What does a head of sales do?
The head of sales is primarily responsible for overseeing the sales performance of a company and devising strategies to optimize practices. Their responsibilities typically revolve around monitoring the progress of every sales effort, setting objectives and deadlines, performing research and analysis to identify sales opportunities, and coordinating with different departments to improve procedures and reach sales targets. Furthermore, as the head of sales, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Head of sales responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real head of sales resumes:
- Coordinate social media work (Facebook, apps, and social post within the managed brands).
- Create, and manage social media initiatives.including facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest, and youtube.3.
- Full responsibility for all sales activities for a start-up electronic commerce company managing electronic data flow in the healthcare industry.
- Establish the group sales strategy, group ceiling, and booking calendar for groups.
- Initiate and execute a customer service development program, CRM implementation and adoption.
- Advance c-level and senior relationships with brand, agency, networks and publishers.
- Negotiate guest room rates, meeting room rental, function space, and hotel services within approve booking guidelines.
- Implement a CRM target operating model by providing ongoing end user support, training, technical development and functional development.
- Direct sales efforts with portfolio manager through proactive call campaigns, branch meetings, face-to-face consultations, and pipeline management.
- Deliver innovations across product portfolio and business processes.
- Full responsibility for all sales activities for a start-up electronic commerce company managing electronic data flow in the healthcare industry.
- Increase ADR's, revenues and profits consistently for this transitional property.
- Demonstrate strong negotiation skills producing increase in ADR and revenues on all accounts.
- Formulate effective KPI's/metrics to maximize efforts through relationship building and efficiency.
- Capitalize on new revenue opportunities by successfully delivering complex RFP responses involving multiple partners resulting in new contract wins.
Head of sales skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Heads Of Sales are proficient in CRM, Sales Strategy, and Sales Organization. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Heads Of Sales that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CRM, 8%
Allowed consolidation of support personnel into Inside Sales group, improving efficient use of CRM technology and effective strategic promotional programs.
- Sales Strategy, 7%
Provided new sales strategy to leverage successful Outdoor Education business into increased Summer Camp sales without destroying profit margins.
- Sales Organization, 5%
Led transition from geographically dispersed, office-based sales organization to home office-based sales group.
- Product Knowledge, 5%
Shared product knowledge while making personal recommendations, maintain friendly and professional customer interactions.
- Business Development, 5%
Head of commercial team in charge of developing and implementing new business development strategy for new technology involving hardware/software.
- Sales Operations, 5%
Structure and lead effective advertising sales operations for performance-driven mobile advertising network with consistent achievement of sales goals.
Common skills that a head of sales uses to do their job include "crm," "sales strategy," and "sales organization." You can find details on the most important head of sales responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a head of sales to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what heads of sales do 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, a head of sales resume shows how heads of sales use analytical skills: "increased number of potential leads through cold calling tactics and email inquires based on careful analysis of company needs. "
Communication skills. Many head of sales duties rely on communication skills. "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly.," so a head of sales will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways head of sales responsibilities rely on communication skills: "provide excellent customer service with exceptional communication with customers to ensure all needs are satisfactory. "
Customer-service skills. heads of sales are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to head of sales responsibilities, because "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." A head of sales resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "established sales techniques for store promotions*worked directly with customers to create the better buying environment*organized and stocked store merchandise/inventory"
Leadership skills. For certain head of sales responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "leadership skills." The day-to-day duties of a head of sales 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 heads of sales do: "provided leadership to associate staff to ensure smooth operation and efficient customer service. "
The three companies that hire the most head of saless are:
- Cengage Learning53 heads of sales jobs
- Trellix51 heads of sales jobs
- ZOOM+Care48 heads of sales jobs
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Compare different heads of sales
Head of sales vs. Sales development manager
Sales Development Managers oversee a specific function in the sales department. They are in charge of creating sales pitches, communication tools, and strategies to boost the company's sales performance. They may be assigned to do these activities for a specific product or service or for the whole product line of the organization. Sales Development Managers are also expected to create branding images that will help their sales strategies. They are required to fully understand the company's history, image, and target market. This will ensure that the branding and sales strategies they create are in line with the company's values.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, head of sales responsibilities require skills like "sales strategy," "sales operations," "strategic partnerships," and "saas." Meanwhile a typical sales development manager has skills in areas such as "sdr," "salesforce," "lead generation," and "training programs." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Sales development managers tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $107,980. In contrast, heads of sales make the biggest average salary, $189,378, in the technology industry.sales development managers tend to reach similar levels of education than heads of sales. In fact, sales development managers are 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Head of sales vs. Sales vice president
Sales vice presidents are top-level executives at a sales, retail, or marketing corporation. Primarily these executives are tasked to direct and lead a sales department or team within the organization. Their objective is to meet or even exceed the sales or marketing standards set for a successful business operation. They manage brands, deploy sales, and distribute the channels of the company. Also, they oversee the internal operations of the organization to establish customer relationships.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real head of sales resumes. While head of sales responsibilities can utilize skills like "product knowledge," "powerpoint," "market trends," and "business relationships," sales vice presidents use skills like "healthcare," "sales management," "customer relationships," and "direct sales."
Sales vice presidents may earn a lower salary than heads of sales, but sales vice presidents earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $150,209. On the other hand, heads of sales receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $189,378.sales vice presidents earn similar levels of education than heads of sales in general. They're 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Heads of sales in the next 3-5 years?
Bill Thorne
Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation
Head of sales vs. Sales lead manager
A sales team leader oversees the sales operations within a particular area, ensuring to reach goals within the allotted time. They are primarily responsible for setting goals, devising sales strategies, evaluating sales team performance, assigning tasks, and providing support and corrective measures should there be any concerns. Furthermore, as a team leader, it is essential to encourage the sales force, shape them into valuable members of the company, and implement all of the organization's regulations and policies.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, heads of sales are more likely to have skills like "crm," "sales strategy," "sales organization," and "business development." But a sales lead manager is more likely to have skills like "merchandise flow," "payroll," "store operations," and "loss prevention."
Most sales lead managers achieve a lower degree level compared to heads of sales. For example, they're 8.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Head of sales vs. Sales team leader
Types of head of sales
Updated January 8, 2025
