Job description

A Sales Manager is responsible for co-ordinating the sales function of a company or a specific department within a company. They are usually responsible for a team of sales executives and it is their role to maximise the performance of the team by organising and motivating other team members to meet and exceed their sales targets.

Depending on the structure of the business they're working for, Sales Managers may be responsible for driving sales for one particular product range or in some businesses, they may be responsible for a geographical area and are generally referred to as Area Sales Managers.

Sales Managers may also be required to assist other departments within the business in areas such as market research, product development and marketing initiatives.

Whatever the role, some typical daily duties of a Sales Manager include:

• Training and motivating the sales team.
• Regular contact with existing client base.
• Researching the market to identify potential customers.
• Extensive competitor analysis.
• Reporting sales activity to Sales Directors.
• Setting and monitoring sales targets for other team members.
• Exploring the potential to develop new markets or areas.
• Monitoring press coverage of their specific market.

Qualifications

There aren't any formal qualifications needed to become a Sales Manager, most candidates have usually gained a number of years' experience in a general sales role, usually within the same industry, before graduating to sales management. Some employers actively seek candidates who are degree educated and some prefer candidates to have gained some industry-recognised qualification such as those offered by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Salary Snapshot

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

• £25-55,000 for a Regional Sales Manager working for a vehicle tracking company based in London.
• £30-40,000 for an Area Sales Manager working for a water treatment company based in Essex.
• £80-120,000 OTE for a Sales Manager working for an e-commerce provider based in the City, London.
• £26-30,000 plus benefits for a Territory Sales Manager working for a healthcare company based in Bristol.