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What is an associate director of sales and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne

An associate director of sales oversees a company's daily sales operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising the workforce, setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and schedules, liaising with external business partners, performing research and analysis, gathering and analyzing data, and implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. They monitor the progress of all procedures and report directly to the director. Moreover, an associate director leads and encourages teams to reach goals, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

What general advice would you give to an associate director of sales?

Bill ThorneBill Thorne LinkedIn profile

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.
ScoreAssociate Director Of SalesUS Average
Salary
8.5

Avg. Salary $132,949

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 41.03%

male 58.97%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Associate director of sales career paths

Key steps to become an associate director of sales

  1. Explore associate director of sales education requirements

    Most common associate director of sales degrees

    Bachelor's

    75.0 %

    Master's

    13.6 %

    Associate

    6.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific associate director of sales skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service27.91%
    Portfolio7.97%
    CRM6.21%
    Booking4.86%
    Training Programs4.43%
  3. Complete relevant associate director of sales training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New associate directors of sales learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an associate director of sales based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real associate director of sales resumes.
  4. Research associate director of sales duties and responsibilities

    • Manage all reservations by phone and online.
    • Manage RFP process and contribute to budget development.
    • Manage guests itinerary including but not limit to dinning reservations and tours.
    • Full responsibility for all sales activities for a start-up electronic commerce company managing electronic data flow in the healthcare industry.
  5. Apply for associate director of sales jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an associate director of sales job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first associate director of sales job

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Average associate director of sales salary

The average associate director of sales salary in the United States is $132,949 per year or $64 per hour. Associate director of sales salaries range between $92,000 and $190,000 per year.

Average associate director of sales salary
$132,949 Yearly
$63.92 hourly

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How do associate directors of sales rate their job?

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Associate director of sales reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Motivating people and helping to create success in each person's day. Honor God serve people in rich people's lives, pursue excellence in service.

Cons

Not enough time in each day to get everything accomplished.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Cons

I like everything

Pros

Coming in contact with people, motivating staff, making the numbers, profitability for everyone


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Working and meeting new people. Helping customers with their purchases. Helping employees better themselves and their sales processes.

Cons

Nothing


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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