Commercial Director, FT Longitude

About Us

The Financial Times is one of the world's leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you're given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you'll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you'll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

About FT Longitude

FT Longitude is a thought leadership specialist that is fully owned by the Financial Times Group. Our product offering spans three areas: Strategy, a set of services that helps clients to plan and execute effective and differentiated thought leadership campaigns; Research, which encompasses surveys, interview programmes, data modelling and desk research; and Content, which covers multi-format thought leadership campaigns, spanning reports, articles, opinion pieces, visual and interactive content. We work hard to build and maintain a strong, engaging culture that motivates and inspires our team to do great work, learn new things and develop their careers.

The Role

As a Commercial Director at FT Longitude, you will take a strategic lead in driving and expanding our commercial success. Collaborating closely with the CEO and leadership team, you will develop and implement robust sales strategies to achieve ambitious revenue targets and increase our market presence. This role requires a strong leader with a deep understanding of sales, CRM systems, and customer engagement, as well as the ability to manage and inspire a high-performing commercial team.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and continuously refine end-to-end sales processes, implementing enhancements that drive effectiveness and streamline operations.
• Collaborate with the CEO and leadership team to design and implement impactful sales strategies and campaigns that align with broader business goals and drive revenue growth.
• Define best practices for CRM and marketing automation systems (primarily Salesforce and Pardot) to improve tracking of sales opportunities, customer interactions, and campaign performance.
• Manage, coach, and develop a high-performing commercial team, ensuring team members are supported in their roles and aligned with company objectives. Oversee team performance and foster a culture of growth and achievement.
• Partner with the CEO to set ambitious yet attainable sales targets for the commercial team, establishing and managing compensation and commission schemes that reward success and incentivise results.
• Establish and present regular reports for senior management, highlighting key performance metrics, tracking progress against sales forecasts, and making data-driven recommendations for operational improvements.
• Work closely with the marketing team to align on joint sales and marketing initiatives, ensuring a cohesive approach that maximises brand reach and customer engagement.
• Build strong working relationships with Client Solutions, Research, Editorial, and other teams to ensure sales offerings are fully integrated and optimised to meet client needs.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Financial Times to promote and sell group-wide offerings, creating comprehensive solutions that enhance customer value.
• Provide senior leadership with insights into sales performance, emerging trends, and opportunities for growth, keeping a strategic focus on long-term success.
• Work closely with finance and product teams to develop competitive pricing strategies and packages that align with market demands and support revenue objectives.
• Partner with Marketing to refine lead management processes, policies, and metrics, ensuring efficient hand-offs and optimised lead nurturing for improved conversion rates.

Required Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in leading, motivating, and developing high-performing sales teams.
• Proven track record in creating and implementing effective, company-wide sales strategies.
• Strong proficiency with CRM tools (ideally Salesforce) and marketing automation (e.g., Pardot) to track opportunities and manage customer interactions.
• Skilled in all stages of the sales cycle, including prospecting, pitching, negotiating, contracting, and managing legal processes.
• Demonstrated success in driving commercial conversations and leading impactful strategic pitches.
• Experience designing integrated sales and marketing campaigns that generate results.
• Proficient in delivering accurate sales forecasts and reports for senior management.
• Proven ability to meet or exceed KPIs and revenue goals consistently.
• Experience in contributing to pricing and product development decisions.

Interpersonal Skills and Competencies

• Skilled in leading and inspiring teams in a collaborative environment.
• Strategic thinker who effectively drives initiatives through to execution.
• Experienced in managing relationships with senior stakeholders, especially at the C-suite level.
• Strong skills in influencing decisions and negotiating high-value agreements.
• Capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced setting.

What's in it for You?

Our benefits vary by location, but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

We've embraced a hybrid working model that promotes flexibility, including remote work options. We will support specific flexibility requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email and a member of our team will be happy to help.