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Job responsibilities of a commercial director of a manufacturing company. Job responsibilities of the commercial director

The main responsibilities of a commercial director in different organizations are similar, and the requirements for his professional skills and functions depend on the characteristics of the industries in which the enterprises operate. As a rule, this specialist monitors and coordinates the activities of employees so that they are as efficient as possible and contribute to increasing the company’s income.

Kit responsibilities of a commercial director It is quite difficult to define clearly, although this position is certainly of great importance. In most cases, sales managers strive to take the place of the manager of product sales and supply of an enterprise, because they are the ones who know the specifics of their company well and are well versed in the nuances of communicating with clients and concluding contracts.

Features of the commercial director’s work related to his job responsibilities are adjusted depending on the needs of the organization and the following factors:

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• enterprise size: V large companies this manager is entrusted with a wider range of functions;
• product range and clientele: fast and easy sales processes allow the head of the sales department to devote more energy and time to marketing-related responsibilities;
• field of activity: at a manufacturing enterprise, the commercial manager manages logistics mechanisms, material delivery schemes, and maintaining business contacts with suppliers. The less time a company devotes to production, the wider the range of functions of a given manager.

Not all companies' responsibilities include product promotion. In those companies where advertising activities are a priority, this post may be called differently: marketing manager.

Specialist on duty commercial director performs the following duties:

• Development of an activity plan companies: current and long-term plans are drawn up with the participation of shareholders and the manager of the company. The responsibilities of a commercial director include responsibility for ensuring that all resources are used as efficiently as possible.
• Development of strategies: searching for new ways to promote and strengthen the company’s market position.
• Defining Trade Policy enterprises, taking into account market indicators and sales data, searching for opportunities to expand the company’s geographic presence, application innovative methods in the field of product sales.
• Sometimes the job responsibilities of a commercial director include work on creating and effective training of a team of sales representatives.
• Management of the sales department, determination of sales directions, cooperation with dealers.
• The responsibilities of the Commercial Sales Director include the ability to develop assortment and pricing policies in close interaction with the marketing department, the ability to create various strategies to increase the level of implementation and the willingness to bear responsibility for their effective application.
• The duties of the commercial director include logistics organization: work on packaging, delivery, warehouse management, drawing up plans for the company's needs for the long term.
• One of the aspects of the activity of such a leader is the organization uninterrupted cooperation with suppliers, which involves making commercial purchases and establishing relationships with partners for the provision of services. A specialist in this position, in accordance with his job functions, also takes part in drawing up the company’s budget plan for the upcoming financial year.

Let's list briefly the main responsibilities of any commercial director:

1. determining directions for selling the company’s products and providing its services;
2. creation of strategic plans;
3. communication with partner suppliers;
4. managing the activities of sales managers;
5. budgeting management in all departments of the enterprise;
6. organization of marketing activities;
7. reducing business costs.

From this list of responsibilities, you can see that the commercial director solves strategic problems, which allows him to be considered the second main person of the company. Exist various variations what degree of responsibility may be assigned to this specialist.

1. Commercial Director as head of the sales department. In this case, his responsibilities are minimal. He is responsible only for the implementation process, so it would be more logical to call such a specialist a sales director. To ensure that the employee working in this position does not feel that he has been demoted, you can rename this position at the moment when a new person is hired for this position.
2. Commercial Director as head of sales and marketing departments. This variation is quite popular abroad. A specialist who combines the duties of a marketing and commercial director needs knowledge of the characteristics and trends of market development, the ability to understand the nuances of the activities of competing companies and an understanding of consumer preferences. Managing sales processes in market conditions often requires maximum investment of effort, so there is no time and energy left for marketing development: there is a lack of necessary tools promotion of products, skills in their application, as well as a strategic vision for market development in the medium term.
3. Commercial Director as manager of the sales, procurement and marketing departments. This configuration assumes the concentration of responsibility for the development of processes of promotion, sales of its products and procurement for production needs in the hands of one specialist. This provides a set of significant advantages when choosing the most popular product in the current period of time, taking into account its qualities that meet consumer demand. This is most important for merchants or intermediary companies. This combination should be used with caution in those companies where there are no regular suppliers. The manager may not have sufficient opportunity to work on finding optimal strategies for interacting with contractors. It is necessary to continuously analyze the market to select the most suitable conditions procurement
4. Commercial and general director rolled into one. In some cases, the CEO continues to formally hold the position of head of the company, but does not actually manage it. Typically, in such cases, the executive director takes on the leadership role. In those companies where sales activities are a priority, management tasks are included in the responsibilities of the commercial director.

Despite the fact that the functions of a commercial manager vary depending on the nature of the company's activities, a specialist applying for this position must in any case have certain qualities. It's not just about the ability to focus on results. In this job it is important to be able to make decisions in difficult situations, skillfully resolve conflicts, be honest, have a high level of stress resistance and loyalty. In addition, it is important to be able to find non-standard methods to solve problems and defend your opinion with arguments.

A potential commercial director must be clearly aware of his personal goals and the objectives of the entire company, among which the main place is given to regular income generation. For good specialist Such qualities as breadth of views and thinking, a high level of responsibility are important (after all, he takes on the functions of managing all leading departments of the enterprise and controlling the cash flow within it).

Serious demands are also placed on the Deputy Director for Commercial Affairs, because his responsibilities are important for the company. They consist of:

• control over the work of subordinate departments;
• supervision over the material and technical support of the company, over the fulfillment of the terms of supply contracts, over the correct use of loan funds, etc.;
• creating working conditions for personnel that comply with norms and regulations.
• control over the timely payment of wages to specialists of departments subordinate to the commercial director;
• resolving other work issues specified in the employment agreement or indicated in the job description.

The issue of temporarily transferring the competencies of the commercial director to his deputy is the responsibility of the main person of the company.

Functional responsibilities of the commercial director of the enterprise

The commercial director resolves issues of economic, personnel, technological, political and other nature, being an indispensable assistant manager of the company. We list here some of the main recommendations for its activities.

