Director / Sales Manager

Written By Keandra Wilson

 1. OVERVIEW

Director / Sales Managers plan, direct, and coordinate an organization’s sales strategies. They set goals, manage teams, develop sales plans, and analyze performance data. They are instrumental in driving revenue growth and shaping customer engagement strategies.

2024 Median Pay: $138,060/year ($66.38/hour)
Job Growth (2023–2033): +6% (faster than average)
Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

2. ROLE BREAKDOWN BY LEVEL

ENTRY LEVEL
Job Titles: Sales Associate, Junior Account Executive, Sales Trainee, Assistant Sales Manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field
Experience: 0–2 years in sales or customer service
Certifications (Optional): HubSpot Inbound Sales, Salesforce Associate
Core Duties:

  • Assist senior sales professionals with outreach and client interactions

  • Track and update sales records in CRM systems

  • Support lead generation efforts and prepare sales reports

  • Shadow sales calls and attend product trainings
    Salary Range: $45,000–$70,000

MID LEVEL
Job Titles: Account Manager, Sales Executive, Regional Sales Lead, Business Development Manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree + 3–6 years experience
Certifications (Recommended): Certified Sales Executive (CSE), Sandler Training, Strategic Sales Management
Core Duties:

  • Manage a territory or book of business

  • Meet or exceed quarterly sales quotas

  • Train and mentor junior staff

  • Collaborate with marketing to align campaigns with targets
    Salary Range: $70,000–$120,000 (plus commission/bonuses)

SENIOR LEVEL
Job Titles: Sales Manager, Director of Sales, VP of Sales
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s; business coursework preferred
Experience: 6+ years in sales, with leadership experience
Certifications (Preferred): MBA, Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP), Miller Heiman Sales Management
Core Duties:

  • Set department-wide sales strategies and KPIs

  • Manage sales teams across regions or verticals

  • Analyze performance data to adjust goals and incentives

  • Coordinate with finance and operations for forecasting
    Salary Range: $120,000–$250,000+ (with bonuses and stock options)

3. HOW TO BECOME ONE

  • Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, economics, or communications

  • Experience Path: Start in entry-level sales roles; move into territory/account management, then into leadership

  • Soft Skills: Communication, negotiation, leadership, adaptability, analytical thinking

  • Training: On-the-job training, sales bootcamps, ongoing coaching, and management programs

4. SKILLS & TOOLS Core Skills:

  • Lead generation and client prospecting

  • Data analysis and sales forecasting

  • CRM usage (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)

  • Negotiation and closing

Tools:

  • CRM Systems: Salesforce, Zoho CRM, HubSpot

  • Communication Tools: Zoom, Slack, Outlook

  • Analytics Tools: Excel, Tableau, Google Sheets

  • Project Tools: Asana, Monday.com, Trello

5. WORK ENVIRONMENT

  • Locations: Corporate offices, remote/home offices, retail branches, travel to client sites or trade shows

  • Schedules: Full-time; evening and weekend hours common during quarter/year-end

  • Environment: High pressure to meet goals, frequent reporting, team collaboration

6. JOB OUTLOOK

  • Demand Drivers: Globalization, product innovation, online vs. in-person sales channels, revenue growth strategies

  • Annual Openings: ~48,600 through 2033

  • Growth Opportunity: Movement into executive roles (e.g., Chief Revenue Officer), entrepreneurship, consultancy

7. RELATED OCCUPATIONS

  • Role: Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers | Salary: $159,660 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

  • Role: Market Research Analysts | Salary: $76,950 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

  • Role: Insurance Sales Agents | Salary: $60,370 | Education Level: High school diploma or equivalent

  • Role: Sales Engineers | Salary: $121,520 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

  • Role: Purchasing Managers | Salary: $79,830 | Education Level: Bachelor’s degree

8. RESOURCES FOR LEARNING & ADVANCEMENT Certifications & Courses:

  • HubSpot Sales Certifications (academy.hubspot.com)

  • Dale Carnegie Sales Training

  • LinkedIn Learning: Sales Leadership, Strategic Selling

  • Harvard Business School Online: Sales Management

Books:

  • "The Challenger Sale" by Matthew Dixon

  • "SPIN Selling" by Neil Rackham

  • "Sell with a Story" by Paul Smith

  • "New Sales. Simplified." by Mike Weinberg

Videos & Channels:

  • Grant Cardone YouTube Channel

  • Sales Hacker Podcast & Webinars

  • Brian Tracy Sales Tips

  • Salesforce+ Events and Talks

Communities:

  • Sales Management Association (salesmanagement.org)

  • r/sales on Reddit

  • LinkedIn Sales Professionals Group

  • Sales Enablement Society

9. REGIONAL DATA & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

  • BLS Profile: Sales Manager Page (bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm)

  • CareerOneStop: Salary & Licensing by State

  • Projections Central: State-by-State Job Growth

  • O*NET Profile: Sales Managers (onetonline.org)

 

Keandra Wilson
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