Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

Job Title: Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) Reports To: Group Chief Executive Officer You will lead a globally matrixed commercial organization spanning Vendor Management, Business Unit P&Ls, Channel Sales, Specialist Solutions (Cloud, Security, AI), and Digital Platforms. You will own the gross margin envelope—the delicate, high-stakes negotiation around front-end margin, back-end rebates, and price protection that determines whether we are profitable or merely moving boxes. Key Responsibilities Vendor Strategy & Strategic Alliances · Own the group-level relationships with our top 20 strategic vendor partners (e.g., Microsoft, Cisco, HP, Dell, AWS, Google), negotiating global partnership agreements that set the framework for regional execution. · Architect the "vendor portfolio" strategy—balancing incumbency with high-growth challengers in cloud, cyber, and AI to ensure we capture emerging margin pools early. · Lead monthly reviews with global sales management team performance metrics (market share, breadth of partner activation, inventory commitment) while negotiating incremental program support. · Secure exclusive or first-to-market distribution rights for new geographies, product lines, or consumption models, differentiating our line card from competitors. Revenue Growth & Channel Excellence · Own the consolidated top-line revenue number and, critically, the pocket margin (net realized margin after all program mechanics), not just the shipped revenue headline. · Build and scale a high-velocity channel organization—field sales, inside sales, and digital self-service—capable of activating, enabling, and retaining thousands of customers. cybersecurity services, AI infrastructure, and managed services enablement. · Oversee the development of proprietary digital platforms (marketplaces, configurators, subscription management portals) that make us the path of least resistance for customers to transact. Go-to-Market & Business Unit P&L Ownership · Lead a product-BU-aligned matrix (e.g., GM of Endpoint, GM of Cloud & Software, GM of Networking & Infrastructure), each running a de facto micro-P&L down to gross margin contribution. · Partner with the CFO to model and track the complex "margin waterfall" for each customer engagements: front-end sell price, back-end rebate tiers, volume incentive uplifts, MDF claims, price protection credits, and stock rotation rights. · Develop and monetize value-added services attached to the distribution core—professional services, technical pre-sales, configuration & logistics services, and channel financing—to lift blended margin points. Sales Operations, Enablement & Data Monetization · Build a world-class sales operations and commercial excellence function that equips teams with real-time data on share of wallet, partner propensity models, and whitespace analytics. · Lead the digital transformation of the commercial engine, deploying AI-driven pricing guidance, automated quoting tools, and predictive churn models for partner retention. · Explore and commercialize data-as-an-asset strategies; position the company's aggregated channel data (sell-through trends, pricing benchmarks) as a strategic offering to vendor partners. Leadership, Culture & Cross-Functional Alignment · Lead and inspire a diverse, multi-cultural commercial team of hundreds across the globe—setting clear metrics, rewarding outcomes, and building a meritocratic, high-performance culture. · Forge a symbiotic partnership with the COO to ensure that sales promises on SLAs, stock availability, and configuration complexity are operationally deliverable and profitable. · Partner with the CFO and COO on the critical monthly S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) rhythm, ensuring demand forecasts align with inventory procurement and cash allocation decisions. · Represent the company externally at industry events, vendor partner summits, and with key ecosystem influencers. The Successful Candidate Essential Experience · 15+ years of progressive commercial leadership in the technology channel ecosystem, with significant time spent inside a technology distributor (broadline or VAD) at VP/GM/CRO level. · Deep, established relationships with vendor executives across multiple technology domains; · Experience leading the commercial transition from product resale to recurring revenue models (subscription, consumption, marketplace), including the go-to-market pivot and sales compensation redesign this requires. · A proven history of building and scaling channel partner ecosystems—you understand the economics of a partner, not just the economics of a deal. Personal Attributes · Dual-Ambidexterity: You are equally fluent in a boardroom negotiating a multi