Leads commercial strategy, P&L, revenue, margin, pricing, bookings, and growth for the Appliance segment. Manages Key Account teams, executive relationships with major appliance OEMs, platform development, negotiations, forecasting, and market intelligence. Drives new business wins, strategic partnerships, contract compliance, and cross-functional execution with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance. Frequent domestic and international travel is required.
Commercial Director – Appliance
Located in Itasca, IL
Company Background
Robertshaw is a private equity-owned global design, engineering, and manufacturing company selling product solutions to the appliance, automotive, and HVAC industries. We are an industry leader in advanced flow control components and systems for water, gas, and other fluids to help build extraordinary products that improve safety, comfort, health, and happiness.
When you join Robertshaw, you’re joining a company with over 125 years of experience and a global team with focus on innovation.
Role Description
Robertshaw is seeking an accomplished Commercial Director to lead the commercial performance of its Appliance business across domestic and global accounts. This leader will own the commercial strategy, revenue and margin results for the Appliance segment, lead and develop the Key Account team, and serve as the senior executive relationship owner with Robertshaw’s largest appliance OEM customers. The Commercial Director will bring deep appliance industry knowledge, spanning customers, platforms, sourcing practices, regulatory drivers and the competitive landscape, to accelerate profitable growth, win new platforms and strengthen Robertshaw’s position as a strategic partner to the industry.
Main Responsibilities
- Commercial Strategy & P&L Ownership: Own the commercial strategy and annual operating plan for the Appliance segment, with full accountability for revenue, gross margin, pricing and bookings targets. Translate market and customer insight into a multi-year growth plan aligned with Robertshaw’s business objectives.
- Team Leadership: Lead, coach and develop a team of Key Account Managers and commercial professionals. Set clear goals, account plans and performance metrics, build bench strength, and foster a high-performance, customer-first culture.
- Executive Customer Relationships: Serve as the senior executive sponsor for strategic appliance OEM accounts. Build trusted, multi-level relationships across customer sourcing, engineering, quality and executive leadership to position Robertshaw as a preferred, strategic supplier.
- Growth & New Business Development: Drive the platform pipeline from early design-in through award and launch. Identify and win new programs, product categories and customers, and expand share of wallet across cooking, laundry, refrigeration, dishwashing and water heating applications.
- Pricing, Contracts & Negotiations: Lead negotiation of long-term supply agreements, pricing and commercial terms, including material, inflation and tariff cost recovery, productivity commitments, rebates and payment terms. Ensure contract compliance and protect margin.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with Engineering, Product Management, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality and Finance to deliver new product launches, resolve customer issues quickly and align capacity with customer demand through the S&OP process.
- Market & Competitive Intelligence: Maintain a clear view of appliance market trends, including energy-efficiency and safety regulations, electrification, connected appliances and competitor activity. Translate these insights into product roadmap and commercial strategy.
- Forecasting & Reporting: Own the sales forecast and commercial reporting for the segment, providing accurate, timely updates to executive leadership and ownership on performance, risks and opportunities.
- Industry Presence: Represent Robertshaw with industry influencers, trade associations (e.g. AHAM) and at key industry events to strengthen the company’s market position and brand.
Qualifications
- A minimum of 10 years’ commercial experience in the appliance industry, in sales, key account management or business leadership roles serving major appliance OEMs (e.g. Whirlpool, GE Appliances, Electrolux, BSH, Samsung, LG, Midea).
- At least 5 years of experience leading commercial teams with direct people-management responsibility.
- Proven track record of owning and growing a significant revenue and margin portfolio, with measurable results in new business wins and share growth.
- Deep understanding of appliance OEM sourcing processes, platform development cycles, supplier selection and quality/launch requirements (e.g. APQP/PPAP).
- Strong technical aptitude for components, sub-assemblies or systems (e.g. controls, valves, sensors, ignition, gas and water flow control), including their design, development, testing and manufacturing processes.
- Demonstrated success negotiating complex, multi-year supply agreements and executing pricing strategies, including cost and inflation recovery.
- Executive presence and excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence at the C-suite level and across a matrixed organization.
- Strategic, analytical and data-driven decision-maker who thrives in a fast-paced, results-oriented, private equity-backed environment.
- Willingness to travel frequently, domestically and internationally, to engage with customers and Robertshaw sites.
Nice to Have
- Experience in adjacent markets such as HVAC, water heating or commercial refrigeration.
- Experience managing global or multi-region accounts; additional European languages, Italian in particular, are a plus.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing or related field; MBA preferred
Employment Type
- Full-Time
Job Function
- Commercial / Sales Leadership
Industries
- Appliances
Robertshaw Itasca, Illinois, USA Office
Itasca, IL, United States
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