Commercial Director

Light Frame SA; Lausanne; Hybrid; CHF 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Light Frame SA is seeking a Commercial Director to drive new institutional business with private banks, wealth managers, external asset managers, and other financial institutions in Switzerland and Europe. The role reports to the CEO and involves originating, developing, and closing opportunities with senior banking executives.

The right candidate will have a strong Swiss private banking network, a proven track record in closing complex contracts, and the ability to build and lead a growing

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years selling complex tech to financial institutions.
• Proven track record closing substantial institutional contracts.
• Established Swiss private banking/wealth mgmt network helpful.
• Understanding of banking operations and core banking tech is a plus.
• Experience navigating RFIs/RFPs and complex negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Originate, develop and close institutional opportunities independently.
• Lead complex sales processes from discovery to contract signature.
• Build trusted relationships with senior executives at banks and wealth managers.
• Contribute to go-to-market strategy, pricing and terms.
• Collaborate with product/engineering on demonstrations and evaluations.
• Coordinate with partnerships and manage CRM, pipelines and forecasts.
• Help recruit and develop a scalable commercial organization.

Skills

Enterprise Sales

Proven Sales Performance

Industry Network

Industry Expertise

Institutional Procurement

Commercial Discipline

Leadership & Collaboration

Communication & Languages

Job description

Job Title: Commercial Director

Location: Zurich / Geneva / Lausanne

Role: 100% | Hybrid | Regular travel

Reporting to: CEO

Company Overview:

Light Frame SA is a Swiss Financial Technology company building the next-generation core banking and portfolio management platform for private banks and wealth managers. Founded by the team behind Switzerland’s first cloud-native private bank and seasoned technologists from leading institutions, we are replacing legacy systems with a modern, intelligent, API-first solution that dramatically reduces operational costs while enabling new revenue opportunities and greater productivity for our clients.

We have multiple enterprise clients, strong investor backing, strategic partnerships, and high-caliber advisory support. This is a rare opportunity to join a founder-led company at the inflection point of commercial traction and scale - helping shape the future of private banking technology with cutting-edge solutions and deep domain expertise.

Role Summary:

We are seeking a Commercial Director to drive new institutional business with private banks, wealth managers, external asset managers, and other financial institutions. Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a senior, hands-on commercial role with responsibility for independently originating, developing, and closing new client opportunities across Switzerland and key European markets.

The successful candidate will bring an established network within the Swiss private banking and wealth management industry, a proven track record of closing complex institutional contracts, and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior banking executives. Success will be measured primarily by new business generation, commercial results, and client feedback.

Working closely with the CEO and broader management team, the Commercial Director will contribute to commercial strategy, market positioning, and the development of a scalable sales organization. As Light Frame expands, the role is expected to evolve to include recruiting, developing, and leading a commercial team.

This is an opportunity to play a central role in Light Frame's next phase of growth, with the potential to progress into senior commercial leadership as the business scales.

Residence in Switzerland is required. The position offers flexible remote working, with periodic attendance in Lausanne and regular travel for client meetings across Switzerland and selected markets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Business Origination: Independently originate, develop, and close institutional opportunities, leveraging established industry relationships and targeted business development to achieve agreed commercial targets.
• Institutional Sales: Lead complex sales processes from initial engagement through discovery, solution evaluation, RFI/RFP responses, stakeholder alignment, commercial negotiations, and contract signature.
• Client Relationships: Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior executives and decision-makers at private banks, wealth managers, and other financial institutions.
• Commercial Strategy: Work closely with the CEO and management team on account prioritization, go-to-market strategy, market positioning, pricing, and commercial terms, contributing market intelligence and competitive insights.
• Solution Engagement: Collaborate with product, engineering, and the Solution Architect on demonstrations, proofs of concept, technical evaluations, and solution design, ensuring client commitments align with agreed product and delivery capabilities.
• Partnerships: Coordinate with the Partnerships team on partner-generated opportunities while maintaining strong accountability for independently originated business.
• Sales Management: Maintain disciplined CRM records, account plans, pipeline management, qualification, forecasting, and reporting. Apply sound commercial judgment to deal economics, commercial risks, and contractual commitments.
• Organizational Development: Establish repeatable commercial processes and, as the business expands, contribute to the recruitment, development, and leadership of the commercial team.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Enterprise Sales Experience: 8–12+ years of experience selling complex technology solutions to financial institutions, preferably within private banking, wealth management, core banking, or financial technology.
• Proven Sales Performance: Demonstrated personal success originating and closing substantial institutional contracts, with a consistent record of achieving individual sales targets. Direct sales performance is valued more highly than prior team management experience.
• Industry Network: Established relationships with senior decision-makers across the Swiss private banking and wealth management industry, with demonstrated ability to translate these relationships into commercial opportunities.
• Industry Expertise: Strong understanding of private banking and wealth management. Understanding of banking operations, core banking systems, and the technology requirements of regulated financial institutions is a plus.
• Institutional Procurement: Experience navigating complex enterprise selection processes, including RFIs/RFPs, due diligence, multi-stakeholder decision-making, and commercial negotiations.
• Commercial Discipline: Strong pipeline management, forecasting, and business development capabilities, with the initiative and independence required to succeed in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with founders, product, engineering, and the broader management team. Demonstrated leadership potential and motivation to build and manage a commercial organization as the company grows; prior people management experience is an advantage.
• Communication & Languages: Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills. Fluency in English and professional proficiency in Swiss German, German or French, including the ability to conduct senior-level client discussions and commercial negotiations. Additional Swiss national languages are an advantage.