How to hire a sales and operations manager

How to hire a sales and operations manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sales and operations manager hiring guide:

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

What does a sales and operations manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The sales and operations manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

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   A sales and operations manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sales and operations managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents sales and operations manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Sales And Operations Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Sales And Operations Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$32-74
   Product Manager/Sales	A sales product manager is responsible for monitoring the sales performance of a specific product and ensuring that the marketing strategies adhere to market standards and client requirements. Sales product managers work closely with the marketing and public relations team to enhance the product's brand image on various market platforms to reach the target audience... Show more	$36-75
   District Manager	District managers oversee the operations of a group of stores or areas covered by the assigned district. They are responsible for ensuring that the sales, marketing, quality control, and people management of their community align with the company's direction... Show more	$30-70

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sales Operations
   • Customer Service
   • Salesforce
   • CRM
   • Sales Process
   • Project Management
   • Process Improvement
   • Sales Organization
   • Sales Management
   • Product Knowledge
   • Strong Analytical
   • Logistics
   • Business Operations
   • Customer Satisfaction

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop analytics for time migration from low-margin OEM services to manage services.
   • Lead weekly sales reviews and ensure sales activities are properly track in SalesForce.
   • Lead operation/inside sales, manage handling over $13million/year sales using ERP system.
   • Lead cross functional teams in the integration of several enterprise data stores to SFDC.
   • Manage Pardot automation for marketing campaigns.
   • Manage and maintain daily operations of high volume Toyota facility.

   More sales and operations manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your sales and operations manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A sales and operations manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a sales and operations manager in Missouri may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level sales and operations manager usually earns less than a senior-level sales and operations manager. Additionally, a sales and operations manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average sales and operations manager salary

   $103,113yearly

   $49.57 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level sales and operations manager salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average sales and operations manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$165,362	$80
   2	Washington	$140,516	$68
   3	New York	$136,650	$66
   4	District of Columbia	$128,499	$62
   5	Massachusetts	$118,059	$57
   6	Connecticut	$112,338	$54
   7	Michigan	$106,015	$51
   8	Oregon	$104,512	$50
   9	Arizona	$104,244	$50
   10	Pennsylvania	$103,793	$50
   11	Maryland	$102,604	$49
   12	Colorado	$102,293	$49
   13	Virginia	$98,760	$47
   14	Maine	$96,462	$46
   15	North Carolina	$90,900	$44
   16	Utah	$90,348	$43
   17	Texas	$89,658	$43
   18	Minnesota	$84,028	$40
   19	Illinois	$83,121	$40
   20	Georgia	$80,073	$39

   Average sales and operations manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$186,830	$89.82	165
   2	Thrive Global	$182,203	$87.60
   3	Legalmatch.com	$179,156	$86.13	5
   4	Lyft	$173,718	$83.52
   5	Google	$171,584	$82.49	95
   6	Pure Storage	$167,120	$80.35	7
   7	SAP	$166,328	$79.97	50
   8	Apple	$159,358	$76.61	38
   9	PayPal	$158,395	$76.15	9
   10	Cadence Design Systems	$154,239	$74.15	2
   11	NerdWallet	$153,662	$73.88	2
   12	Cloudflare	$152,779	$73.45	17
   13	Microsoft	$149,387	$71.82	48
   14	Alarm.com	$148,871	$71.57	5
   15	Nutanix	$146,772	$70.56	29
   16	Genentech	$146,234	$70.30	6
   17	DoorDash	$145,489	$69.95	100
   18	HERE Holding Corporation	$143,495	$68.99
   19	Accenture	$142,780	$68.64	582
   20	Dolby Laboratories	$141,803	$68.17	1

4. Writing a sales and operations manager job description

   A sales and operations manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a sales and operations manager job description:

   Sales and operations manager job description example

   Lennox International (LII) is a leading global provider of innovative climate control solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) markets.
   
   Beginning over a century ago, Lennox International has built a strong heritage of Innovation and Responsibility. Our position as an innovation leader continually inspires us to promote more efficient energy use and a healthier environment through our product operations. Our engaged and diverse workforce is committed to providing climate control solutions that provide the most value and comfort for our customers.
   
   We are proud to have instilled a shared sense of responsibility and commitment among our approximately 10,000 employees located throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Job Description The Manager, Sales Operations manages sales support functions essential to sales force productivity. These include planning, reporting, quota management, sales process optimization, sales program implementation and sales compensation design. Also works closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure appropriate objectives and priorities are set within the sales organization.
   
   Coordinates sales forecasting, planning and budgeting processes used within the sales organization. As needed, coordinates planning activities with other functions and stakeholders within the company. Qualifications Support equitable assignment of sales quotas and ensures quotas are optimally allocated to all sales channels and resources.
   
   Works to ensure all sales organization objectives are assigned in a timely fashion.
   
   Proactively identifies opportunities for sales process improvement.
   
   Implements enabling technologies, including CRM, to field sales teams. Monitors the assigned sales organization's compliance with required standards for maintaining CRM data. Works closely with sales management to optimize the effectiveness of the firm's technology investments.
   
   Works closely with sales management to inspect sales process quality and prioritize opportunities for improvement. Assists sales management in understanding process bottlenecks and inconsistencies. Facilitates an organization of continuous process improvement.
   
   Monitors the accuracy and efficient distribution of sales reports and other intelligence essential to the sales organization. Recommends revisions to existing reports, or assists in the development of new reporting tools as needed. We can recommend jobs specifically for you! Click here to get started.

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5. Post your job

   To find sales and operations managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any sales and operations managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level sales and operations managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit sales and operations managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 sales and operations manager

   Once you've found the sales and operations manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new sales and operations manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a sales and operations manager?