1. Become the right hand of the company's first person. One of the main responsibilities of a commercial director is close interaction with the management of the enterprise: he must know everything well weak sides General Director and, if necessary, support him. This is the most reliable way to become an indispensable adviser to the head of the company and earn a high salary. If, for example, the leader of the company is a strong, charismatic and public figure, then it is best for the commercial director to become an eminence grise, quietly helping his leader. At the same time, he needs to be able to think analytically and strategically, accurately predict the behavior of his boss and direct his energy in a positive direction. However, if the main person of the company is a reserved person with weak communication skills, but with excellent strategic and analytical vision, then the commercial director can take on the role of moral and public leader in the team.
2. Create an effective team. The commercial director must know effective ways motivate subordinates, be able to plan the company's development in the long term and demonstrate a deep strategic vision of the future of the organization as a whole. He must also select the necessary specialists for the effective operation of the enterprise. One of the key competencies of a commercial director is also the ability to understand what approaches can be used to increase profits from product sales.

Approach 1. Understanding the company's sales strategy. The sales policy of an organization is a special document that is developed and modified in accordance with the current state of the market, and is regularly supplemented with important data regarding the sales process. Many enterprises, unfortunately, do not pay due attention to it. An intuitive understanding of business processes allows you to realize that for a company to be successful, sales must constantly grow, that it is necessary to systematically work with clients and conduct data analysis. However, most often this idea is expressed in a set of actions that resemble chaos rather than system. Usually the result of such a strategy is not very impressive. It is not so rare that companies go bankrupt, the reason for which is not the market itself and its changes, but the fact that a systematic approach to sales management was not formed in a timely manner. In order for the sales strategy to be successful and bring good results, the responsibilities of the commercial director should include working with sales managers: making the most of their advantages and skillfully hiding shortcomings, as well as correctly drawing up forecasts and plans, making the most of the current situation, skillfully manage risks.

Activities to adjust the implementation strategy are a continuous process aimed at wisely using market influence in order to improve the company's sales performance. There are three main reasons why this work is important.

Reason 1. The company's potential clients are constantly changing.

Reason 2. Sales professionals or sales representatives cannot be allowed to become complacent.

Reason 3. You should expect surprises from the market and competing companies at any time, most often unpleasant ones.

With the help of these questions, the commercial director, within the framework of his job responsibilities, can diagnose the work of sales specialists:

• Is the company's sales policy known and understandable to sales managers?
• What personal tasks and goals will specialists work on as part of the company’s overall sales strategy?
• How are managers' personal goals related to general tasks companies?
• How does each employee present themselves within the sales department?(Most often, such a unit is made up of individual specialists working on their own under general management.).
• What matters most to sales managers? The answer to this question is great importance. It is quite rare to hear from employees that the most important thing in their work is sales and increasing sales levels. Most often, managers name something else that is not directly related to the trading process.

These questions allow you to find out and see how sales managers position themselves and their responsibilities within the company. Answers and work on them help to form common principles of sales strategy and an understanding of its importance for the success of the company.

A talented commercial director considers it one of his job responsibilities to pay attention to the internal aspirations and motivation of employees, strengthen and develop the strengths of specialists and reduce the impact of their shortcomings on the work process. Such a balanced and competent approach helps improve sales performance and bring the management team to a high-quality new level.

Approach 2. Sales discipline in your company. The process of managing and developing trade should allow managers to demonstrate and make the most effective use of their advantages in their work. Quite often, talented specialists lack discipline and consistency in their activities. Training employees in the art of sales is not easy, but many managers believe that special training that provides general information and universal knowledge can solve this problem. However, instead of teaching everyone everything, it is much more practical to pay special attention to creating the right motivation and inspiration in the preparation of a sales manager. Thanks to corporate training on trade issues, it is possible to diagnose specialists in order to subsequently, in accordance with these data, create a training program with an individual approach to each employee, using his true motives. Three questions can help with this:

• Why do managers engage in these particular activities?
• How exactly do they carry out their duties?
• What results are being achieved?

Thus, the sales manager undergoes training according to an individual plan, the results of which are reflected in the company’s sales figures, which does not allow him to hide his shortcomings.

Approach 3. Show with an example. The commercial director is the most best example role model for sales managers. But it may happen that due to his intense busyness with managerial tasks, he cannot always show in practice how to professionally perform his job responsibilities in the field of product sales. If a commercial director strives to understand his employees, he needs to try to walk “a kilometer in their shoes.” This approach will be especially important when a new specialist takes on this position. This position involves a wide range of responsibilities and therefore has high requirements:

• education: higher economic or financial (in rare cases, technical);
• having experience as a manager - from 3 years;
• practical activities in the field of personnel management - from 3 years;
• Experience in organizing and managing the work of a sales department;
• deep knowledge in the field of marketing and advertising;
• clearly demonstrated communication skills and leadership qualities;
• Experience in negotiations and sales.

In addition, it is often welcomed:

• experience in the company's profile (for example, a construction organization prefers specialists who have already worked in the construction field);
• English language proficiency;
• Experience in automating business processes (most often sales).

In addition to the above requirements, the candidate must provide a well-written summary.

The hiring party does not have information about unique skills, talents and knowledge of the applicant. Any specialist applying for the desired job must be able to present his resume in the most favorable light. In many ways, it will depend on this whether he will be accepted for this post or not.

Commercial director resume must contain the following information:

• personal data (date of birth, registered address or place of residence, etc.);
• education (higher education institutions and all courses);
• work experience (name of companies, position and responsibilities);
• professional skills and abilities (at this point it is important to indicate competitive advantages);
• additional information (knowledge of programs and languages).

When writing your resume, you can use the following recommendations:

• Try to describe your professional achievements using numbers and specific data.
• Indicate the direction of activity of those organizations where you were previously an employee.
• Try to see your resume through the eyes of a potential employer.

Implementing the company's development strategy, the commercial director is at the same time coordinator and head of several departments:

• marketing department;
• sales department;
• supply department;
• logistics department.

In addition, the commercial manager acts as a mentor for new employees.

Expert opinion

Commercial directors in 80% of cases are specialists with experience in sales departments

Ilya Mazin,

General Director of Office Premier CJSC, ErichKrause group of companies, Moscow

Quite often it happens that specialists who perform the duties of a commercial director for some time later become the top officials or owners of companies. For example, financial or administrative managers experience such career upswings much less frequently.

In the vast majority of cases (80%), commercial directors become experienced specialists in sales, who headed work in VIP areas as managers or leaders. Sometimes professionals from the purchasing department can also grow into managers of this rank.

