from lost bids and develop prescriptive insights to optimize pricing.
- Analyze actual vs. estimated cost vs. price-to-customer to identify margin opportunities.
- Develop geographic pricing tools accounting for regional cost variations to support multi-site national pricing.
- Produce detailed pricing outputs to help sales personnel explain complex pricing structures clearly.
Collaboration with Teams
- Partner with sales teams to understand data requirements and ensure alignment with business goals.
- Work with analytics team members to uphold best practices in data handling, reporting, and analysis.
- Support IT and data governance teams to ensure sales data accuracy and availability.
- Present findings and recommendations confidently to C-suite leaders and other stakeholders.
- Serve as a sales and pricing subject matter expert in enterprise and cross-departmental projects.
Continuous Optimization and System Enhancements
- Identify inefficiencies in sales reporting or data processes and recommend improvements.
- Contribute to transitioning to advanced reporting and analytics platforms.
- Participate as a subject matter expert in sales-related IT projects including CRM upgrades, ERP integrations, and data architecture improvements.
- Evaluate and implement new tools to improve sales data visibility, functionality, and usability.
Qualifications
- Degree preferred in business, finance, computer/data science, information systems, statistics, analytics, or related field.
- Minimum 4 years in a data/analytics role, preferably focused on sales, pricing, or business operations.
- Experience with sales reporting, ideally using Salesforce.
- Proficiency with reporting tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills; familiarity with Word and PowerPoint.
- Knowledge of Python and SQL preferred but not required.
- Familiarity with pricing concepts including cost-plus pricing, price elasticity, competitive benchmarking, and geographic market pricing preferred.
- Experience working with external cost indices (e.g., BLS labor data, commodity pricing feeds) is a plus.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with ability to translate technical details into actionable insights.
- Financial acumen with experience in revenue forecasting or sales budgeting preferred.
- Comfort working with cost and margin data and communicating pricing logic to non-financial stakeholders.
- Proven ability to collaborate effectively across organizational levels.
- Analytical and problem-solving mindset with a proactive approach.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $80,000 - $100,000 annually, with potential for bonus or incentive compensation based on individual and company performance.
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage options.
- Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts.
- Company-paid life insurance.
- 401(k) plan with employer contribution.
- Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance.
- Generous paid time off and holidays.
- Additional benefits include pet insurance, employee assistance program, educational assistance, identity theft protection, critical illness plans, commuter benefits, and employee discounts.
Location & Travel
- This position requires travel as an essential function, including local, regional, or national destinations via automobile, air, or other transportation modes.
Work Environment
- Primarily involves extended computer use and virtual communication.
- Minimal physical requirements, including light lifting and movement within an office setting.
Pre-Employment Requirements
- Employment contingent upon successful completion of a background check in accordance with applicable laws.
- Certain roles may require pre-employment drug screening or other regulatory requirements.
Equal Opportunity
The organization is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without discrimination based on protected statuses under applicable law.
Qualified applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodations during the hiring process.