What does a Sales Director do?
A Sales Director typically works with the board of directors to plan for the future of the company. This includes forecasting future trends, launching new products and services and reviewing sales data to identify buying among their customer base. They manage the activities of the sales department, set realistic targets, oversee the Mangers that report to them and work with staff to keep them motivated. Sales Directors also often work closely with the marketing department to ensure that they are operating as effectively as possible.
Sales Director skills and qualifications
Sales Directors need to have an approach which combines creativity with hard facts and figures. A successful Sales Director will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:
- Computer skills including sales and finance software and expertise in spreadsheets, presentations and databases
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Time management skills, including prioritisation and delegation
- Leadership and management skills
- Flexibility and ability to accept feedback and input from other departments
- Ability to manage budgets
- Excellent negotiation skills
- Planning and forecasting skills
Sales Director experience requirements
Sales Directors need to have significant sales experience and a proven track record of increasing sales. They should be able to show their success in previous roles using figures that demonstrate the impact of their activity on the results of projects. Successful Sales Directors usually start working in direct sales before gaining management experience and developing higher-level skills. Many businesses will expect Sales Director applicants to have some experience in business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) sales.
Some industries are highly regulated, such as finance or medical sales, so Sales Directors in those sectors need a thorough understanding of industry best practices and any legal restrictions that may apply.
Sales Director education and training requirements
Sales Directors must have at least a bachelor’s degree in sales management or sales strategy and operations. Some employers accept candidates who have vocational sales qualifications, including a City & Guilds qualification in sales or an NVQ diploma in sales and business administration. The Institute of Sales Management offers sales qualifications such as a sales professional certificate or strategic sales planning.
Sales Director salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Sales Director in the UK is £74,264 per year. This depends on the size of the company and the sales team as well as the area of the country in which the role is based.
Job description samples for similar positions
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