The responsibilities of a commercial director mean solving problems in various areas of activity. This assumes that a specialist who successfully copes with these functions is capable of occupying a higher position. Thus, working as a commercial director is a very valuable experience in terms of acquiring important skills and professional qualities, as well as forming useful connections for future activities.

With the changes taking place in the business sphere and with the development of the market in the commercial field, separate areas began to form: marketing, purchasing, sales. Due to these variations, the role of the commercial director in the company is also being reviewed and adjusted.

It should be remembered that the development of the competencies of a commercial manager is influenced by the specifics of the industry in which the enterprise operates. For example, responsibilities of a commercial director trading company include:

• knowledge of the rules for acceptance, storage and certification of goods;
• understanding of the market for specialized products, competitive environment And consumer markets;
• skills in using techniques for analyzing and forecasting trade: factor method, SWOT, margin, and others;
• understanding the intricacies of the process of organizing the sale of goods.

Responsibilities of a commercial director of a construction company assume that the specialist is well versed in:

• in construction and engineering services;
• in the features of the development of the construction market and its current state;
• in preparing documents for participation in tenders and competitions;
• in the development of contracts for the provision of engineering and construction services.

Director of commercial affairs for a catering company Performs duties similar to those of a similar position in a trading company. For example, he is responsible for:

• organization of all work of catering enterprises, from their equipment to the sale of products;
• planning and organizing the opening of new facilities;
• development of new directions for the sale of goods and services.

At a manufacturing plant, commercial director must perform duties related to knowledge of:

• production technologies and product certification;
• industrial capacities of the company;
• the economy of its production.

Responsibilities of a commercial director of an LLC assume the presence of the following distinctive features:

• in an LLC, he is appointed to the position of the head of the enterprise, to whom he directly reports, and takes on the role of one of the company’s managers; one of the founders of the company can become a commercial director, he can also be elected and approved by the minutes of the general meeting of the founders;
• The commercial director of a private entrepreneur manages the company or is one of the managers in certain areas, reporting to the owner.

The amount of remuneration for a commercial director is influenced by many different factors. As a rule, monthly income ranges from 50,000 to 500,000 rubles. It often happens that if the commercial director’s salary is low, then his job responsibilities are limited only to managing the sales department, and with higher pay, this specialist can take on the role of company manager. The average level of monthly remuneration for a commercial director is set at 100,000 rubles. A social package is added to this amount: the costs of maintaining official transport, mobile communications are reimbursed, medical expenses, vacations, sports, etc. are paid.

Rights and responsibilities of a commercial director

In addition to the required salary, the commercial director becomes the owner of certain rights:

• representing the interests of the company in negotiations - this is one of the advantages that allows you to request information and papers related to the commercial affairs of the company;
• take an active part in the preparation of orders and instructions, estimates and agreements in order to generate profit for the company;
• certify with your signature documents related to the trade sphere of the enterprise’s activities;
• encourage and punish your subordinates in order to increase the efficiency of their activities, develop various ways their motivation;
• send proposals to the head of the company to hold employees and heads of related departments accountable for disciplinary and material reasons (based on the results of inspections).

The commercial director is responsible for the personnel training process aimed at improving the personnel of the enterprise. He can himself conduct corporate lectures and seminars, organize and initiate trainings, explain to employees what the meaning of the overall development strategy of the company and its mission are. The responsibilities of the commercial director of a trading company will include negotiating and organizing meetings with partner supplier companies. Marketing strategy also occupies an important place in the activities of this leader: he carefully develops it and thinks it through, since without advertising “only a mint can make money.” Another important responsibility of the commercial director is to take action to reduce costs and expenses, especially during periods of growing company profits.

Monopolistic companies are able to do without such a specialist who promotes the brand, because they do not need to advertise or popularize their brand. In small manufacturing and trading companies, this position is also often abolished, since all the responsibilities of the commercial director can easily be distributed among ordinary managers.

Expert opinion

Very large and very small companies do not need a commercial director

Ilya Mazin,

General Director of the Office Premier holding, ErichKrause group of companies, Moscow

If a company has a need to obtain attractive supply and sales conditions, then it needs the position of a commercial director on staff. Otherwise, such a position is not so necessary. Huge or, conversely, small organizations can also work without a commercial director. The expenses for a top manager are considerable, and companies with small incomes will not be able to pay for such a position: very often the responsibilities of a commercial director in such companies are assumed by the owner. If an enterprise has several founders, they can distribute different functions among themselves: someone deals with areas related to profit and income, someone takes on administrative and business issues, etc.

In companies representing big business, the duties of a commercial director are performed by the heads of individual areas. At the same time, enterprises in the medium-sized business sector need the position of a commercial manager, because the level of income of the entire company depends on his activities.

Unfortunately, in higher educational institutions there is no opportunity to study the specialty of a commercial director. But even having an education does not mean that a person has high professionalism in his field. More important than a diploma are special knowledge, skills, and competencies. In addition to knowledge of special computer applications, experience in the field of product promotion, understanding of consumer psychology, as well as the structure and features of the sales process are important. It often happens that an ordinary employee is able to perform the duties of a commercial director better than a specialist who comes from outside. The key factor is the ability to apply administrative skills and achieve real results in the growth of enterprise income. It is important to understand that such a leader is, first of all, an organizer and manager, and only then a performer.

When starting to perform the duties of a commercial director, a specialist must carefully get acquainted with information about the enterprise and the features of its activities, namely:

• study the laws governing the work of commercial companies;
• understand the organizational structure of the enterprise; provide yourself with complete information about the range of products and their production technology;
• understand the methods of analyzing existing markets, and also have an idea of ​​what methods allow you to look for new techniques;
• learn about all existing, as well as promising or alternate directions for product sales;
• get an idea of ​​the current situation in the industry in which the company operates;
• familiarize yourself with the rules and procedures for concluding contracts with suppliers and customers; study the theoretical aspects of marketing;
• collect information about foreign innovative practices in managing the company’s work in the field of promotion and sales of products;
• know the standards for ensuring personnel safety.

The following situations may have consequences for the commercial director in the form of sanctions and fines:

• improper performance of official duties or evasion of them;
• ignoring the orders and instructions of a superior employee;
• abuse of official position and official powers in order to satisfy material or other personal needs;
• provision of distorted data and reporting to the head or government inspection bodies;
• irresponsible attitude towards fire safety and other circumstances that pose a threat to the life and health of employees;
• failure to comply with labor discipline, as well as failure to take measures to ensure it within the work team;
• offenses of an administrative, civil or criminal nature;
• causing material damage to the company as a result of unlawful actions or negligent inaction.

Today, in almost every company, the value of an employee lies, first of all, in the effectiveness of his work. This indicator is very important, because often the size of wages and the nature of recommendations from management depend on it.

The following aspects can help assess the quality and effectiveness of the duties of a commercial director:

• Unquestioning adherence to every point of the job description.
• Compliance with established order and subordination. The ideal commercial director is a responsible employee with a high degree of self-discipline and organization, aware of his responsibility for the present and future success of the company.
• Achieving results in accordance with the current business plan of the enterprise. The company's activities must constantly occur in accordance with the developed strategies and be subject to verification (as well as economic indicators). Failure to meet deadlines for the implementation of any item may have a negative impact on the development of the company in the future.

The following persons or authorities verify the effectiveness of the duties of the commercial director:

• the head of the company monitors the actions of his subordinate on a daily basis and is in constant and close relationship with him on management issues;
• a special certification commission at least twice a year audits all documentation of the enterprise, and also checks the work of the commercial director for the effectiveness and efficiency of fulfilling his official duties.

In both cases, the assessment takes place according to specific parameters: how well the specialist copes with the functions assigned to him and how completely and accurately he compiles the reporting documentation.

The main difficulties in the work of a commercial director

Managing the sales process requires relentless attention and constant monitoring of sales performance. Another difficulty in fulfilling the duties of a commercial director may be rooted in the fact that sometimes you have to fight with your own employees.

1. Take a closer look at your opponents.

Some of the rank-and-file employees of the commercial department or the heads of other services may secretly strive to occupy the position of a higher-ranking person.

Subordinates. They are competitors in the truest sense of the word, as they demonstrate activity, ambition and perseverance in their movement towards their intended goal: to take the place of a leader. Subordinates are ready to prove with their results and achievements that they are worthy of taking on the responsibilities of a boss. In addition, managers tend to be very critical of those who manage them. The authority of a commercial director in their eyes will be very low if they believe that he does not have the talent to sell, knows nothing about marketing and is not able to come to an agreement with an important partner or client.

However, managers lose sight of the fact that they do not work side by side with their boss and therefore cannot objectively assess his professional qualities. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain the commercial director’s authority among his subordinates at a high level, confirming his competence with examples of successful sales or concluding important transactions.

Top managers. They are not direct competitors of the commercial director. Heading a commercial department is not easy; the manager has many diverse responsibilities and a high degree of responsibility for mistakes. At the same time, it is important to know that there is an exception: if the company’s sales and advertising functions are separated, then the marketing director can file a claim with the goal of becoming the head of both areas.

As a rule, this competitive fight can arise in companies whose corporate culture is not particularly well developed, business processes are not well established, and employees are not entirely clear what exactly their responsibilities are. It is not surprising that they are trying to compete for resources and territory, in which they gain more opportunities for decision-making and power. Only the chief executive of the company can significantly change this state of affairs by making management decisions to clearly structure the activities of employees.

2. Stay fit.

The commercial director must continuously confirm his competence in his position: demonstrate efficient work with clients, effectively manage your department, and professionally perform your job duties. This will help nip possible difficulties in the field of personnel management in the bud.

To do this, you should regularly double-check the data that comes from managers and not trust 100% of the veracity of their reports. There is a possibility that subordinates are not averse to taking the place of their leader and therefore provide deliberately false information in their reports about sales figures and the state of affairs in the industry. It is better for a commercial director not to isolate himself inside his own office and take an active interest in what is happening with the market, what innovations and technologies are emerging, what changes are observed in consumer behavior and in their attitude towards the company’s products.

• A key competency is necessary for any manager in order to feel confident and not encounter difficulties in managing personnel. In order to protect yourself and your position, it is important to identify your own strengths and abilities that will be especially valued by employees, peers and management. For example, if a commercial director is excellent at organizing effective relationships without disputes and contradictions between the sales, production, marketing and finance departments, then this skill will allow him to maintain his place in the company.
• Indispensability. This is a property with An employee becomes noticeable when he goes on vacation or sick leave. It is at such moments that people in the company note that in his absence they are faced with additional problems and difficulties. At the same time, it is not recommended to specifically demonstrate to colleagues that you are indispensable, because it is very easy to irritate others with such behavior. Management may perceive this as a potential danger and try to get rid of such employees.

3. Work with staff.

One of the main responsibilities of a commercial director is to establish relationships with sales managers. Competence will be his faithful assistant in this process: it must be demonstrated in a short time to both employees and the head of the sales department.

Establish contact with subordinates. Try to communicate more actively and more often with managers.

4. Build a line of defense.

The key to resolving HR problems may be having a closer relationship with the company's management, which means an expanded range of opportunities to resolve issues compared to competitors.

• Show managers your competence. In the event of complications, you can demonstrate to your subordinates your ability to competently resolve problems with one phone call to the right person. With this simple action, you will reveal the incompetence of applicants for your post in resolving key issues.
• Threaten your opponent. Sometimes the situation may require more decisive action against your competitor: you must make it clear that his position in the company may become more difficult if he does not want to interact peacefully. Explain to your opponent that you will be present at all meetings where he must report all difficulties and actions taken. If he shows incompetence regarding his work tasks, the decision will be yours.
• Explain your position to the CEO. First, you need to understand exactly what actions your opponent took to deal with the problematic situation. If it turns out that a competitor has simply appropriated the result of a team activity, for example, a new sales strategy, prove to the manager what contribution you made to this work. Show your boss that you know exactly when the first results will be visible.
• Get board support. Try to reasonably explain what the danger of such career aspirations is for the company as a whole. Will the creation of a similar precedent pose a threat in the sense that other department heads will want to get rid of their leadership?

5. Work systematically.

Continuous monitoring of the situation in the company will contribute to effective counteraction to rivals and elimination of difficulties in personnel management. The more clarity there is in understanding the state of affairs within the team and active information exchange with employees, the more secure the commercial director will be able to feel in his place. It is important to be able to openly and clearly demonstrate your professionalism and competence to both subordinates and senior management.

