what is a head of sales?
As the head of sales, you manage the sales team, including defining and communicating key performance indicators and targets. You also analyse market trends and consumer behaviours and develop strategies to boost sales in the new markets. You make data-driven decisions to optimise the company's commercial performance consistently.
The head of sales relies on data to analyse patterns, understand the consumer base and study the sales department's performance. Your role involves knowing your competition and coming up with new ways to outsell them. The responsibilities of the head of sales also extend to managing external partners and collaborating with internal departments to increase the company's revenue.
As a supervisor, you lead the sales department by developing sales targets, identifying growth opportunities and developing the product mix. You manage the department's calendar, from trading priorities to launches, campaign activities and promotions. You also take responsibility for the mistakes and negative performances of the department. You mentor other sales professionals and guide them to achieve the department's vision and goals.
As the head of sales, you play a strategic role in the company by driving enhanced revenue generation activities in the department. Your job is to deliver an optimised market mix and expand the company's market share and consumer base. You utilise analytics to measure the successes and weaknesses of sales strategies.
Would working as the head of sales suit your commercial acumen and analytical skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a head of sales role.
average salary of a head of sales
According to ONS, the head of sales earns an average pay of £60,000 per year or £30.77 per hour. New heads of sales usually have minimal experience in the role and take home around £49,924 annually. When you run a large department and have extensive experience, your compensation package will be around £80,000 per year.
While most sales professionals receive commissions, the head of sales only earns bonuses for achieving milestones and steering the team to achieve targets. You also enjoy various perks, including paid sick days or leave days and contributions to a pension scheme.
ways to boost your salary as the head of sales
The principal determiner of your compensation package is the size of the company. A large organisation can afford to pay workers more. Besides, roles in big companies are complex, and your compensation should reflect the effort you put into the role. The location also influences the pay structure since the demands and costs of living impact salaries. When you work in a large city, you are likely to earn more due to the higher demand for employees. In small towns, both the need for heads of sales and the cost of living are lower.
types of heads of sales
Some of the types of heads of sales include:
- regional head of sales: as the head of sales, you can be in charge of a specific region. That means you oversee sales functions in a designated area to ensure smooth operations. Your job is to grow the company's market share in the region and achieve set targets by empowering the field sales agents and sales managers.
- branch head of sales: when you manage the sales activities of a particular branch, your job is to direct the sales managers and executives working under you. Your job involves recruiting sales managers, setting targets and supervising the sales activities in the branch. You also manage warehouse activities and evaluate sales performance compared to other branches in the organisation.
working as a head of sales
Working as the head of sales involves leading the entire sales team, from field sales representatives to sales managers. The role requires exceptional leadership skills and self-motivation to inspire others to work hard and achieve the company's targets. Let's explore what the head of sales does daily.
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head of sales job description
Some of the tasks of the head of sales include:
- developing plans to penetrate new markets: as the head of sales, you need to grow your employer's revenue by launching new products in various markets to improve the company's market share. Your job is to collaborate with the marketing teams to identify new opportunities and strategies for introducing your products into the market.
- designing the sales and distribution strategy: as the head of sales, you define new approaches for the sale of products. When you penetrate new markets, you need to develop comprehensive distribution strategies to maximise sale opportunities. For instance, you direct the sales teams to generate proposals and define a clear path for revenue growth and client satisfaction.
- establishing guidelines for customer relationships: apart from creating distribution policies, you also define clear guidelines for client satisfaction and revenue growth. That involves establishing customer relationship management systems and procedures for managing customers. You also create internal policies for data protection and managing customer data.
- fostering relationships with new partners: as the head of sales, you oversee dealings with premium clients and buyers in the business. Your job is to foster relationships with new partners and improve revenue. You provide advice when preparing proposals or bidding documents for important accounts. You ensure the customers are happy and receive the best service.
- supervising and investigating sales performance: as the head of sales, you monitor changes in the industry that could affect sales performance. You also examine other factors that disrupt performance and find ways to improve revenue and meet sales targets.
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work environment
As the head of sales, you work in an office environment and spend most of the day attending meetings or analysing sales data. Sometimes, your job involves presenting to the executive team or training sales professionals at conferences. You also have to work outdoors when meeting important partners and premium buyers. Your role involves travelling for conferences or overseas meetings, depending on the organisation's size. While you can work remotely or from home, some aspects of the role are hands-on, especially when fostering new partnerships with important clients.
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who are your colleagues?
As the head of sales, your colleagues include sales directors, field sales representatives, inside sales representative, media sales advisor, account sales manager, account managers and sales assistants. You may also work alongside marketing managers, as well as other specialists that could include marketing executives, brand managers and accountants.
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work schedule
The work schedule of the head of sales depends on the company size and specific duties. In full-time positions, you work the typical 40 hours a week. That means your workday runs from 9 am to 5 pm, but sometimes you have to work in the evenings and weekends. Part-time positions are rare since you supervise a large team. However, you can often split your time between working from home and the office.
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job outlook
As the head of sales, you are the top executive in your department, allowing you to effect change and develop the company's strategy. Depending on the company hierarchy, you could progress to vice president of sales. However, in some organisations, the head of sales is the sales director and the vice president. You can move into other marketing or executive position roles like becoming the chief executive officer or chief operations officer.
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advantages of finding a head of sales job through randstad
Finding your head of sales job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as the head of sales is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
You need the following qualifications to become the head of sales:
- bachelor's degree: the first step into the role is through an undergraduate or foundation degree in business management, communications, marketing or sales. You can join an industrial placement or graduate trainee programme to speed up your job progression when you finish the degree.
- master's: most employers require a master's degree or PhD in a related field. For instance, you can complete a PhD in business and management, marketing, or communication to increase your chances of joining the field.
- work experience: you cannot become the head of sales without extensive work experience. Apart from internships, you also need to work in junior sales or marketing positions to learn the ropes and work ethic required.
skills and competencies
The personal qualities of a head of sales include:
- analytical skills: as the head of sales, you rely on research and data-driven insights to formulate strategies and measure the sales performance of your department. You need analytical skills to understand marketplace models for measuring performance. These skills also help you evaluate performance and develop new strategies.
- computing skills: as the head of sales, you need proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Word and PowerPoint, to create reports and presentations for senior sales management teams. Computing skills are also helpful in analysing performance and making comparisons.
- interpersonal skills: as the head of sales, you need interpersonal skills to build trust and encourage openness with your sales team and external stakeholders. Interpersonal skills help you thrive and work comfortably in group settings. They also improve your persuasiveness and leadership.
- people and leadership skills: as the head of sales, you perform a supervisory role that requires leadership skills. You should be able to inspire and motivate a large group of people in a unified direction or vision. As the company's representative, you need people skills to be approachable to customers and build lasting relationships on behalf of the business.
FAQs
FAQs about working as head of sales
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what does it mean to be head of sales?
The head of sales is the top executive in the sales department in charge of supervising and managing all sales activities in the business.
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what does the head of sales and marketing do?
Your role is to oversee the development of strategies and the implementation of sales plans. You also evaluate and monitor sales performances based on KPIs.
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what is the hierarchy of sales jobs?
You start as a sales assistant before becoming a sales executive and manager. You can become the head of sales or sales director from the sales manager role.
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what skills do the head of sales need?
You need exceptional leadership skills and analytical abilities to supervise the performance of various departments.
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how do I apply for the head of sales vacancy?
Applying for a head of sales job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for head of sales vacancies. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
