Why Watlow
Watlow is a global leader in industrial thermal systems, with over 100 years of innovation and engineering excellence. We design and manufacture electric heaters, temperature sensors, controllers, and integrated systems that power industries such as semiconductors, energy, and medical equipment.
Our mission is to Enrich lives through inspired innovation and our values are: Do what is right, Always learning and improving, Respect everyone, and Lead with service and humility.
This role offers an opportunity to help shape the future of our Semiconductor business in Europe, influence strategic direction, and lead a high-impact commercial transformation in line with our long-term aspirations.
Role Overview
The Commercial Director – Semiconductor Europe will lead the commercial function for Watlow’s Semiconductor business in Europe. As a member of the European Executive Leadership Team (ELT), this role owns the commercial drivers of EBITDA performance and co-leads the overall profitability and growth of the Semiconductor business in Europe, shaping and executing the business strategy across the region.
Watlow’s European Semiconductor business is at the forefront of a transformational growth journey. The ambition is to more than double the business by 2027, and double it again by 2030, by scaling our presence with a small group of highly strategic, global customers and capturing long-term value through technology leadership and operational excellence.
A key pillar of success will be the ability to lead and evolve Strategic Account Management practices. This includes building deep, trust-based relationships with a handful of large multinational customers, aligning Watlow’s value propositions to their long-term roadmaps, and ensuring seamless cross-functional collaboration across technical, commercial, and operational teams.
Strategic Ambition – The Road to 2030
The Commercial Director will be instrumental in leading this transformation — owning the key commercial drivers and co-leading the European Semiconductor business’s EBITDA growth journey, shaping and executing the path to scalable, sustainable success. The role requires a commercially visionary and operationally grounded leader who thrives on building for the long term.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Business Growth
* Define and execute the strategy for the Semiconductor business, ensuring alignment with Watlow’s global and European priorities.
* Translate strategy into clear, measurable OKRs to drive team execution and accountability.
* Identify and develop new revenue streams and growth opportunities across Europe.
* Foster a strong customer-centric culture, ensuring value creation through deep customer understanding and Voice of Customer (VoC) initiatives.
* Lead competitive intelligence and go-to-market strategy to sharpen Watlow’s market leadership position.
Strategic Account Management
* Build and institutionalize a world-class Strategic Account Management approach focused on a small number of large global customers.
* Develop multi-year customer development plans, account governance structures, and executive relationship management strategies.
* Ensure Watlow is positioned as a long-term innovation and reliability partner, not just a supplier.
* Drive structured growth planning in close alignment with global teams and cross-functional partners.
Commercial & Financial Accountability
* Owns the commercial levers of revenue, gross margin, and direct cost management for the Semiconductor business in Europe, as the primary drivers of EBITDA performance.
* Co-leads full EBITDA delivery by partnering with functional leaders to influence shared costs and drive overall business profitability and operational effectiveness.
* Set and monitor KPIs to track performance and ensure continuous improvement.
* Shape and influence pricing models, commercial policies, and channel strategies to enhance competitiveness and margin.
* Leverage CRM, digital tools, and analytics to improve commercial execution and forecast accuracy.
* Ensure compliance with all relevant industry and regulatory requirements.
People Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing commercial team across multiple European markets.
* Create a culture of ownership, collaboration, and innovation.
* Align and integrate commercial execution with engineering, operations, and supply chain.
* Collaborate with the Semiconductor Business Unit in the U.S. to ensure strategic consistency and shared best practices.
* Drive systematic talent development through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning.
What Success Looks Like
* Revenue more than doubles by 2027 and doubles again by 2030 in line with Watlow’s strategic ambition.
* Strategic accounts are grown systematically with clear multi-year plans, executive sponsorship, and shared innovation roadmaps.
* A scalable go-to-market model is built and aligned with global strategy and regional execution.
* A customer-centric, data-driven commercial approach enhances Watlow’s competitive position in the semiconductor sector.
* A high-performing, cross-border team is in place, delivering engagement, accountability, and results.
* Collaboration between commercial, engineering, and operations teams is seamless and focused on customer success.
Key Qualifications & Experience
* 10+ years of proven commercial leadership experience in a high-tech, global B2B environment — ideally within the semiconductor or electronics value chain.
* Strong track record of EBITDA ownership, strategic planning, and delivering sustainable growth.
* Experience developing and executing Strategic Account Management practices across complex global customers.
* Deep knowledge of pricing strategies, go-to-market execution, and channel development.
* Experience leading cross-functional and multicultural teams across multiple European countries.
* Fluency in English; proficiency in French, German, or other European languages is a plus.
* Comfort with using CRM, analytics, and digital tools to drive commercial excellence.
* Leadership style: Inclusive, accountable, customer-focused, and capable of influencing across cultures and functions.