What does an executive sales director do?
An executive sales director takes responsibility for overseeing the sales operations for a business or organization. Executive sales directors draft sales reports, estimate sales profits, and meet sales targets. They are experts when it comes to marketing and negotiation. Strategically, they plan and introduce new services and products to the corporate world. They motivate the organization's sales team to thrive for their marketing strategy. It is also their duty to make sure that the team meets the sales targets expected from them.
Executive sales director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real executive sales director resumes:
- Design and lead the development, implementation and adoption of an enterprise-wide CRM and data strategy.
- Manage cross-selling opportunities between all business segments.
- Incorporate graphics and re-usable database into RFP process.
- Self-Direct, building an accurate CRM and effective sales database.
- Evaluate RFP, proposals, and bids and responsible for contract review.
- Identify opportunities and used discretion to create sales program, reporting, communication, award coordination and ROI tracking.
- Outline scoping, pricing, & distribution of product set to ensure maximum usage with consumers and maximum ROI for advertisers.
- Lead all business development initiatives for package and digital sales opportunities within the Americas.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing program including strategic rebranding.
Executive sales director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 23% of Executive Sales Directors are proficient in Healthcare, C-Suite, and HR. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Executive Sales Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Healthcare, 23%
Managed strategic initiatives focused mainly on brokers and HealthCare Reform.
- C-Suite, 10%
Fostered relationships with physicians and C-Suite professionals in diverse settings.
- HR, 9%
Set meetings with HR Directors to discuss adding Legal and ID Theft services as employee benefits at small to midsize companies.
- Sales Growth, 7%
Developed plans and strategies for business development to exceed organizational goals related to revenue, sales growth, and competitive analysis.
- Direct Sales, 7%
Maximized the direct sales' profitability by revising pricing strategies and maintained very good business relationship with all parties.
- CRM, 6%
Led market segmentation/channel choreography teams to establish improved leads, lead management, and funnel tools via the CRM application Salesforce.com.
Most executive sales directors use their skills in "healthcare," "c-suite," and "hr" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential executive sales director responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for an executive sales director to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Additionally, an executive sales director resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "analyzed market penetration of competitor's and their relevant bid responses to similar projects to increase overall contract acquisition. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling executive sales director duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." According to an executive sales director resume, here's how executive sales directors can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "developed and managed long-standing institutional foreign exchange client relationships with an emphasis on active communication and information flow. "
Customer-service skills. executive sales directors are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to executive sales director responsibilities, because "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." An executive sales director resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "increased direct sales 267% through customer relationship management and solution selling. "
Leadership skills. For certain executive sales director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "leadership skills." The day-to-day duties of an executive sales director rely on this skill, as "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what executive sales directors do: "provide leadership to approximately 90 sales consultants through team building, training and staff development. "
The three companies that hire the most executive sales directors are:
- Change Healthcare75 executive sales directors jobs
- HNI16 executive sales directors jobs
- Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings13 executive sales directors jobs
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Compare different executive sales directors
Executive sales director vs. Director of sales & business development
A director of sales & business development is responsible for monitoring the business and project plans, ensuring that the sales targets are met, according to project requirements and specifications. Directors of sales & business development perform data analysis to track business performance and identify opportunities to grow revenues and profits. They also coordinate with the clients and maintain healthy business relationships by enhancing their brand image on various platforms and reach the target audience. A director of sales & business development works closely with the marketing and sales team for public relations and marketing campaigns placement.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between executive sales directors and director of sales & business development. For instance, executive sales director responsibilities require skills such as "c-suite," "sales strategy," "cross-selling," and "business sales." Whereas a director of sales & business development is skilled in "value proposition," "sales cycle," "leveraged," and "lead qualification." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Directors of sales & business development tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $127,443. In contrast, executive sales directors make the biggest average salary, $147,157, in the health care industry.directors of sales & business development tend to reach similar levels of education than executive sales directors. In fact, directors of sales & business development are 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Executive sales director vs. Director of sales and operations
Directors of Sales and Operations are executives who oversee the performance of the company. They set the strategic direction for the company's sales force. They also ensure that company operations run efficiently. Directors of Sales and operations are in charge of analyzing the sales data of the company. They identify areas for improvement and create strategies that will address these challenges. They would then ensure that the strategies are effective. In case the initial strategies did not produce the desired results, they are expected to change course and continue trying. They are also in charge of managing the operations of the company. They ensure that the company is properly equipped with the right tools to get the best value for their products and services.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that executive sales director responsibilities requires skills like "healthcare," "c-suite," "sales strategy," and "cross-selling." But a director of sales and operations might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "analytics," "salesforce," "business operations," and "sales management."
Directors of sales and operations earn a higher average salary than executive sales directors. But directors of sales and operations earn the highest pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $140,719. Additionally, executive sales directors earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $147,157 annually.directors of sales and operations earn similar levels of education than executive sales directors in general. They're 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for executive sales directors in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Doc McAlister Billingsley Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Elmira College
Executive sales director vs. Director of sales and marketing
A director of sales and marketing's responsibilities revolve around overseeing the sales, budgets, and all programs related to marketing. They must implement budget goals and revenue targets, evaluate the progress of the various teams, participate in securing sales and reaching out to high profile clients, and even negotiate contracts. Furthermore, they have the discretion to assign pricing and discounts, strategize ways to build a more substantial client base, and lead a team of skilled professionals to boost sales and improve client satisfaction.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an executive sales director is likely to be skilled in "healthcare," "c-suite," "hr," and "crm," while a typical director of sales and marketing is skilled in "customer service," "strategic sales," "business development," and "revenue management."
Directors of sales and marketing earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $137,526. Comparatively, executive sales directors have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $147,157.Most directors of sales and marketing achieve a similar degree level compared to executive sales directors. For example, they're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Executive sales director vs. Director, national accounts
A director of national accounts is in charge of spearheading the efforts in expanding client relationships at wide locations. Their responsibilities typically revolve around setting goals and objectives, managing budgets and schedules, developing projects and clients for customer satisfaction, and devising strategies to find new business opportunities. They also develop ways to optimize business procedures, ensuring efficiency and profit growth. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between executive sales directors and directors, national accounts, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an executive sales director might have more use for skills like "hr," "direct sales," "sales strategy," and "cross-selling." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of directors, national accounts require skills like "national accounts," "channel marketing," "pharmaceutical industry," and "business development. "
Directors, national accounts reach similar levels of education compared to executive sales directors, in general. The difference is that they're 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of executive sales director
Updated January 8, 2025
