Commercial Excellence & Performance Management Project Manager (with a focus on AI)

Xylem; Hartford; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global water solutions company in the UK is seeking a Commercial Excellence & Performance Management Project Manager to drive AI-driven initiatives. This role involves leading cross-functional teams to enhance sales effectiveness and performance management across the organization. The ideal candidate should exhibit strong analytical skills, project management abilities, and proficiency with CRM systems. This position offers an opportunity to influence strategic decisions and improve commercial operations globally while being part of a mission-driven team committed to sustainable water solutions.

Benefits

Innovative and sustainable solutions

Opportunity for career growth

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional projects in commercial excellence or sales operations.
• Strong analytical capability to turn data into actionable insights.
• Experience working with sales performance metrics and commercial dashboards.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills including planning and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of commercial excellence initiatives.
• Design and embed robust performance management frameworks.
• Assess and improve core sales processes and support CRM adoption.
• Drive change through influence and develop training materials.
• Track benefits realization and ensure measurable commercial impact.

Skills

Analytical capability

Project management

Stakeholder management

CRM systems proficiency

Sales performance metrics

Tools

Salesforce

AI tools

Job description

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, data, AI and execution in the commercial excellence function of Xylem's treatment division. The Commercial Excellence & Performance Management Project Manager will rethink and overhaul traditional ways of working on commercial activities and performance management by effectively using AI tools. The role will be accountable for leading high‑impact, cross‑functional initiatives by leveraging AI that strengthen Xylem Treatment division's commercial operating model, improve sales effectiveness, and embed disciplined performance management across the business. The focus is not on administration, but on outcomes: clearer visibility of commercial performance, sharper decision‑making, and measurable improvements in revenue quality, margin, pipeline health, and customer value by developing and using various AI tools. The role requires a passion for efficiency, strong project leadership, analytical rigor, and the credibility to challenge established ways of working.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Excellence Programme Delivery
  • Lead end‑to‑end delivery of commercial excellence initiatives covering topics such as funnel management, sales incentive planning and tracking, 80/20 simplification, growth planning, etc.
  • Deploy strategic division goals and targets into structured workplans, milestones, and governance.
  • Partner with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Pricing, and Operations to align execution and remove friction across the commercial lifecycle.
• Performance Management & Analytics
  • Design and embed robust performance management frameworks, including KPIs, dashboards, and management routines.
  • Ensure consistent definitions and usage of commercial metrics (e.g., pipeline, win rate, pricing discipline, margin, forecast accuracy).
  • Use data to identify performance gaps, root causes, and improvement opportunities at global, regional, and local levels.
• Sales Effectiveness & Process Optimisation
  • Assess and improve core sales processes such as opportunity management, forecasting, account planning, and bid governance.
  • Support adoption and effective use of CRM and related commercial tools (e.g., Salesforce), working closely with digital and IT teams.
  • Identify best practices across regions and drive standardisation where it creates value.
• Change & Stakeholder Management
  • Act as a trusted partner to senior commercial leaders, providing insight, challenge, and practical recommendations.
  • Drive change through influence rather than authority, managing resistance and ensuring sustainable adoption.
  • Develop clear communication, training, and enablement materials to support new ways of working.
• Governance & Value Tracking
  • Establish project governance, risk management, and reporting for commercial initiatives.
  • Track benefits realisation and ensure initiatives deliver tangible, measurable commercial impact.
  • Escalate issues appropriately and recommend corrective actions where performance is off‑track.
• Key Interfaces
  • Sales Leadership & Field Sales Teams
  • Marketing & Product Management
  • Finance (FP&A, Pricing, Commercial Finance)
• Qualifications
  • Proven experience leading complex, cross‑functional projects in commercial excellence, sales operations, performance management, or business transformation.
  • Strong analytical capability with the ability to turn data into clear insight and action.
  • Experience working with sales performance metrics, CRM systems, and commercial dashboards.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and challenge constructively.
  • Excellent project management discipline, including planning, governance, and benefits tracking.
• Desirable
  • Experience in B2B, industrial, engineering, or solutions‑based environments.
  • Exposure to pricing, margin management, or value‑based selling initiatives.
  • Experience operating in matrixed, international organisations.
• Personal Attributes
  • Passionate about AI and digital tools and how they can simplify complex business processes.
  • Commercially curious and outcome‑driven; focused on impact rather than activity.
  • Structured thinker with a pragmatic, delivery‑oriented mindset.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and able to bring clarity to complex situations.
  • Resilient, credible, and confident engaging with senior leaders.
  • Aligned with Xylem's mission to solve water challenges through innovation and performance.
• What Success Looks Like
  • Clear, trusted commercial performance visibility across the organisation.
  • Improved sales effectiveness, forecast accuracy, and margin discipline.
  • Consistent adoption of commercial best practices across regions.

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

Commercial Excellence & Performance Management Project Manager (with a focus on AI) – Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re‑use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.