Job description

A Sales Director is responsible for developing a sales strategy for a business or product and influencing a team of sales managers and executives to implement that strategy to maximise sales and thereby profits for the business.

Sales Directors are usually company board members and as well as the sales function of the business, they are involved in many other aspects such as product development, marketing and distribution.

Some typical duties of a Sales Director include:

• Setting sales targets for a team of sales professionals.
• Monitoring the performance of the sales team.
• Motivating sales managers and executives to meet and exceed their sales targets.
• Identifying new clients or markets to sell to.
• Negotiating and closing high Average Order Value Deals.
• Developing relationships with key clients and partners.
• Reporting on sales performance to other board members.
• Developing strategies to increase market share.
• Optimising revenue streams from existing client accounts.

Some essential qualities of a Sales Director include:

• The ability to motivate and inspire a team of sales professionals.
• A sound commercial awareness.
• A thorough understanding of the target industry.
• Fantastic negotiation skills.

Qualifications

Although it would be advantageous to hold a qualification from organisations such as the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM), it's more likely that potential employers will look for a strong record of achievement in another senior sales role within a similar industry.

Salary Snapshot

Recent salaries for roles advertised at time of writing (Dec 2009) include:

• £85,000 basic, £150,000 OTE for a Sales Director working for a software company based in Central London.
• £65,000 basic, £unlimited OTE for a Sales Director working for a pharmaceutical business in West London.
• £80,000 basic, £160,000 OTE for a Sales Director working for a medical equipment company based in the North West.
• £90,000 basic, £200,000 OTE for a Sales Director working for a financial services company based in the City, London.