Danger signals. The first warning sign is a decrease in the amount of information that your subordinates provide you with, or its unreliability. The second danger signal is claims expressed in an aggressive form by the head of the sales service or his ordinary employees. As a rule, the head of the department tries to blame his mistakes and blunders on the commercial director. A situation in which employees turn to senior management, bypassing the commercial director, indicates a third alarming sign. To avoid these moments, it is better to strive to be aware of all the nuances of the sales department’s work and prevent possible attacks. This will allow you to gain the trust of management even in a difficult conflict situation, which will help you maintain your position in the company.

TOP 5 useful books for a commercial director

• “Lean Provisioning. How to build effective and mutually beneficial relationships." In their next book, James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones introduce readers to the synthesis of the mechanisms of consumption and provision, in which the main role is given to the latter. In order to fully satisfy your customer, you need to effectively solve his problem by providing what is required, in right time and in the right place, in full accordance with the customer’s wishes. This book will be useful and interesting to middle and senior managers, businessmen, employees of consulting agencies, students and teachers of higher educational institutions of economic orientation.
• "Deal Navigator: Strategic Sales Practice from A to... A." the author of this book Alexey Slobodyanyuk understands the specifics of selling products to entire organizations and tries to understand the mechanisms for making purchasing decisions. One of the author’s main recommendations: make specific plan actions and work with the client in strict accordance with it, starting from the first telephone call and the first meeting.
• "Survival Guide: Selling." Vaughn Aiken John tries to understand, together with readers, exactly how you can increase profits in your business by taking the initiative in the process of concluding transactions into your own hands. By acting in this way, it is possible to increase profits even in the event of economic problems and instability of the market system, when customers are lost, company budgets and market volumes are reduced.
• “How to become a sales wizard: rules for attracting and retaining clients.” Jeffrey Fox gives witty advice in his book that can help readers cope with their rivals in any field. The author's recommendations are of an applied nature and not devoid of wisdom, so they will be useful to all interested people, and especially to sales specialists and top managers.
• "Hard Selling: Get People to Buy Under Any Circumstances." Book Dana Kennedy will be an excellent assistant on the path to achieving wealth, independence and power. The author gives advice on what kind of sales specialist should be today in order to conquer professional heights in this field.

A commercial director must know:

• The legislative framework regulating the processes of sales, procurement and marketing activities of the enterprise.
• Fundamentals of transport, purchasing and warehouse logistics.
• Document flow in the field of procurement, supply and sales.
• Structure and prospects of the domestic and foreign markets.
• State standards for products manufactured by the enterprise.
• Fundamentals of labor protection standards and labor discipline.
• Fundamentals of labor and administrative law.

Training program for the position of commercial director If a person does not have experience in sales, but he has the desire and inclination to work in this area, he can take a training course.

Job responsibilities of the commercial director

Attention

Such a specialist, making informed decisions, will be able to guide and train his subordinates and employees of related departments, leading them in the direction necessary for the company. A candidate for this vacancy must have and understand the company’s own goals and objectives, among which the main one is regular profit making. A person must have a high level of responsibility and breadth of thinking, because his position is associated with coordinating the work of all leading departments and controlling the flow of cash receipts.

And, of course, this specialist simply cannot be not proactive, not communicative, irresponsible and not purposeful. Responsibility for the finances and economics of a trading company In many organizations, the responsibilities of the commercial director of an enterprise overlap with the functions of the financial director.

Commercial Director

Requirements for a commercial director Since it is necessary to manage almost the entire enterprise, the requirements for a commercial director are serious:

• higher economic, financial (less often technical) education;
• Experience in management positions - from 3 years;
• HR management experience - from 3 years;
• Experience in building and managing a sales department;
• solid knowledge in the field of advertising and marketing;
• strong leadership and communication skills;
• experience in negotiations and sales;

Also often welcomed:

• experience in the chosen field (for example, construction company encourages experience in construction);
• knowledge of English;
• experience in automating business processes (most often sales);

Sample resume for commercial director Sample resume.

Commercial director: responsibilities, requirements and personal qualities

The commercial director is guided in his activities by: - ​​legislative acts of the Russian Federation; - Charter of the organization, internal labor regulations, others regulations company; - orders and directives of management; - this job description. 2. Job responsibilities Commercial Director The Commercial Director performs the following job responsibilities: 2.1. Organizes management of the material and technical supply of the enterprise, activities for storage, transportation and marketing of products (sale of goods, provision of services).2.2.
Coordinates the development and preparation of long-term and current plans for logistics and sales of products (sale of goods, provision of services), financial plans.2.3.

Job description of commercial director

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Protecting the business from having only one channel and constantly developing existing channels is one of the main functions that affects the stability of sales. 4. Formation of an algorithm for the operation of each sales channel. For a sales channel to be effective, it is necessary to determine the business processes through which sales occur in the channel.

Write down these algorithms and consolidate them in the instructions. And the most important thing: make sure that these algorithms work and are not a pile of documentation that interferes with business. 5. Operational control of sales managers. Even with a perfectly designed strategy, victory depends on the actions of each soldier.

A tactical task that determines the success of the entire strategy: how to ensure that outsiders do not interfere with the leaders’ ability to pick stars. And the solution, or rather not the solution to this problem, is the scourge of most companies in Russia. 6.
Typically, the following requirements are imposed on a candidate for the position of commercial director: the ability for three-dimensional, spatial thinking, a logical and analytical mind, adequacy, rationality, the ability to identify and identify problems and prioritize their solutions, consistency and focus, high efficiency and communication skills, the presence of a higher economic education and at least three years of work experience in management positions. INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR I. General provisions 1. The commercial director belongs to the category of managers.
2. A person with a higher professional (economics, legal) education and at least 3 years of experience in management positions is appointed to the position of commercial director. 3. The commercial director must know: 3.1.

Profession commercial director

At the same time, a significant addition to it is the compensation package: payment for a company car (or gasoline), communications, medical insurance, payment for recreation, sports, etc. Where to get training Besides higher education There are a number of short-term training programs on the market, typically lasting from a week to a year. Interregional Academy of Construction and Industrial Complex and its courses in Entrepreneurship and innovative development business."

