What does a Territory Manager do?

A Territory Manager’s daily tasks can range from a day of client calls to holding a conference with their sales teams to discuss changes in products or new sales goals. The success of a Territory Manager is dependent on the success of their team, leading to many managers mentoring sales associates in order to strengthen their skills. Territory Managers will regularly meet with their direct supervisor to review the performance of each sales team and associate to identify areas of improvement to target.

Territory Manager skills and qualifications

Territory Managers are expected to manage multiple agents or teams that can span across several states. In order to do so, Territory Managers should be able to exhibit in-demand skills such as:

• Clear and professional verbal and written communication skills

• A thorough understanding of the products or services being solicited

• Strong interpersonal skills to build lasting relationships with key and prospective clients

• Time management skills to handle deadlines, client calls, agent coachings and collaborator meetings

• Leadership abilities to bolster sales performances and help struggling associates overcome roadblocks

• Strong problem-solving skills to quickly address client concerns or changes in directive

Territory Manager experience requirements

Companies hiring a Territory Manager will tend to look for candidates with a proven history of successfully hitting sales goals in the same industry. Some sales departments will train the right candidate that has experience in similar sales-based positions or leadership roles, requiring less work history in comparison. Experience may come from a different industry that the candidate can directly apply to their new position, leaving only the product knowledge to be obtained.

Territory Manager education and training requirements

The degree type and certification requirements for Territory Managers can change depending on the region and product or service sold. Quality candidates often hold a bachelor’s degree with a major in business, finance, marketing, communications or similar field. However, a degree isn’t required for someone to excel at the role. Territory Managers in charge of multiple teams and large portions of the company’s sales footprint will likely hold a master’s in one of the above areas of study.

Job description samples for similar positions

Creating a job posting that differs from our Territory Manager description? Try one of these related job descriptions to build your posting from.

• Regional Sales Manager

• Sales Manager

• Sales Operations Manager

Territory Manager job description FAQs

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

Territory Managers focus solely on their assigned region and the agents below them, creating actionable sales plans to increase the performance of team members. A Sales Manager’s duties tend to contain more operational aspects such as hiring new talent and creating new sales goals based on market trends.

Do Territory Managers have different responsibilities in different industries?

While the role of Territory Manager stays roughly the same, the daily responsibilities will change between industries. Some industries will require more resources be poured into fewer, high-dollar clients, while others will reward those who target a broader audience with hundreds of potential leads each day.

Who reports to a Territory Manager?

A Territory Manager’s direct reports will be the sales team conducting business in their region. These teams are often assigned to the Territory Manager by the Sales or Sales Operations Manager. Agents in the assigned region will look to their Territory Manager for guidance on difficult clients or how to best market a new product or service.

What qualities make for a good Territory Manager?

A healthy spirit for competition in a candidate can bring an extra layer of drive and passion to your regional sales teams. Being a strong leader is also crucial as sales associates benefit greatly from the guidance and mentorship of a more experienced sales person.