The Sales Manager leads the sales team to hit revenue targets. They set targets, build the sales process, coach executives, manage key accounts and forecast accurately so the business can plan with confidence.
Also known as: Area Sales Manager, Sales Team Manager, Head of Sales
The responsibilities a Sales Manager owns and the duties they perform.
Responsibilities
1Deliver team revenue and margin targets
2Recruit, train and develop sales executives
3Define the sales process, stages and follow-up SOPs
4Set individual targets and incentive plans
5Forecast sales accurately
6Manage key accounts and strategic deals
7Ensure CRM discipline across the team
8Work with marketing on lead generation and quality
Duties
Daily
Review team activity and pipeline movement
Join important calls or meetings
Approve discounts and special terms
Coach executives on specific deals
Weekly
Run the sales review meeting
Update the sales forecast
Hold one-on-ones with team members
Review lead quality with marketing
Monthly
Report results and forecast to leadership
Set and adjust targets for the team
Review pricing, competitor moves and sales SOPs
Job Specification (JS)
The job information and the skills this role needs.
Job information
Qualification
Bachelor's degree; MBA in sales or marketing preferred
Experience
5-10 years in sales, with 2+ years leading a team
Work location
Office and field
Working hours
Full-time, typically 9 hours a day, 5-6 days a week
Shift
Day shift
Employment type
Full-time, with incentives
Technical skills
Sales forecasting
Pipeline management
CRM reporting
Pricing and negotiation
Incentive design
Soft skills
Team leadership
Coaching
Motivation
Strategic thinking
Relationship management
Tools used
CRM
Sales dashboards
Spreadsheets
Proposal tools
Sales SOP and playbook
Career path
Sales Executive
Team Leader
Sales Manager
Regional Sales Manager
Head of Sales / VP Sales
KPI
How to measure whether a Sales Manager is succeeding.
KPI
What it measures
Review
Team revenue vs target
Closed revenue against the team target
Monthly
Forecast accuracy
Actual sales against the forecast
Monthly
Win rate
Deals won as a share of qualified opportunities
Monthly
Executives at target
Share of the team hitting individual targets
Monthly
Average deal size
Revenue per closed deal
Quarterly
In Piplhr, KPIs become recurring daily and weekly reports that each person submits - see Reporting & KPI tracking.
Sales Manager FAQs
What does a Sales Manager do?
The Sales Manager leads the sales team to hit revenue targets. They set targets, build the sales process, coach executives, manage key accounts and forecast accurately so the business can plan with confidence.
What are the main responsibilities of a Sales Manager?
Key responsibilities include: deliver team revenue and margin targets; recruit, train and develop sales executives; define the sales process, stages and follow-up SOPs; set individual targets and incentive plans; forecast sales accurately.
A practical method for defining roles and responsibilities in your team - what to include, how to avoid gaps and overlaps, and a template you can use for every position.
A step-by-step guide to writing job descriptions - job title, summary, responsibilities, job specification and more - plus the difference between a JD and a job specification.