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Responsibilities of the commercial director, his role in the organization and main tasks

Represent the interests of the enterprise in relations with government agencies, third-party organizations and institutions on commercial issues. 2. Establish job responsibilities for subordinate employees. 3. Request from the structural divisions of the enterprise information and documents necessary to fulfill his official duties.

4. Participate in the preparation of draft orders, instructions, directions, as well as estimates, contracts and other documents related to resolving commercial issues. 5. Interact with the heads of all structural divisions on issues of financial and economic activity of the enterprise. 6. Endorse all documents related to the financial and economic activities of the enterprise (plans, forecast balances, reports, etc.).
7.

Responsibilities of a commercial director of a trading company

The main task of this employee in this case is to promote the brand and products of the enterprise on the market in order to make a profit. To achieve these goals, work is organized in several directions:

• determination and construction of marketing policy;
• control over accounts receivable;
• formation of procurement and sales plans, supervision of their implementation;
• selection and training of a sales team;
• creation of a motivation system and certification of managers;
• sales process inspection;
• monitoring customer requests.

The responsibilities of the commercial director of a trading company additionally include planning and managing assortment policy, knowledge of logistics and the basics of product distribution, interaction with key clients that are important for the enterprise, and participation in negotiations that are important for the organization.

Manages the development of measures to save resources, improve inventory rationing, improve economic indicators, increase the efficiency of the enterprise, and strengthen financial discipline. 6. Coordinates the development of a marketing strategy. 7. Provides recommendations and advice to managers and specialists in financial planning, marketing, sales; controls their work.

Ensures timely preparation of cost estimates, financial and other documents, calculations, reports on the implementation of logistics and sales plans finished products(sale of goods), financial activities. 9. Endorses the enterprise budget for the operating year and manages it. 10. Organizes a system for recording all financial transactions and preparing financial reporting documentation.

11.
Let us dwell on those functions that are most often prescribed in job descriptions for the commercial director of a company. 1. Development of a commercial strategy for the enterprise. The company's positioning, price segment, long-term and short-term goals, plans and ways to implement sales plans are determined. 2. Organization of interaction between commercial and other units in the company.

All employees are involved in sales in the company. Even the actions of the secretary and technical support specialist will influence the success of sales. The task of the commercial director is to ensure the actions of non-selling departments so that they help, and do not hinder, sellers and sales managers. 3. Determination of sales channels. Select the most promising channels.
Define performance criteria.

How to determine the functionality of a company's commercial director? What to write in a job description for a commercial director? What are his responsibilities? What is beyond his competence? The answers to these questions may vary from company to company. Eat three main factors influencing the duties and powers of the commercial director:

• Company size: the larger the company, the more strategic tasks the commercial director faces;
• Clients of a b2b or b2c company, how simpler product and the sales process, the less the commercial director is concerned with specific sales and the more involved in building a system and marketing;
• Availability of production- how smaller company creates it herself and the more involved in sales, the greater the functionality of a commercial director.

Of course, there are many more company features that influence functions and responsibilities of a commercial director, such as: the participation of the commercial director in the founders, family ties, high leadership qualities and the participation of the head of the commercial unit at the stage of formation of the company, but we will not be able to evaluate all of them. Let us dwell on those functions that are most often prescribed in job descriptions for the commercial director of a company.

Functional responsibilities of the Director for Commercial Affairs:

1. Development of a commercial strategy for the enterprise.

The company's positioning, price segment, long-term and short-term goals, plans and ways to implement sales plans are determined.

2. Organization of interaction between commercial and other units in the company.

All employees are involved in sales in the company. Even the actions of the secretary and technical support specialist will influence the success of sales. The task of the commercial director is to ensure the actions of non-selling departments so that they help, and do not hinder, sellers and sales managers.

3. Determination of sales channels.

Select the most promising channels. Define performance criteria. Protecting your business from having only one channel and constantly developing existing channels is one of the main functions that affects the stability of sales.

4. Formation of an algorithm for the operation of each sales channel.

For a sales channel to be effective, it is necessary to determine the business processes through which sales occur in the channel. Write down these algorithms and consolidate them in the instructions. And the most important thing: make sure that these algorithms work and are not a pile of documentation that interferes with business.

5. Operational control of sales managers.

Even with a perfectly designed strategy, victory depends on the actions of each soldier. A tactical task that determines the success of the entire strategy: how to ensure that outsiders do not interfere with the leaders’ ability to pick stars. And the solution, or rather not the solution to this problem, is the scourge of most companies in Russia.

6. Assessing the performance of the unit and implementing measures to improve results.

It is impossible to build an ideal sales system once and for all. It is important to measure results, innovate, measure again, adjust and do it constantly. Stopping is equivalent to death...

7. Connection to work with key clients.

The famous Pareto rule: 20 percent of customers generate 80 percent of revenue. It is these 20% that the commercial director must personally control; of course, depending on the size of the company, he will control from 1 to 50% of clients.

8. Organization of training for managers.

It is the responsibility of the commercial director to build a training system for new and existing managers. Sometimes personal participation in training managers is necessary.

9. Work with company suppliers.

In a trading organization, this is a sacred duty. IN production company The production unit can also handle deliveries, but the commercial director must control this process, since cost is important when selling.

— Director for Development of New Projects at Yandex. Previously, he was involved in regional expansion in Gett taxi and the coupon service Vigoda.ru, and worked as commercial director at the freight transportation company Deliver.

We talked with Artem about what a commercial director is responsible for and what skills he must have in order to form an effective commercial department.

There is a stereotype that a commercial director deals only with sales.

In reality, there are many more responsibilities. A commercial director can be responsible for four areas simultaneously - sales, purchasing, logistics and marketing. But this is an ideal situation.

In practice, everything depends on the scope of activity and the organizational structure of the company. For example, in many companies that provide services, there is basically no logistics department, and in some companies the production department is responsible for purchasing. But it is more effective if these departments are managed by one person.

Deliver is a freight transportation company. In fact, logistics is the main product, so it is not separated into a separate area. Everything related to sales, purchasing and marketing of the company was subordinate to the commercial director.

Initially, at Deliver, the company's founder, shareholder and CEO were responsible for sales. But if a business needs significant growth in some area, they hire a specialist in that area. It was the same with us. When it was necessary to move to a new level, we decided to hire a commercial director.

