Commercial Operations Lead

WHO WE ARE Serval http://serval.com is an AI-native automation platform transforming how enterprises operate. We build intelligent agents that understand real-world workflows and execute them end-to-end — replacing manual processes and rigid legacy systems with adaptive, learning software. Founded in early 2024, Serval is already trusted by companies like Fox, Notion, Perplexity, Vercel, and Brex to automate high-volume, high-friction operational work across their organizations. At the core of Serval is an agentic AI platform that turns natural language into production-grade workflows. Our agents don’t just respond to requests — they reason, take action across systems, and continuously improve with usage. What began with operational use cases has quickly evolved into a horizontal AI automation layer used across IT, HR, Finance, Security, Legal, and Engineering. Our mission is to eliminate repetitive, manual work across the enterprise and give teams leverage through intelligent automation. Long term, we’re building the universal AI operations layer — a system of agents that sits across business functions and runs the workflows that keep modern companies moving. We’re backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Meritech, First Round, General Catalyst, Elad Gil, and others. ABOUT THE ROLE Serval is hiring its first Commercial Operations Lead. We have strong traction across market segments and need a strong operator to build a system that scales for years into the future. We need someone to own how deals get priced, structured, approved, and papered. You will be the commercial operations center of gravity for the sales org. You will set pricing and discount strategy, build the governance that protects it, and serve as the first line of approval on deal-level pricing. You will own our CPQ system and build the analytics that inform and define our pricing strategy. On complex deals, you are the person AEs come to early to shape structure, and the person Legal and Finance trust to have already asked the hard questions. This is an opportunity to build from the ground up. You will get to design the system, earn buy-in from the leaders who will work inside it, and keep it light enough that reps use it rather than route around it. The best people in this role are measured as much on how fast standard deals move as on how well complex ones are structured. WHAT YOU’LL DO Own deal structure and pricing strategy - Partner with the sales team throughout the deal cycle to structure opportunities that win without eroding margin or creating downstream problems - Own alignment with Legal, Finance, and senior leadership on non-standard terms - Develop pricing strategy for complex structures: multi-year commitments, ramps, co-terms, usage-based components, and expansion motions Build discount governance and run approvals - Design and maintain a scalable discount framework: thresholds, approval matrix, delegation of authority, and the policy for what is pre-approved versus escalated. Where possible, support self-service and automation - Serve as the first line of approval on deal-level discounting and commercial terms, with fast turnaround, especially at quarter end - Escalate with a clear recommendation rather than an open question Own the CPQ system - Own CPQ end to end: price book, configuration rules, bundling logic, approval workflows, and quote accuracy - Ensure the paper reflects what was actually approved, and that quote-to-signature is clean and fast - Partner with Business Systems on how CPQ fits the broader revenue architecture, and automate the approval and quoting motion wherever possible Analytics and pricing strategy - Build the analytics layer on discount depth, price realization, margin leakage, and approval cycle time - Own competitive intelligence on pricing: how we are priced against alternatives in live deals, and what that should change about our packaging and list price - Use that analysis to drive changes to pricing policy and packaging, not just to report on outcomes Partner with the field - Work with sales leadership and enablement to educate AEs on deal structuring, pricing rationale, and how to navigate the approval process - Build playbooks and just-in-time guidance so the standard path requires no human in the loop WHAT YOU’LL BRING - 6-8+ years of experience in deal desk, revenue operations, sales finance, or a similar commercial function at a high-growth B2B software company - Direct experience structuring enterprise deals: ramps, co-terms, multi-year commitments, platform / seat-based and usage-based pricing, and custom commercial terms - Hands-on ownership of a CPQ tool (Salesforce CPQ, DealHub, Salesbricks, etc.), including approval workflow design and price book management - Strong analytical horsepower: Excel or Sheets mastery required, SQL and BI tooling preferred - Credibility with senior sales leadership and comfort holding a line on pricing while staying a partner to the sales team - Comfort operating cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, and Product, and the judgment to know which stakeholders a given deal actually needs - Working knowledge of how deal structure affects revenue recognition - Bias toward enabling the sales team rather than gatekeeping it. This role is measured on deals won, not on approvals processed - Comfort with ambiguity and a bias to build. There is no playbook yet. You are writing it - Bonus points: experience building a deal desk function from scratch or through a step change in scale, enterprise displacement motions, selling into IT, CIOs, or technical buyers - Must be willing and able to work onsite five days per week in San Francisco, CA WHAT WE OFFER - Impact: Be a key player in shaping the success of our product and company. - Growth: Build a fundamentally new AI product offering with the support of our experienced team and investors. Grow rapidly with the company. - Culture: Join a culture that values innovation, ownership, accountability, and fun.