Director, Commercial Operations

Job Summary

As Commercial Operations Director, you will serve as a strategic advisor and Chief of Staff to the Division Vice President, helping shape and execute the division’s commercial strategy. This highly visible leadership role sits at the intersection of Sales, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Commercial Excellence, driving planning, forecasting, performance management, and cross-functional alignment. You will translate strategy into action, establish clear priorities, and create the operational rigor needed to deliver business results. This is an opportunity to influence senior leaders, lead transformational initiatives, and drive impact across multiple markets and regions.

Who will love this job

This role is ideal for a strategic and analytical leader who enjoys solving complex business challenges and bringing clarity to ambiguity. You thrive in highly collaborative environments, can influence stakeholders at all levels, and excel at turning data and insights into action. You are energized by driving operational excellence, coaching teams, and building alignment across diverse functions. Success in this role requires strong commercial acumen, exceptional communication skills, and a passion for continuous improvement.

What you’ll do

Division Strategy & Process

• Partner with divisional leadership to develop and execute commercial strategies, translating business objectives into actionable plans across markets and teams.

• Serve as the primary liaison between divisional leadership and key enablement functions, ensuring alignment, communication, and coordinated execution.

• Streamline processes, reporting structures, and operating rhythms to improve productivity, accountability, and business performance.

• Lead executive communications, business reviews, presentations, and strategic messaging that synthesize complex information into clear recommendations.

• Drive implementation of strategic and transformational initiatives while ensuring priorities remain focused, disciplined, and aligned to business goals.

• Facilitate cross-functional projects that require collaboration across Sales, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Commercial Excellence, and other key stakeholders.

Planning & Performance Management

• Lead divisional planning processes, including the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), in partnership with Finance, Marketing, and Commercial leadership.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), leveraging data, route-to-market insights, and commercial performance metrics to drive accountability and results.

• Develop performance tracking frameworks that identify opportunities, address performance gaps, and support continuous improvement.

• Consolidate market-level plans into a unified divisional strategy and present recommendations to senior leadership.

• Partner with Commercial Excellence teams to implement planning tools, performance initiatives, and best-practice methodologies across markets.

Commercial Forecasting

• Lead divisional forecasting processes, ensuring alignment across Sales, Finance, Distributor partners, and key commercial stakeholders.

• Consolidate forecasting insights into executive-level business reviews that identify opportunities, risks, and recommended actions.

• Improve forecast accuracy and operational efficiency through effective utilization of planning and forecasting tools.

• Facilitate consistent commercial performance commentary and communication across stakeholders using available business intelligence and market data.

Product Management

• Support innovation planning and forecasting efforts by validating assumptions, analyzing market opportunities, and ensuring timely delivery of business commitments.

• Partner with Supply Chain and Sales teams to manage product availability, inventory considerations, and execution readiness for key initiatives.

• Facilitate communication regarding allocations, innovation launches, and product portfolio changes to ensure alignment across markets.

• Support portfolio optimization initiatives through market feedback, strategic analysis, and cross-functional collaboration.

Cultural Stewardship & Team Development

• Lead divisional objective and key result (OKR) alignment, ensuring goals support broader organizational priorities and performance expectations.

• Manage and develop Commercial Operations team members by providing coaching, feedback, development planning, and performance support.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, accountability, and continuous improvement across teams and markets.

• Champion an inclusive, high-performing work environment that reflects Pernod Ricard’s values and commitment to employee development.

What’s in it for me?

Being part of an inclusive and diverse company where professional development and internal career mobility is front-and-center to our talent strategy. This means your career at Pernod Ricard has many possibilities. You'll be part of a culture that celebrates the rich diversity of our people across the globe and be part of our long-standing commitment to making exceptional products, giving back to our communities, and honoring our responsibility to preserve the environment.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

• 10+ years of experience in Commercial Operations, Sales, Business Planning, Commercial Excellence, Business Development, or related functions.

• Demonstrated success leading strategic planning, forecasting, performance management, and cross-functional business initiatives.

• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities with the ability to translate insights into business actions.

• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and manage complex stakeholder relationships across multiple functions.

• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams while driving accountability, collaboration, and results.

When you join Pernod Ricard, you’ll experience a workplace that is rich in heritage, driven by our iconic brands and a long-standing commitment to sustainability, safety, and giving back to the people and communities where we work. We know that happiness at work starts with that feeling of belonging you get from an inclusive culture where being uniquely you is celebrated. Our values are lived, they drive our behaviors, and it’s what brings our culture to life. 

Our work philosophy celebrates the magic of human connection with the flexibility needed to provide one's most meaningful contribution. We offer a flexible work policy, with most of our positions offering a a hybrid option with flexibility to work remotely 2 days a week. As a global employer, we understand that not everyone’s working hours are the same, and we empower our employees to work the hours that make the most sense for them and their team’s schedules.  

We offer employees great benefits and perks to toast to a life filled with support.  Check out PRUSABenefits.com for details. 

This recruitment process uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to match applicant skills with role requirements and qualifications.

Pernod Ricard USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It employs qualified individuals based solely on ability, training, and experience, and does not and will not, discriminate for or against any employee or applicant for employment or promotion based upon actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service or any other classification protected by law. Offers will be subject to United States local terms.

Pernod Ricard USA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Pernod Ricard USA will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process.  To request reasonable accommodation during the application process, contact us at [email protected].