Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

International sales manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.,

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

International sales manager example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical international sales manager skills. We ranked the top skills for international sales managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.4% of international sales manager resumes contained product development as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an international sales manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 international sales manager skills for your resume and career

1. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how international sales managers use product development:

Evaluated and identified market trends ensuring customers expectations were communicated and understood for planning, budgeting and new product development.
Refined product development plans by consistently analyzing metrics and implementing new market strategies.

2. Sales Growth

Here's how international sales managers use sales growth:

Championed all international distribution operations including customer service management, marketing program development, and sales growth.
Directed and coordinated promotional activities to support brand awareness leading to additional sales growth and profit.

3. Distribution Channels

Here's how international sales managers use distribution channels:

Developed and coordinated advertising and marketing of all products while managing established distribution channels in the company's core markets.
Implemented new distribution channel strategy which enabled us to significantly improved companies reach and foreign market share.

4. Business Development

Business development is the ideas or initiatives that work to make business work better. Selling, advertising, product development, supply chain management, and vendor management are only a few of the divisions involved with it. There is still a lot of networking, negotiating, forming alliances, and trying to save money. The goals set for business development guide and coordinate with all of these various operations and sectors.

Here's how international sales managers use business development:

Promoted to direct all new business development and sales/objectives for structural panels division across North America, Europe and Latin America.
Ensured execution of business development plans and operational performance of direct and international located sales team.

5. Sales Strategies

Here's how international sales managers use sales strategies:

Developed marketing and sales strategies for product pricing and distribution in order to penetrate assigned territories.
Designed and implemented distributor, end user and employee training programs, sales, and set short- and long-term sales strategies.

6. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.

Here's how international sales managers use r:

Resulted in 100% feature placement and in-stock status at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us.

Choose from 10+ customizable international sales manager resume templates

Build a professional international sales manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your international sales manager resume.

7. International Business

International Business refers to any company or trade that occurs outside of the United States. International businesses may have branches of their corporations in the United States but are based in a foreign country. However, international business may also refer to the trading of goods or services between two different countries.

Here's how international sales managers use international business:

Developed international business by filing documents with government agencies and securing legal and accounting representation for operations.
Interpreted financial reports and budgets in order to develop an international business plan.

8. Sales Plan

Here's how international sales managers use sales plan:

Developed and localized comprehensive sales plans and programs for international regions, consistent with market demands and long-term profitability.
Inked and executed national retail and international distribution sales plan for niche cosmetic and supplement start-up.

9. Product Line

Product line is a collection of similar or related products that may be under a single brand manufactured by the same company. It may include different varieties of a specific product of a brand which comes in different categories. In other cases, the product line may differ in some characteristics despite being from the same manufacturer.

Here's how international sales managers use product line:

Developed new business opportunities by effectively communicating product lines to leading international corporations, within the MLM arena.
Trained contracted distributors and sales representatives in Latin America on product line and corporate philosophy.

10. Direct Sales

Here's how international sales managers use direct sales:

Increased productivity and sales efficiency in direct and indirect sales organizations.
Managed the international indirect/direct sales channel for Digital Stock.

11. International Travel

Here's how international sales managers use international travel:

Participated in Department budgeting and oversaw international travels for the department members.
Learned essential time management skills to keep projects on time, plan both domestic and international travel and meet proposal deadlines.

12. International Markets

Here's how international sales managers use international markets:

Developed and executed innovative strategic plans to penetrate international markets, capture business from competing companies, and maximize market share.
Created and implemented international marketing program, internal and external document and communication packages for sales and International/HI customer care team.

13. Sales Reps

Here's how international sales managers use sales reps:

Hired sales reps in four international centers, chose distributors in each country, negotiated contracts, established pricing and sourcing.
Assist sales reps in virtual sales management environment to close accounts, set up SOP's, and implement logistics programs.

14. Account Management

The process of strengthening the relationship between a company and client is called account management. Effective account management has two key objectives, one is to retain loyal customers and the second one is to help the company grow by creating connections with new customers.

Here's how international sales managers use account management:

Implement all aspects of territory and account management applicable to maximize revenue targets.
Introduced customer service training programs to improve account management skills.

15. Sales Targets

Here's how international sales managers use sales targets:

Set up annual sales targets in all of these countries with manufacturer representatives.
Established and achieved sales targets that exceeded plan while staying on budget.