At Deliver, he was responsible for sales, purchasing and marketing. We have transformed each of these areas.

#1. Changing the sales system

When I joined the company, the sales department was already working. Contracts were signed with the first clients, but:

the approach was unsystematic

the demands placed on managers were unreasonable

the department structure was complex

there was no clear tariff and credit policy

First of all, I rebuilt the department: distributed tasks among employees and systematized work with clients.

We focused on direct sales, but at the same time began testing other channels. We launched agency sales through warehouse complexes, and later partner sales with tender sites and banks, including Sberbank, Otkritie, and Tinkoff Bank.

#2. Regional expansion

In parallel with this, I was engaged in regional expansion. We opened two offices - in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. But in the regions it was difficult to find return loads for our machines. Moscow is a hub that accumulates cargo and distributes it among the regions, but cargo does not arrive from the regions in the same volume; there is mainly intracity and intraregional delivery.

To solve this problem, we decided to grow deeper into the regions. During the work, we tested different groups of clients - from individuals to giant FMCG companies, whose cargo is transported by hundreds of vehicles every day.

#3. Working with clients

Many suppliers of goods and services want giants as their clients. We were no exception. But we encountered difficulties in working with such companies:

long deferred payments
individual document flow
specific product requirements

We focused on large local manufacturers and distributors of local goods - food, building materials. Medium-sized companies have fewer requirements and organize all processes much more simply. The profit margin of business with them is higher.

The transition to customers of a different scale provided growth that allowed Deliver to become a market leader.

#4. Selection of sales channels

We started with direct sales. Then we tested marketing channels, spent huge sums on marketing and PR, participated in conferences and exhibitions, tried agency and affiliate referral programs and loyalty programs.

Having assessed the cost of attracting one client and his life cycle, we realized that direct sales are more profitable than others. And so we focused on them.

Marketing performs a supporting function - it is not an independent department, it helps direct sales. The task was to analyze these channels. We had several teams: one was involved in marketing, another was involved in PR projects, and the third was involved in BTL activities and indirect impact on consumers. Together we analyzed the results and looked for the most effective channels for attracting customers.

Any commercial company aims to make a profit. In fact, the commercial director and his department are the structure that generates this profit. The commercial director communicates with clients, understands the internal processes of the organization and, naturally, influences the financial performance of the company.

I studied the experience of successful commercial directors and managers in global companies and compiled a list of five key qualities and skills of a commercial director.

#1. Leadership

A commercial director is a leader who is able to make quick decisions in a rapidly changing situation and lead people to their goals.

#2. Strategic Thinking

A commercial director must be able to rise above the routine, above the situation and decide in which direction to move. Be able to apply new techniques and generate innovative ideas.

#3. Sales and communication skills

The work of a commercial director is closely related to communication - with clients, employees, suppliers and colleagues. He must be able to negotiate and understand the principles of sales.

#4. Organizational skills

One of the main competencies of a commercial director is the desire and ability to work in a team and organize it. By motivating employees, encouraging and controlling them, the commercial director achieves success in his department.

#5. Personal effectiveness

Like any other leader, a commercial director must have a flexible mind. To do this, it is important to constantly develop, improve yourself, take courses and trainings.

In general, creating a commercial department consists of three steps.

Determine the profile of the target client. It is important to specify in as much detail as possible who, why and how will use your product or service.

Select the main sales channels. Based on the client's profile, you determine the main sales channels: direct, through dealers or distributors, with an emphasis on online marketing or agency sales.

Select and train employees. Once you decide who you will sell to and how, assemble a suitable team.

Often the head of the sales, purchasing or logistics department is appointed to the position of commercial director. These employees are more immersed in the production process and the process of generating profit, directly influence it and know some of the tasks. It is easier for them to take on other tasks.

The commercial director also comes into contact with marketing. But the set of tools that he must master directly depends on the industry and the company’s products.

Online tools are intensively used in marketing - it is important to understand them at least basic level. A commercial director needs to understand the general principles of work and the basic metrics that measure the effectiveness of campaigns. And you shouldn’t separate marketing and PR - they are interconnected.

The main task of the commercial director is to determine the group of clients who will be targeted by marketing campaigns and test tools, finding the cheapest and most capacious acquisition channels.

The commercial director interacts with stakeholders - interested parties. Internal stakeholders are divided into three types:

founders
investors
staff

Investors And founders companies influence the definition of business strategy, budget approval, products and company profits. From personnel The speed and quality of work on creating a product, the provision of services and, in general, the speed of development of the company depend.

In interaction with managers - top management - in my opinion, the main thing is not to engage in political games. It is important to understand the tasks and goals of other departments and build communication based on the overall goals of the company. If you have the right argument and you say rational things, it’s not difficult to convey to your colleagues the usefulness of your proposal. The main thing is honest and open dialogue.

The commercial director is one of the first persons in any large organization. We can say that this is the first person after the chief manager, because he is responsible for both the internal and external environment. In addition to prestige, such a position also carries with it enormous responsibility. Sometimes it happens that a given person in an organization becomes practically equal to the general director.

Who is a commercial director

Undoubtedly, each individual employee is invaluable to the enterprise. However, the role of the commercial director in the successful functioning of the organization cannot be overestimated. This is not just the right hand of the manager, but it is also the face of any organization. He is responsible for almost all processes that are associated not only with supplies and sales, but also with some production issues.

Despite the fact that there is a generally accepted instruction for a commercial director that defines the scope of his responsibilities, in fact these boundaries are quite blurry and depend on the specifics and scale of the organization’s activities. So, if the enterprise is large, then the commercial director has a fairly wide range of responsibilities associated with almost all departments. In smaller organizations, this position allows you to concentrate on working with the external environment and expanding sales channels.

Also, do not forget about such a position as deputy commercial director. He has the same rights and responsibilities as his immediate superiors if he acts on his behalf and on his instructions. The commercial director delegates a number of his functions to his subordinate, who at the same time has a smaller area of ​​responsibility.

The commercial director of LLC, CJSC, OJSC and other companies is also responsible for working with shareholders and shareholders. He is engaged in informing them, as well as searching for new participants.

Job description of commercial director

When choosing a profession for yourself, you need to clearly understand what kind of work you will have to do. So, job description The commercial director has the following responsibilities:

• drawing up strategic and operational plans for economic and production activities organizations;
• analysis current work and quick response to deviations in the production process in order to normalize the situation;
• studying financial indicators for the purpose of making management decisions;
• control over compliance with the budget for the enterprise as a whole and for its divisions;
• monitoring the execution of developed plans not only for the enterprise as a whole, but also for individual divisions and departments;
• development of measures to expand sales markets and increase sales volumes.

What rights does a commercial director have?

A person holding the position of commercial director has not only responsibilities, but also a number of rights in the organization:

• Adoption independent decisions regarding the effective marketing of products within the scope of competence;
• the opportunity to put forward proposals to the general director to improve the operation of the enterprise;
• the right to reward subordinates for special merits (or submit similar petitions to the manager);
• the opportunity to participate in the collective bodies of the enterprise when it comes to improvement production process, expansion of sales channels, as well as marketing policy issues.

Functions of a commercial director

The commercial director's instructions allow us to highlight a number of mandatory functions that this position entails:

• identifying and expanding distribution channels for goods and services;
• drawing up long-term strategic plans;
• conducting negotiations with suppliers and buyers;
• management of sales activities;
• budget execution control;
• development and implementation of marketing policy;
• development of measures to reduce expenses.

What should a candidate for the position be able to do?

It's not an easy job. A commercial director must be able to perform a fairly wide range of responsibilities. In this regard, the applicant for this responsible position must have a range of knowledge and skills:

• be able to regulate the movement of finished products both within the enterprise and outside it;
• know the intricacies of budgeting;
• have the ability to search for sales channels;
• have basic knowledge regarding personnel management of the enterprise;
• have negotiation skills;
• be familiar with the development of advertising projects.

It is also worth noting some personal qualities that a commercial director must have:

• communication skills;
• stress resistance.

Special knowledge of the commercial director

The commercial director of the company must thoroughly familiarize himself with the following information about the organization’s work:

• rules of law governing the activities of commercial enterprises;
• organizational structure of the company;
• comprehensive information about the range of products and their manufacturing technology;
• methods of research and analysis of existing markets, as well as methods of searching for new ones;
• existing, as well as promising or reserve sales channels;
• general information about the state of affairs in the industry in which the organization operates;
• rules and procedures for concluding contracts with suppliers and customers;
• theoretical aspects of marketing;
• foreign best practices in managing marketing and sales activities;
• standards for ensuring worker safety.

Powers of the commercial director

Of course, the main person who manages all processes in the organization is the general director. The commercial director has the following divisions of the enterprise under his control and subordination:

• advertising and marketing departments that create the organization’s image in the external environment;
• public relations department, which ensures recognition of the enterprise;
• the sales department, which determines sales channels, as well as the logistics department, which determines the most profitable ways to deliver goods from the manufacturer to the consumer;
• warehouse service, where raw materials and supplies are received, as well as unshipped products.

Working conditions

The work of a commercial director has a number of characteristics and features:

• The work schedule and workday schedule are determined by the internal labor regulations (however, due to high responsibility, it is sometimes necessary to work overtime);
• one of the responsibilities of the commercial director is to go on business trips related to the need for business negotiations with suppliers or buyers of products;
• in some cases, the commercial director is provided with official transport or the cost of fuel consumed during business trips is covered;
• the commercial director has the right to sign a number of documents that fall within the area of ​​his responsibility and job responsibilities.

Area of ​​responsibility of the commercial director

The commercial director bears quite serious responsibility for the activities of the organization. It implies the following points:

• organizing processes for marketing products and delivering them to intermediate or final consumers;
• compliance not only with one’s own labor discipline, but also with control of these processes regarding subordinates;
• ensuring complete confidentiality of all information regarding the organization of production, technological features, financial transactions, marketing methods and so on;
• ensuring proper working conditions for their subordinates;
• responsibility for safety, including fire safety, in those premises where units controlled by the commercial director are located.

Failure to comply with rules and failure to fulfill duties

Sanctions and penalties may be applied to the commercial director in the following cases:

• improper performance of one's duties or evasion of them;
• failure to comply with orders and instructions from senior management;
• abuse of official authority or use of official position to achieve material or other personal goals;
• providing false information and reporting to management or government agencies;
• negligent attitude towards fire safety and other circumstances that pose a threat to the life and health of employees;
• personal failure to comply with labor discipline, as well as failure to take measures to ensure it among employees;
• criminal, administrative or civil offenses;
• causing material damage to the organization, which arose both as a result of unlawful actions and as a result of negligent inaction.

Who evaluates the quality of work of a commercial director

To determine the quality of work of the commercial director and the conscientiousness of the performance of duties, inspections are periodically carried out. The following persons or bodies may be involved in this:

• daily control is carried out directly by the general director of the organization, who interacts quite closely with the commercial director on almost all issues related to management;
• At least once every two years, a special certification commission checks all documentation, as well as the results of the commercial director’s activities.

In both the first and second cases, the work of this specialist is assessed according to certain indicators: the quality of task completion, as well as the completeness and accuracy of reporting.

How to find a job

Of course, for many applicants a position such as commercial director is quite desirable. Vacancies in this area are constantly available, as companies strive to find the most professional and valuable employees. But not everyone will be accepted for such a position.

A prerequisite for employment will be a higher education in economics or marketing. In addition, the cumulative experience in management positions must be at least 5 years. Thus, if you have just graduated from university or have no previous management experience, then you are unlikely to be able to immediately become a commercial director.

If you want to get into a prestigious organization that provides decent wages and working conditions, then you should not look for vacancies on the Internet or in newspapers. Most the best option- This is to directly send your resume to those companies where you would like to work.

In 80% of cases large organizations They prefer to appoint their own employees who have sufficient work experience and are well familiar with the structure and specifics of the enterprise to the position of commercial director. Therefore, if you do not immediately manage to get a high position, this is not a reason to give up. By conscientiously fulfilling your duties and showing initiative, you have every chance in a few years to become a highly paid commercial director from an ordinary specialist.

An interesting fact is that a number of enterprises do not see the need for a commercial director. We are talking mainly about monopolistic organizations for which selling products does not pose a particular problem. Also, this position is not necessary when the responsibilities for organizing supplies and sales are already distributed among individuals or departments. This is also possible in the case when an enterprise has several founders who can distribute these areas of responsibility among themselves.