What does a national sales director do?
A national sales director is responsible for monitoring the sales targets and performance of the sales force across the country's regions. National sales directors handle the execution and release of goods and services according to market trends and public demands. They strategize on related business opportunities to identify additional resources that would increase the company's revenue and profitability. A national sales director conducts data and statistical analysis to determine pricing techniques, considering the availability of supplies and its market demands.
National sales director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real national sales director resumes:
- Manage relationships, POS, and oversee coffee sales for key core accounts H.T.
- Lead team on product redesign to web-base SaaS infrastructure and generate feature content base on customer need and marketability.
- Develop key POS material to assist the sales force across the country.
- Reverse negative relationship with distributors through personal relationship building, changes in sales execution, and implementation of new distributor programs.
- Follow up with program recap including syndicate research to support effectiveness of program as well as ROI analysis.
- Partner with vendors to obtain quality merchandise at desirable price points to obtain highest ROI and profit optimization.
- Set targets, monitor, review and initiate action plans to achieve target KPI's.
National sales director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of National Sales Directors are proficient in CRM, Healthcare, and Business Development. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of National Sales Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CRM, 9%
Recruited to join international software firm to drive launch of new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and solutions division.
- Healthcare, 9%
Developed sales initiative focusing on educational, government, and public healthcare markets.
- Business Development, 5%
Direct reports included four regional managers, Business Development Manager, six customer service representatives, and National Chain Account Manager.
- Product Development, 5%
Work effectively cross-functionally internally to complete sales, installation, servicing, and product development activities as appropriate.
- Revenue Growth, 5%
Expedited team effectiveness, productivity and revenue growth by initiating sales organization call reporting system and incentive structure.
- Salesforce, 4%
Help implement SalesForce, drove team to develop Territory Plans & strategic initiatives to close business
"crm," "healthcare," and "business development" are among the most common skills that national sales directors use at work. You can find even more national sales director responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a national 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, a national sales director resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "manage outside sales representative organizations across eight national market areas. Analyze sales data to establish annual sales objectives and goals. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling national 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 a national sales director resume, here's how national sales directors can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "collaborated with hr and compliance on method to improve rbm field coaching & communication via the fcr. "
Customer-service skills. national sales directors are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to national sales director responsibilities, because "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." A national sales director resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "frequent follow up to all stores to facilitate achieving store sales objectives, profitability & excellent customer service"
Leadership skills. For certain national sales director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "leadership skills." The day-to-day duties of a national 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 national sales directors do: "provided leadership in directing company's shift from a direct sales model to a channel strategy with carriers worldwide. "
The three companies that hire the most national sales directors are:
- mPulse Mobile346 national sales directors jobs
- Randstad North America, Inc.104 national sales directors jobs
- Coyote Construction3 national sales directors jobs
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Compare different national sales directors
National 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, national sales director responsibilities require skills like "salesforce," "sales management," "sales performance," and "sales territories." Meanwhile a typical director of sales & business development has skills in areas such as "value proposition," "sales cycle," "leveraged," and "lead qualification." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
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, national sales directors make the biggest average salary, $110,884, in the pharmaceutical industry.The education levels that directors of sales & business development earn slightly differ from national sales directors. In particular, directors of sales & business development are 2.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a national sales director. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.National 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real national sales director resumes. While national sales director responsibilities can utilize skills like "healthcare," "sales targets," "market research," and "sales objectives," directors of sales and operations use skills like "analytics," "business operations," "project management," and "kpis."
Directors of sales and operations earn a higher average salary than national sales directors. But directors of sales and operations earn the highest pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $140,719. Additionally, national sales directors earn the highest salaries in the pharmaceutical with average pay of $110,884 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Directors of sales and operations tend to reach similar levels of education than national sales directors. In fact, they're 2.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for national sales directors 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
National 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, a national sales director is likely to be skilled in "crm," "healthcare," "salesforce," and "sales management," while a typical director of sales and marketing is skilled in "customer service," "strategic sales," "lead management," and "revenue management."
Directors of sales and marketing earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $137,526. National sales directors earn the highest pay from the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $110,884.Most directors of sales and marketing achieve a similar degree level compared to national sales directors. For example, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.National sales director vs. Business development sales manager
A business development sales manager is in charge of securing sales by reaching out to clients through calls, correspondence, or appointments. Their responsibilities often revolve around performing research and analysis to identify new leads and sales opportunities, offering different products and services, and creating proposals and price quotes for potential clients. A business development sales manager may also tailor payment plans, process billing, participate in various marketing initiatives, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, it is essential to ensure customer satisfaction and build positive relationships to strengthen the company's client base.
Types of national sales director
Updated January 8, 2025
