Sales Manager Job Description

A Sales Manager leads a team of sales representatives to hit revenue targets. They hire and coach reps, set strategy for how the team pursues deals, track pipeline and performance metrics, and work with marketing and product teams to refine positioning. The role is half people management and half revenue strategy.

What does a Sales Manager do?

A Sales Manager spends their time running team meetings, coaching reps through active deals, reviewing pipeline data in a CRM, setting quotas and territories, and reporting performance to leadership. They forecast revenue, adjust strategy based on what's working, build playbooks for repeatable sales motions, and handle escalations when deals stall. They also hire new reps, run onboarding, and decide which tools and processes the team uses.

Sales Manager responsibilities

• Set and manage team revenue targets, quotas, and territories aligned with company goals
• Coach and develop sales representatives through regular one-on-ones, call reviews, and deal strategy sessions
• Recruit, hire, and onboard new sales representatives
• Manage pipeline health using CRM tools and ensure accurate forecasting
• Analyze sales data to identify trends, underperforming segments, and opportunities for improvement
• Collaborate with marketing on lead generation, campaign targeting, and messaging alignment
• Build and refine sales playbooks, talk tracks, and objection-handling frameworks
• Report on team performance, revenue forecasts, and pipeline metrics to leadership
• Handle escalations on complex or high-value deals, including pricing negotiations and contract terms
• Set compensation plans, commission structures, and incentive programs for the team

Essential requirements

• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets as an individual contributor
• Experience managing and coaching a team of sales representatives
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent)
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting pipeline data, conversion rates, and revenue trends
• Clear communication skills for presenting to leadership, coaching reps, and cross-functional collaboration
• Experience with sales forecasting and quota planning

Preferred qualifications

• Experience selling in the relevant industry or to the same buyer persona
• Familiarity with sales engagement tools (Outreach, Salesloft, etc.)
• Experience building a sales process from scratch or scaling an existing one
• Track record of promoting from within or developing junior reps into top performers
• Experience working with marketing on demand generation and lead qualification

Core skills

Technical / professional skills

• CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, Pipedrive)
• Sales engagement and sequencing tools
• Pipeline analytics and reporting dashboards
• Forecasting and quota management
• Deal desk and contract management processes
• Sales methodology familiarity (MEDDIC, Challenger, Sandler, etc.)

Soft skills

• Coaching — helping reps improve through feedback, not just oversight
• Strategic thinking — connecting daily activity to long-term revenue goals
• Accountability — holding the team to standards while maintaining trust
• Adaptability — adjusting strategy when market conditions or product positioning change
• Conflict resolution — navigating disagreements between reps, departments, or customers

Experience and education guidance

Most Sales Manager roles require 3-5 years of sales experience plus 1-3 years in a management or team lead capacity. The exact requirements depend on the team size, deal complexity, and whether the role is managing hunters (new business), farmers (account management), or both. A manager who has only sold small deals may not be ready to manage an enterprise team, and vice versa.

Sales Manager roles typically require a bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field, though many successful sales managers come from non-traditional backgrounds. Industry certifications (e.g., Salesforce certifications, sales methodology training) can be valuable but are rarely mandatory.

What to include in this job description

Include the team size the manager will oversee, whether the role is hunter-focused, farmer-focused, or both, the CRM and tools the team uses, the sales cycle length and deal size range, and how the role interacts with marketing and customer success. Vague job descriptions attract vague candidates.

Common job description mistakes for this role

Common mistakes include describing the role as purely administrative (losing strong candidate-salespeople), listing only leadership requirements without individual contributor expectations, failing to specify whether the role is for managing existing business or building new revenue, and not mentioning compensation structure or OTE.

How to customize this job description

After generating a Sales Manager job description, adjust the responsibilities to reflect whether this is a player-coach role (still carrying a quota) or a pure management role. Add specifics about the sales cycle, deal size, and buyer persona. If the role involves building a team from scratch, emphasize hiring and process-building responsibilities.

Related job descriptions

• Account Manager
• Business Development Manager

Frequently asked questions