Sales Manager Job Description: 4 Best Keys to Easily Make One

Include Sales Manager Job Description on Your New Product Launch Marketing Plan 

After a founder has mostly removed him or herself from the sales process of a company, it’s probably time to hire someone who is in charge of managing the team of reps who are now moving the revenue along.

A Sales Manager job description that can attract quality candidates is an important first step.

We recommend looking from within your ranks for this role first.

Hiring a sales rep who is capable of leadership down the road would save you from having to come up with a sales manager job description in the first place.

If you haven’t done that, no worries. Not every quality sales rep is going to make a good manager.

Today’s post is to help you to develop your own Sales Manager job description that not only attracts the best sales and leadership talent you can find, but it also helps you figure out the type of person that will best fit your organization and culture.

  First, go ahead and grab the template (no email required)!   BTW: If you’re looking to hire a sales rep first; we have a template post for that.

Otherwise, you’ll have to ask yourself some questions about who you’d like to see managing your sales team and your own company.

But don’t think of it as just something to post on a job site.

Instead, it should be viewed a little like your buyer personas. You take so much time figuring out the traits of your ideal clients.

That same level of care should be put towards anyone you hire, too. These are the people who are going to take care of those ideal clients, right?

Usually, you ask yourself and customers questions to get to those personas. It’s the same here. We’ve listed the four key things to go over when you are creating the Sales Manager job description.

Let’s get started.

1 Be Specific With What Your Sales Managers Must Do on Your New Product Launch Marketing Plan

This role isn’t exactly a sales rep, but they aren’t just a manager either. You have to show exactly what you want your new person to do before you start posting your Sales Manager job description.

Who Are Your Sales Managers?

While they will need to meet all of the things a rep needs, the responsibilities of a manager will be different. Things like experience will be much more important for those in leadership than reps who may be better to hire with zero industry knowledge.

Note: You’re looking to hire a manager, but don’t sell yourself short here. Eventually, your sales team could be a large and intricate machine.

Make sure the person you hire has the ability to run things as they grow. Most will apply because a place promotes from within, so hire someone worth promoting.

Let’s take a look at some of the specific roles your managers will play.

Common Job Requirements/Responsibilities for Sales Managers

All of the requirements of your sales reps, plus:

• Hiring: Finding the right reps won’t fall entirely on your managers, but they should be a big part of the process of interviewing.
• Training: You can’t have a successful team without the ability to train. Not only on the process, but also tactics that close more deals.
• Coaching: Getting the team to a place where they are meeting goals has to be done in a way that improves the work environment and retains good reps.
• Discipline: If reps aren’t good at getting coached, you’ll need a person who is able to catch their attention in a way that moves the bad hires out and keeps the good ones in.
• Performance: Managers may not sell as much as a rep, but they should still have quotas and have no trouble making them.
• Goal Setting: Putting numbers to the reps and an overall goal on the team is an important part of managing a team to success. You can’t gauge a team without a bar being set.

“If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” — Tom Hanks

2 Get To Know Who Your Sales Managers for Your New Product Launch Marketing Plan Are

While reps want to make their individual quotas, the head will be (at least in part) responsible for training everyone in the sales process to perform at their peak while meeting team goals.

The need to make your current team better over the course of months and years isn’t a skill that is easy to come by. Many times founders are trying to move out of the process and won’t be able to train a person to be a good sales manager.

The term “self-starter” may be used a lot in the business world, but at times like this, it’s a good way to think of your managers. Stop and look at the role and you’ll realize that your sales manager will be directly responsible for most (if not all) new revenue after a certain point.

Common Traits of Successful Sales Managers

All of the traits of your sales reps, plus:

• Forward Thinking: The ability to forecast accurately is something most companies don’t look for in a manager. Yours should have the ability to see ahead and show when results will be reached.
• Backward Working: You won’t reach future goals without the ability to work out the steps to take. Figuring out how to achieve forecasts is another big part of the job.
• Above and Beyond: Gets to work earlier, stays later. You know, the typical stuff that non-typical workers always do.
• Natural Learner: Sales is getting more and more complex. Customers are becoming better at researching on their own and avoiding calls. Your manager needs to be on the forefront of sales tactics, experimenting with new techniques, and sharing his or her results.

3 Showcase Your Company when Finding Sales Managers on Your New Product Launch Marketing Plan

Once you have the needed traits and skills listed, you’ll want to showcase your company in the Sales Manager job description a bit.

To attract this type of leader, you’ll have to show the stability and benefits you offer.

Anyone who can lead a successful sales team will be highly valuable to just about any company.

Most will hire them with or without a direct need.

You’ll have to be honest about your business while creating interest in it. There are a few things that your culture can provide to attract and keep the best.

• Responsibility: Managers want the ability to lead (within company guidelines). If you’re hovering, it will be hard for them to fully take hold of their position.
• Credit: Red tape and poor ethics ruin companies. If someone comes up with the best idea, it needs to be used and that person given credit.
• Advance: Managers want to know that if they work hard, an executive status may be available to them as your company grows.
• Vision: Show where your company is going. Let them know what the future health of the business looks like.
• Good Deeds: Share things your company does to make the world a better place. It’s become a non-negotiable in today’s social society.

If you don’t currently provide these basic needs for today’s workforce, you may want to figure out how you can start. Those who fill the management roles in today’s market want to stay for a long time, but they won’t unless their needs are being met.

Keeping sales reps is important, but keeping key leadership is vital.

Bonus Resource: Tips for hiring your first manager from Business Insider.

Present What Your Company Can Offer for Sales Manager on Your New Product Launch Marketing Plan

The talent you want to hire cares about the world, but they care about themselves, too.

Startups are really starting to give workers an ideal place to do their job. Those seeking management roles are a little different than entry level, but they still have things that will make them happier to apply.

Most of the things potential managers look for—specifically—are those that show the role will be respected and put them in an environment to succeed. It’s worth talking about again, that you’re not trying to hire someone to crack a whip or handle training.

Your company needs quality leadership through and through if you want to grow correctly.

Here are some things you can do to show that you want managers to thrive that are beyond paying them a competitive wage + benefits.

Examples of Goodies Managers Love

• Snacks: Watercolors are cool, but outdated. How about going to Sam’s Club and picking up some granola bars and a Keurig?
• Privacy: Having a set-apart area for your manager to come up with forecasts and have conversations with reps is important.
• Flexibility: Adding a “work from home day” or other loose schedule options could make the difference.
• One on One: A manager having regular (casual) meetings with higher-ups can really boost performance and morale. Have the head of sales or even yourself (or the founder) meet them for coffee and discuss the future of the business, sports, etc.
• Above Average Benefits: Here at LeadFuze, we offer 3 weeks of vacation in the first year and 4 starting at year two. Some companies do unlimited time off if the job gets done.
• Free Tech: Apps, devices, and other features that you staff has access to for both business and personal use is a great “selling” point.
• Health Options: Gym memberships and reimbursements for other healthy options could be a great way to attract this very health-conscious generation.

Conclusion

If your company is looking for an experienced sales manager, it’s important that you find someone who has the skills and experience to lead a team of professionals. Use these points as a starting point when creating your own document or check out our list of qualified candidates on our website if you need more assistance finding the right person. What more do you think should be included in a Sales Manager job description?