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Sales Manager Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Last updated: April 15, 2023

A Sales Manager, or Sales Department Manager, is responsible for overseeing daily operations in the sales department. Their duties include hiring and training sales staff, relaying information from upper management to department staff about sales quotas and generating leads to divide among Sales Representatives.

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sales manager duties and responsibilities

Text reads: "(A few) duties of a sales manager: Directing and coordinating all sales activities, Preparing sales budgets and projections, Tracking and analyzing sales statistics"

For any business to thrive, it must have a competent Sales Manager who can plan, execute and oversee all sales and promotional activities effectively. Sales Managers typically undertake the following duties alone or in collaboration with other personnel in the sales department:

  • Overseeing local and regional sales, promotions and campaigns
  • Planning and directing the hiring and training of new Sales Representatives
  • Directing and coordinating all sales activities locally and regionally
  • Preparing sales budgets and projections and approving expenditures
  • Tracking and analyzing sales statistics based on key quantitative metrics
  • Handling and resolving customer complaints regarding a product or service
  • Setting discount rates and determining price schedules
  • Advising distributors and dealers on policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Serving as the face of the organization to internal and external partners
  • Making data-informed decisions to drive performance and resource allocation
  • Developing and maintaining relationships with key clients
  • Setting sales quotas and goals
  • Overseeing and directing performance of the sales team
  • Identifying emerging markets to find new sales opportunities
  • Defining and executing territory sales plans
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Sales Manager Job Description Examples

What does a Sales Manager do?

sales manager typically work for corporations across industries to help them meet their revenue needs. They work closely with other department heads like the Finance Manager, Customer Service Manager or Marketing Manager to establish a department budget, encourage sales through marketing campaigns and address customer complaints. Their job is to hold meetings with sales staff to review monthly goals, highlight new products to sell and cultivate sales pitches. They may also be responsible for attending in-person meetings with clients to renew their contract or discuss new company products.

Sales Manager skills and qualifications

In order to drive up sales while maintaining good relationships with customers, sales manager should have a passion for selling, be self-driven and have the following set of skills and qualifications:

  • Ability to set sales targets and achieve them effectively
  • Excellent interpersonal, customer service and communication skills
  • Experience using CRM to manage the sales process and forecast sales
  • Strong analytical skills to identify trends and sales patterns
  • Ability to design and implement a successful sales strategy
  • Ability to guide and mentor sales representatives
  • Planning, organization and problem-solving skills
  • Advanced time management skills

Sales Manager salary expectations

A Sales Manager makes an average salary of $75,752 per year. This salary may vary depending on a candidate’s education and level of experience as well as your specific company and industry.

Sales Manager education and training requirements

The ideal Sales Manager candidate has a bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing or business management from an accredited university. A master’s degree in business administration or marketing is a plus, though most companies do not require it. sales manager also look for candidates who have training in sales management and promotion tactics or certifications, such as the Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL) or the Certified Sales Executive (CSE).

Sales Manager experience requirements

Sales Manager candidates should have at least 5 years of experience working in sales or marketing to get on-the-job training, and they should have a good understanding of your company’s specific market. Most employers also look for candidates who demonstrable experience in budgeting, planning and executing sales campaigns and overseeing local and regional sales activities. Experience hiring, managing and mentoring Sales Representatives is a plus.

Job description samples for similar positions

If you’re interested in hiring candidates for other related sales roles, take a look at our job description samples for similar positions:

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Frequently asked questions about Sales Managers

What is the difference between a Sales Manager and a Marketing Manager?

Sales Managers and Marketing Managers operate on the same level within an organization and frequently work together to achieve revenue goals for their employer. The difference between a Sales Manager and a Marketing Manager is their area of focus and the types of professionals they oversee. For example, the Sales Manager leads a team of Sales Representatives. Their main goal is to generate revenue for their employer by selling products or services to customers over-the-phone or in-person.

In contrast, the Marketing Manager leads a team of marketing professionals, including Content Creators, Marketing Specialists, Marketing Coordinators and Marketing Analysts. Their goal is to create influential marketing campaigns to tell consumers about their company’s products or services.

What are the daily duties of a Sales Manager?

On a typical day, a Sales Manager starts by checking their email and voicemail to see if they have any missed messages from department heads, employees, upper management personnel or clients. They review employee sales numbers and calculate how many sales they need to make to hit their goal. Throughout the day, Sales Managers host meetings with their department to answer sales-related questions. They also use these meetings to give presentations about new products or services and how to sell them.

During downtime in their office, Sales Managers make calls to clients to check in with them and tell them about new offerings. They also prepare employee performance reports using customer feedback and sales quota data.

What qualities make a good Sales Manager?

A good Sales Manager is someone who can speak persuasively. This quality enables them to make cold calls to prospective clients and help achieve new business for their company, even in a managerial role. Further, a good Sales Manager knows how to motivate their team by issuing several different incentives for those who meet or exceed their sales quotas. A good Sales Manager also has an excellent understanding of their company’s products and services and provides new employees with in-depth training so they can better sell those products to consumers.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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