How to hire a director of federal sales

How to hire a director of federal sales, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of federal sales hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of federal sales job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of federal sales
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a director of federal sales, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a director of federal sales to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a director of federal sales that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of federal sales.

   Type of Director Of Federal Sales	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Federal Sales	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$21-57
   Account Manager	Account managers are employees who act as the bridge between the company they represent and the client of the company. They are assigned to handle specific clients so that the company will be able to tailor-fit any product or service according to the clients' requirements... Show more	$20-52
   Sales Manager	Sales managers are responsible for leading the organization's sales team. They oversee the progress and performance of the whole team, set area assignments to team members, and set weekly or monthly quotas... Show more	$20-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Federal Government
   • Business Development
   • Cloud
   • DOD
   • Federal Sales
   • Government Agencies
   • HHS
   • Federal Agencies
   • CRM
   • Direct Sales
   • Enterprise Sales
   • DHS
   • Federal Programs
   • Capture Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Specialize in video collaboration technologies - multi-class Audio/Video bridging, manage video services and cloud video solutions.
   • Full responsibility for all sales activities for a start-up electronic commerce company managing electronic data flow in the healthcare industry.
   • Utilize DHS TacCOM and GSA contract vehicles.
   • Prepare pricing proposals and assist carrier partners in the preparation of federal agency RFP's.
   • Perform onsite and webinar training on system releases and new features for financial planning SaaS software.
   • Negotiate with the VA and DoD for pricing and product access across all VA and DoD facilities.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of federal sales job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A director of federal sales salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, directors of federal sales' average salary in alaska is 43% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of federal sales earn 63% less than senior-level directors of federal sales.
   • Certifications. A director of federal sales with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a director of federal sales's salary.

   Average director of federal sales salary

   $72,678yearly

   $34.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of federal sales salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

4. Writing a director of federal sales job description

   A good director of federal sales job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a director of federal sales job description:

   Director of federal sales job description example

   Color is a health technology company that makes population-scale healthcare programs accessible, convenient, and cost-effective for everyone. We have raised $100 million in Series E funding, bringing our valuation to $4.6 billion and our total raised amount to $378 million. We work with governments, public health institutions, employers, and national health initiatives around the world to provide the tools for preventive health and infectious disease management, including testing, vaccinations, and other services.
   
   Apply to join Color and do the most meaningful work of your career. If you are not sure that you're 100% qualified but are up for the challenge - we want you to apply!
   What we offer:
   💰 Competitive salary
   ✨ Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. Including employer HSA contributions.
   📈 401k match
   📝 Monthly lunch, phone, and wifi stipend for remote employees
   🏝 Generous vacation policy, paid holidays, and company-wide recharge days
   💌 Monthly stipend to spend on your well being
   🍼 Equal paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents
   🧬 Four complimentary clinical-grade genetic testing kits for you and your family
   
   You will have the exciting opportunity to engage with executive level customers and prospects across Federal health organizations to deepen our relationships and drive our Federal business growth. This is a full time employment position.
   How You'll Contribute:Primary work will focus on capturing, generating, nurturing, and harvesting leads across all Federal agencies and departments Partner with Color colleagues and strategic industry partners for sales development methods, strategic account management, and market intelligence tools to position Color's full suite of solutions and secure Federal contracts Create compelling responses to RFI/RFPs and grants Attend and speak at industry events to drive thought leadership Collaborate with other Public Sector team members to drive overall Public Sector growth and success Participate in the process to guide our government solutions, and create significant business opportunities for ColorProvide insight and feedback to core services and product teams to help evolve future Color offerings for more rapid adoption by customers
   Our Ideal Candidate Will Have:Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and 5+ years of sales experience in business development, as well as transformation roles in the Federal space including consulting, product management, and/or product marketing Demonstrated sales experience interacting at the federal government executive level, with a deep understanding of how the Federal government and the public sector industry procure, operate and the unique characteristics in healthcare Ability to think strategically and analytically about business, product, and technical challenges, with the ability to build and convey compelling value propositions, and work cross-organizationally to build consensus Proven track record of leading and driving multiple complex industry initiatives to meet business and sales objectivesA passion for helping Federal customers transform healthcare delivery
   Nice to Have:Good understanding of public health and healthcare Experience with U.S. state and local governments Experience working closely with National Institutes of Health (NIH), Health and Human Services (HHS) including CDC, IHS, and other sub-agencies, Medicare/Medicaid (CMS), Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Defense Health Agency, and/or state Department of HealthsExperience using Salesforce (reports and CRM) and marketing campaign tools
   #LI-VD1
   #LI-CRE
   #LI-REMOTE
   
   Color is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Color prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Color conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants with disabilities in our recruitment process.
   
   Mandatory Vaccination Policy Disclosure
   COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: Color requires anyone working onsite or visiting Color's offices to confirm they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious accommodation is timely requested and approved. Please reach out if you have questions or concerns about this policy and how it may apply to your candidacy for a role with Color.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find directors of federal sales for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of federal sales job on Zippia to find and recruit director of federal sales candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting directors of federal sales requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of federal sales

   Once you've decided on a perfect director of federal sales candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of federal sales. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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