Sr. Manager, Deal Desk Team & Operations

About the Role

Merlin Group operates at the intersection of cyber innovation, national security, and technology-driven transformation. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of high-impact technologies across the U.S. public sector and regulated commercial markets, Merlin is uniquely structured around three core tenets – Invest, Enable, and Scale – each designed to address a specific stage of the technology lifecycle. Together, our affiliates – Merlin Ventures, CGC, and Merlin Cyber – form a flywheel that builds enduring capability for customers, partners, and the broader cyber ecosystem, operationalizing technological advancement into mission-ready, enterprise-grade solutions.

At Merlin, we believe our strength lies in our people. Team members are encouraged to be creative, collaborative, and nimble, pursuing paths to deliver the cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions that our customers rely on. From next-generation cyber defense to secure cloud and AI, we are united by one purpose – transforming innovation into mission impact.

Responsibilities

• Deal Desk Management
  • Own and oversee the quote and purchase order (PO) approval process, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely turnaround for the field.
  • Serve as the approval authority (and escalation point) for pricing, discounting, and non-standard deal terms within established guardrails.
  • Lead and manage a team of deal desk managers, setting standards, workload distribution, and service-level expectations.
  • Maintain deal desk policies, approval workflows, and documentation to support consistent, scalable deal execution.
  • Partner with Account Executives, Business Unit Executives, and the VP of Field Operations on deal structuring and order accuracy.
  • Partner with Accounting and Finance on deal reconciliation, purchase orders, and payments.
  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with Merlin partners.
• Data Integrity & Reporting Support
  • Keep CRM data, deal records, and pipeline information accurate, complete, and up to date.
  • Maintain clean forecasting inputs — deal stages, close dates, amounts, and updates — so the VP of Field Operations and the Finance team can forecast reliably.
  • Build and maintain dashboards and reports that give Deal Managers, Account Executives, and Business Unit Executives visibility into deals and pipeline.
• Sales Operations & Execution Support
  • Support the deal desk and sales planning process by supplying accurate deal desk data to the VP of Field Operations and the Finance team.
  • Administer territory and opportunity assignments in the CRM as set by leadership, and keep them current as changes occur.
  • Identify and implement opportunities to streamline sales processes and reduce administrative burden on field teams.
  • Maintain operational cadences and standard operating procedures across the sales organization.
• CRM & Sales Tools
  • Serve as the power user and day-to-day owner of Salesforce and connected sales tools, driving adoption across the field team.
  • Own CRM data hygiene, pipeline accuracy, and reporting integrity.
  • Partner with the Business Operations team on system enhancements, requirements, and testing — acting as the voice of the deal desk.
  • Coordinate any needed training on deal desk tools, processes, and workflows.
• Leadership & Talent Development
  • Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team.
  • Set clear objectives, development plans, and performance expectations.
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and execution.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Analytics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, or Field Operations.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience, including managing a deal desk or transactional operations team.
• Strong expertise in deal desk operations, quote/PO approval processes, CRM data management, and sales reporting.
• Familiarity with how forecasting and territory planning use CRM data.
• Hands-on proficiency with Salesforce or a similar CRM tool and with MS Excel.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, and effective in a fast-paced environment with high deal volume and shifting priorities.

Key Competencies

• Deal Desk & Approval Governance
• Operational Execution
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Process Improvement
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Effective Communication Skills
• Results Orientation

Success Attributes

• Timely, accurate quote and PO approvals with a well-run deal desk.
• Accurate and reliable CRM data, pipeline, and forecasting inputs.
• Appropriate CRM adoption and data completeness across the sales organization.
• Reliable, on-time reporting that leadership and Finance trust for planning.
• A well-run, retained deal desk team.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with options for FSA and EAP.
• Access to an on-site gym.
• 401(k) with employer match.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Dynamic, collegial, and flexible work environment.