5 International Sales Manager resume examples

Build a professional international sales manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 5+ resume templates to create your international sales manager resume.

Create my resume

Build a professional resume in minutes using this template.

What skills help International Sales Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on international sales manager resumes?

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.

Director, Western Oregon University

The skills that stand out on resumes fall into two categories: 1) Skills required to do the job and 2) Skills almost all employers look for. The most important aspect of resumes is to make sure it reflects exactly what the employer needs. Study the job description, identify key skills, and have them reflected on your resume. Think about transferrable skills, not the specific roles you've had.

Most employers look for skills such as communication (written/oral), flexibility, proactivity, problem-solving, project management, and technical. Make sure to cultivate those skills in whatever role you have, and have examples that demonstrate those skills.

What soft skills should all international sales managers possess?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

Since sales professionals have a lot of information available to them today via customer relationship management (CRM) systems, the sales manager's "supervisory" role is less important (especially for experienced sellers). Consequently, the sales manager needs to be more of a coach and enabler of high performance. Having confidence balanced with humility allows the sales manager to engage more effectively with their salespeople.
One of the critical soft skills for sales managers going forward will be the ability to connect members of the sales team to others in the organization - in other words, the sales manager of the future needs to have strong skills in network building for others. Sellers have access to data which helps them build success.
They also need access to the right people to turn to when they need specific expertise or assistance.

What hard/technical skills are most important for international sales managers?

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Executive Director, Center for Professional Selling, Frank and Floy Smith Holloway Endowed Professorship in Marketing, President, University Sales Center Alliance 2019-2021, Baylor University

One of the growing technical skill requirements for sales managers is in the area of data analytics. Our performance and customer systems provide a myriad of data, and the role of the sales manager is to be a sense-maker of that mound of data. What are the implications for changes in strategy or behavior evident in last quarter's activity? How can the sales manager help a specific seller "see" where the data suggest new approaches?

What international sales manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kerri Orders

Assistant Professor of Business, Aquinas College

In terms of a gap year, I recommend that international business students acquire tangible skills, relevant experience and/or certifications which will enhance their success in their desired area of interest. For example, a gap year could consist of gaining technical or digital training overseas, which would also further the students' cultural intelligence and language proficiency. These types of enriching gap year experiences will assist students to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive market. Furthermore, students should focus on broadening and maintaining their global network during a gap year in order to be ready for the job market once the gap year is concluded.

What type of skills will young international sales managers need?

Michael Mikitka

Executive Vice President, MHI – Material Handling Industry

Courses and internships are essential. While the required depth of knowledge may vary from one position to another, employers are generally looking for candidates with strong "people-related" skills, those who are willing to continue to learn, and those with the ability to be flexible and adapt.

By "people-related" skills, I mean the abilities associated with effective communication (listen and express ideas and direction) and the skills related to working independently and a team.

As for the interest to continually learn... from a technology, data, and equipment perspective, today's supply chain looks very different than it did 10-years ago. The willingness and ability to continually learn are essential for anyone in a leadership role.

As for flexibility and adapting...supply chain/logistics is as much about responding to disruption and demand as it is planning for it. There is a predictable demand (i.e., seasonal...everyone knows when back-to-school shopping begins). Then there is the unpredictable demand (i.e., power-outages, wildfires, pandemic) that impact market and the ability to operate. Candidates that express flexibility and problem-solving skills will be much sought-after.

Do you want to know more?

List of international sales manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an international sales manager resume and required skills for an international sales manager to have include:

Product Development
Sales Growth
Distribution Channels
Business Development
Sales Strategies
R
International Business
Sales Plan
Product Line
Direct Sales
International Travel
International Markets
Sales Reps
Account Management
Sales Targets
OEM
Market Research

Caribbean
UK
Revenue Growth
International Trade Shows
Sales Volume
Distribution Network
Sales Presentations
Sales Revenue
Product Training
Sales Forecasts
Sales Efforts
Forwarders
Sales Training
Emerging Markets
Export Sales
Margin Analysis
Sales Quota

International Accounts
Ecuador
ISO
Direct Reports
Zealand
Contract Negotiations
DHL
Sales Programs
Profit Margins
EMEA
Pricing Strategy
Hong Kong
International Clients
EU
Costa Rica

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs