At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive commercial strategy and operations, providing data-led insights to the CEO.
- Company: Join a high-growth B2B SaaS company focused on customer experience.
- Benefits: High autonomy, competitive salary, and opportunities for career advancement.
- Other info: Work closely with the Board and gain exposure across various business functions.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping the company's growth and strategy.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and experience in commercial operations or strategy.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 84000 £ per year.
Location: Milton Keynes (Hybrid)
Reports to: CEO
Works closely with: CFO, Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Product
Company stage: High-growth B2B SaaS + Services (CX & Insight Platform)
Overview
Serve First is scaling rapidly and requires a single, trusted operator to sit alongside the CEO and act as the data, insight, and execution engine behind key commercial decisions. The Commercial Operations and Strategy Lead is a highly analytical, project-owning role that blends:
- Revenue & commercial operations
- Strategic analysis and research
- Cross-functional project leadership and support
- Board-level decision support
This is a "Founders Associate / Chief of Staff" style position with ownership of RevOps, CRM, and commercial insight as core pillars. The role exists to ensure that decisions are data-led, projects are executed, and the Board always has clarity on what is happening in the business and why.
What Success Looks Like
- The CEO has clear, reliable insight into pipeline, revenue, growth levers, and risks.
- Commercial decisions are evidence-based, not instinct-led.
- Cross-functional initiatives move faster, with clear ownership and accountability.
- CRM and commercial data are clean, trusted, and actionable.
- Strategy turns into execution.
Key Responsibilities
CEO Right Hand
- Partner directly with the CEO to analyse commercial performance, evaluate growth options, and shape prioritised, data-led decisions across pricing, pipeline, retention, and expansion.
- Prepare analysis, insight packs, and decision briefs for leadership discussions.
- Pressure-test assumptions using data and research.
- Own follow-through: once decisions are made, ensure they are executed across the business.
- Support special projects, initiatives, and strategic workstreams as required.
Commercial & Revenue Operations Ownership
- Own Serve First's commercial operating system, including CRM (HubSpot), pipeline architecture, revenue reporting, and revenue forecasting models.
- Ensure a single source of truth across leads, pipeline, opportunities, customers, retention, expansion, products, modules, and pricing.
- Maintain commercial hygiene and visibility across Sales, Marketing, CS, and Finance.
Data, Insight & Decision Support
- Be the person behind the question: what does the data actually tell us?
- Analyse:
- Funnel conversion rates
- Deal velocity and pipeline health
- Retention, churn, and expansion
- Pricing, discounting, and packaging performance
- Build dashboards and models that leadership actually uses.
- Translate complex data into clear insight, recommendations, and actions.
Project Ownership & Cross-Functional Execution
- Support high-impact initiatives end-to-end, such as:
- GTM or pricing changes
- CRM rebuilds or optimisation
- New sector or market entry analysis
- Internal process improvements
- Coordinate across teams to ensure alignment and delivery.
- Track progress, remove blockers, and drive accountability.
Research, Strategy & Growth Support
- Conduct structured research into:
- New markets, sectors, or ICPs
- TAM / SAM / SOM analysis
- Competitive positioning and differentiation
- Support strategic planning with evidence-backed recommendations.
- Help turn long-term vision into executable plans.
About You
This role suits someone who is analytical, commercially minded, and comfortable operating close to the Board.
Likely Backgrounds
- Founders Associate / Chief of Staff
- Commercial, finance, or strategy analyst
- Consulting or advisory background
- RevOps or commercial ops professional with strong analytical depth
- Early-stage or scale-up experience with broad exposure
Key Skills & Traits
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
- Comfortable working with data, models, and CRM systems.
- Commercially curious — understands how businesses actually make money.
- Confident working with senior stakeholders and founders.
- Highly organised, proactive, and ownership-driven.
- Equally happy thinking strategically and executing tactically.
What This Role Is (and Isn’t)
This role is:
- Data-driven
- Project-owning
- Board-facing
- Commercially focused
This role is not:
- A junior ops role
- A pure reporting function
- A sales admin position
- A narrow RevOps specialist
Why Join Serve First
- Work directly with the Board at a critical growth stage.
- Shape how the company scales commercially.
- High autonomy, high trust, high impact.
- Exposure across strategy, revenue, and execution.
- Opportunity to grow into a senior leadership role as the business scales.
Commercial Operations and Strategy Lead in Milton Keynes employer: Serve First CX
Serve First is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to work closely with the CEO and Board during a pivotal growth phase. With a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration, employees enjoy high autonomy and trust, alongside significant opportunities for professional development and advancement into senior leadership roles. The hybrid working model in Milton Keynes further enhances work-life balance, making it an attractive place for those seeking meaningful and impactful careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Operations and Strategy Lead in Milton Keynes
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your questions to show you’re genuinely interested in how you can contribute to their growth.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your analytical skills during interviews. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive decisions or improve processes in past roles. It’s all about proving you can be the insight engine they need!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive!
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Operations and Strategy Lead in Milton Keynes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Analytical Skills:Make sure to highlight your analytical prowess in your application. We want to see how you can turn data into actionable insights, just like the role requires. Use examples from your past experiences to demonstrate this skill.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter! We’re looking for candidates who understand our business and the role. Tailor your application to reflect how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key. We appreciate straightforward communication, so make sure your points are easy to understand. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role, and keep it professional yet engaging.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Serve First CX
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Commercial Operations and Strategy Lead, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on key metrics like funnel conversion rates and deal velocity. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in the past.
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
This role involves cross-functional project leadership, so come prepared with examples of projects you've owned from start to finish. Highlight your ability to coordinate across teams and ensure accountability.
✨Understand the Business Model
Familiarise yourself with Serve First's business model and how it generates revenue. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to pricing strategies and pipeline management based on your understanding of the market.
✨Prepare Insightful Questions
Interviews are a two-way street. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your analytical mindset and interest in the company's growth. Ask about their current challenges and how they envision the role contributing to their success.
