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What is a senior vice president, sales and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted expert
Bill Thorne
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A senior vice president in sales oversees all sales-related activities within a company. They are responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies to drive revenue growth and increase market share. This includes managing sales teams, setting sales targets, and monitoring performance metrics. They work closely with other executives to align sales goals with overall business objectives. Additionally, they must stay up-to-date on industry trends and work to identify new business opportunities.

What general advice would you give to a senior vice president, sales?

Bill ThorneBill Thorne LinkedIn profile

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.
ScoreSenior Vice President, SalesUS Average
Salary
10.0

Avg. Salary $204,086

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 14.37%

male 85.63%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a senior vice president, sales?

Pros

  • Competitive salary with potential for bonuses, incentives, and benefits

  • Opportunity to lead and shape the sales strategy of a company

  • Prestige and recognition within the industry

  • Often given significant autonomy in managing sales operations

  • Opportunities for travel and attending conferences/events

Cons

  • Pressure to achieve sales targets

  • Long hours and intense workload

  • Significant responsibility for company performance and revenue generation

  • Frequent travel and time away from home/family

  • Difficult conversations with underperforming team members or customers

Senior vice president, sales career paths

Key steps to become a senior vice president, sales

  1. Explore senior vice president, sales education requirements

    Most common senior vice president, sales degrees

    Bachelor's

    78.6 %

    Master's

    15.3 %

    Associate

    4.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior vice president, sales skills

    SkillsPercentages
    SVP6.60%
    Customer Satisfaction6.20%
    Sales Process6.00%
    Revenue Growth5.79%
    Market Strategy5.38%
  3. Complete relevant senior vice president, sales training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior vice presidents, sales learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior vice president, sales based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior vice president, sales resumes.
  4. Research senior vice president, sales duties and responsibilities

    • Manage sales cycle effectively and track activity in SalesForce CRM.
    • Lead the Americas regional sales team in new customer acquisition and growth in existing accounts.
    • Pioneer product-positioning strategies, implement CRM technology to achieve global sales and customer service initiatives.
    • Lead strategic redirection of sales from private cardiologists to hospital-base cardiologists and hospital radiology departments post healthcare reform.
  5. Get senior vice president, sales experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a senior vice president, sales. The most common roles before becoming a senior vice president, sales include sales vice president, vice president team lead and director of sales.
  6. Prepare your senior vice president, sales resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior vice president, sales resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior vice president, sales resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior vice president, sales resume templates

    Build a professional senior vice president, sales resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior vice president, sales resume.
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    Senior Vice President, Sales Resume
  7. Apply for senior vice president, sales jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior vice president, sales job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior vice president, sales job

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Average senior vice president, sales salary

The average senior vice president, sales salary in the United States is $204,086 per year or $98 per hour. Senior vice president, sales salaries range between $128,000 and $324,000 per year.

Average senior vice president, sales salary
$204,086 Yearly
$98.12 hourly

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How do senior vice presidents, sales rate their job?

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Senior vice president, sales reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Cons

I am responsible for everything be it any side of the business


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Motivating people and helping to create success in each person's day. Honor God serve people in rich people's lives, pursue excellence in service.

Cons

Not enough time in each day to get everything accomplished.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Cons

I like everything

Pros

Coming in contact with people, motivating staff, making the numbers, profitability for everyone


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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