Automatically apply for jobs with Zippi

Upload your resume to get started.

Sales program manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Adry S. Clark Ph.D.,

Andrea Dixon Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical sales program manager skills. We ranked the top skills for sales program managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.6% of sales program manager resumes contained program management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a sales program manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 sales program manager skills for your resume and career

1. Program Management

Here's how sales program managers use program management:

Program Management responsibility included all aspects for new projects from the beginning engineering phase to their completion.
Implemented user experience studies to program management to ensure functionality met business needs.

2. Project Management

Here's how sales program managers use project management:

Developed Project Management team chartered with providing implementation services to the Sales team.
Managed new and existing business including project planning and project management.

3. CRM

CRM stands for Customer relationship management and it is a complete process through which a business or organization monitors and administers its interactions with the customers. A process in which large amounts of data are collected through marketing via a company's website, polls, surveys, and other social media applications. The basic goal of CRM is to target the right audience for their product, and then fulfill their needs, to increase the sales and revenue of the company.

Here's how sales program managers use crm:

Co-authored key requirements document used for CRM implementation; helped drive vendor selection process.
Managed CRM systems supporting the opportunity tracking, forecasting and decision support processes utilized by the global sales and marketing teams.

4. Sales Process

Here's how sales program managers use sales process:

Managed sales process and automation improvement and implementation initiatives for McKesson Provider Technologies (MPT).
Provide guidance as an internal consultative resource and subject matter expert regarding the complete end to end Marketing and Sales process.

5. HR

HR stands for human resources and is used to describe the set of people who work for a company or an organization. HR responsibilities revolve around updating employee records and carrying out management processes like planning, recruitment, evaluation, and selection processes. HR is a key contributor to any company or organization's growth as they are in charge of hiring the right employees, processing payrolls, conducting disciplinary actions, etc.

Here's how sales program managers use hr:

Maintained extensive collaboration with legal, HR, executive management, and HRIS.
Coordinated salary and personnel issues with HR, i.e.

6. Logistics

Logistics is a complete organization and implementation of a problem. Logistics are often considered in a complex business operation, as some works need detailed plannings. Logistics are also used in military action.

Here's how sales program managers use logistics:

Managed program budgets, research, technical/system requirements, logistics, life-cycle, training and technology transfer/reliability solutions, recommending acquisitions.
Reviewed policies and programs on MDF, lease financing, order logistics, and tiered support services.

7. Product Knowledge

Product knowledge is the skill of having better information and knowledge about the product you are selling. Product knowledge is essential for the employees of the companies so they can communicate and inform the customers about the product. Having great product knowledge is essential for a better sales pitch and to give the customer a better and complete idea of the product that will influence him to buy the product eventually.

Here's how sales program managers use product knowledge:

Created product knowledge curriculum and facilitated therapeutic business review for 250 district managers.
Provided support to 135 sales representatives, including market research, mailings, presentations and product knowledge.

8. Sales Training

Here's how sales program managers use sales training:

Created and administered motivational salesperson programs that focused on sales training, sales performance, and customer satisfaction.
Created, developed and facilitated sales training programs for new and experienced Hospital Sales Representatives.

9. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how sales program managers use customer satisfaction:

Lead the Integrated Product Team to drive customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and program financial performance by managing business relationships.
Introduced innovative and friendly approach to customers which brought a very recognizable lift in customer satisfaction and appreciation.

10. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how sales program managers use continuous improvement:

Communicated results to Executive Council for continuous improvement.
Work with suppliers on continuous improvement activities designed to promote cost savings through process and product improvement.

11. 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 sales program managers use business development:

Manage initial price negotiations, business development presentations and current business price adjustments due to contractual givebacks and material inflation.
Managed sales and new business development for U.S. developed permanent magnet amorphous metal motors to Japanese customers and engineering partners.

12. Sales Tools

Sales Tools, especially in today's digital day and age, are diverse and many, and one might find that different tools fit them and their companies differently. Much of sales nowadays is about information, statistics, and research, and those are all respective tools and are both a part of larger Sales Tools.

Here's how sales program managers use sales tools:

Researched and created sales tools to support LaserJet business needs.
Delivered over 50 eLearning modules, 20 ILT courses and multiple sales tools for the sales team within a year.

13. Sales Performance

Here's how sales program managers use sales performance:

Top Producer of insurance products and Gold Club Member (Top 12% BAISI Sales Performance).
Prepared and implemented an $840 million sales forecast and summarized sales performance and plan variances.

14. Enterprise Sales

Here's how sales program managers use enterprise sales:

Managed COMET, enterprise sales readiness Website.
Led entire 20-person group to gain 2 promotions and move to various enterprise sales, channel sales, and management roles.

15. Process Improvement

Here's how sales program managers use process improvement:

Devise and execute successful process improvements to maintain improved quality assurance.
Helped write procedures and implement process improvements.

What skills help Sales Program Managers find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on sales program 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 sales program 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 sales program 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 sales program 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 sales program 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.

What technical skills for a sales program manager stand out to employers?

Todd Lee Goen

Instructor & Internship Director, Christopher Newport University

Technical skills are often industry and/or position specific. Applicants should highlight any technical skills related to the position advertisement and those that add value to the position/organization. Most importantly, requirements for technical skills change with time and technological advances. This means employers value workers capable of adapting to change and continually improving and acquiring new technical skills. Thus, it's usually more important to demonstrate you are capable of learning and developing technical skills than it is to have a specific skill set upon hire (although this is not true for some positions/industries).
That said, technical skills related to online presentations, virtual meetings, virtual networking, remote working and the like are hot commodities right now. While most organizations were in the process of adopting many of these technologies and ways of doing business pre-pandemic, the pandemic accelerated the process. Organizations are making it work, but they often don't know best practices or the most efficient means of working in the largely virtual, pandemic environment. Post-pandemic, many of the remote/virtual changes the pandemic brought will stay in some form. Technical skills that support this type of workplace will make applicants stand out to many employers because they need/want to do virtual/remote business better.

Do you want to know more?

List of sales program manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a sales program manager resume and required skills for a sales program manager to have include:

Program Management
Project Management
CRM
Sales Process
HR
Logistics
Product Knowledge
Sales Training
Customer Satisfaction
Continuous Improvement
Business Development
Sales Tools
Sales Performance
Enterprise Sales
Process Improvement
Direct Sales

Sales Reps
Sales Support
Sales Strategy
Sales Management
LMS
Sales Programs
Channel Marketing
Training Programs
Client Facing
Pre Sales
Unified Communications
ERP
Americas
Trade Shows
On-Time Delivery
ROI

ELearning
Blended Learning
Training Materials
Customer Support
Sales Professionals
Market Research
Revenue Growth
Lead Management
Sales Presentations
Executive Management
OEM
Direct Reports
Sales Associates
Business Plan
C-Level

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