Sales Manager

The primary objective of the Sales Manager is to take responsibility for managing a team of sales specialists and or client managers in order to assist in the achievement of sales targets through the allocation of territories and targets resulting in outstanding sales performance. Their role is a combination of management, selling, coaching and leadership activities, with the objective of enabling their sales team to meet the sales targets assigned to them.

Sales Managers exist in geographies where there are bigger sales teams and the sales management is split between the Senior Sales Manager and Sales Manager. This Sales Manager manages a team of client managers and/or sales specialists, but they are not a departmental or divisional manager.

Manages sales directly to end-users of the organization’s products or services in a large specified geographic area, or is responsible for a specific industry or product segment on a national or geographic basis. Incumbents at the Director and Senior Director level typically manage other sales managers. Incumbents at the Manager level may manage only individual contributor sales account managers and may carry their own sales quota. The incumbent’s level may be determined by the size of the geographic area of responsibility.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure that local and global strategic sales objectives and targets are met.

Assist their sales team to de ne the way they approach the market and achieve set targets.

Ensure that sales procedures and policies as defined by the sales leadership are implemented and followed.

Provide input into the development of the tactical strategy as well as develop and implement a supporting operational strategy.

Align their team to the client segmentation strategy ensuring that the right level of resource is allocated to the right type of client.

Responsible for the co-ordination of the activities of their sales teams, setting and measuring performance targets, account allocation and enforcing the execution of the client account plans, call planning and opportunity qualification.

Responsible for pipeline management and accurate forecasting

Support team by attending key client meetings and articulate how can add value through our services and solutions

Take full ownership for managing efficiency levels, streamlining procedures to deliver customer excellence.

Act as mentor/coach and advisor that assist the sales force to set and keep to priority activities.

Utilise sales tools and methodologies to manage account opportunities, pipelines and forecasting efforts, ensuring accessibility and tool utility training

Plans and organises multiple work outputs by assigning priorities and continuously reviewing objectives and goals.

Academic Qualifications and Certifications:

Bachelor’s degree

Required Experience:

Demonstrable level of relevant experience in similar role within a related environment

Solid previous experience operationally managing a sales team

Good experience dealing with clients and engaging to influence sales

Previous demonstrable experience in the sales management role

Sound strategic and operational planning experience

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

Sales business acumen - the skills supporting successful selling through organizational and business outcome mindset

Success will require focusing on planning, leveraging tools and data, and concentrating on business requirements.

Developing the skills to understand your client’s business (including commercial and financial aspects) in order to bring value to them from  portfolio of services

Sales client engagement & management - the skills used to effectively manage and analyze the client throughout the client lifecycle, with the goal of improving client relationships and driving sales growth

Success will require detailed understanding of client needs, effective sales planning, and building trust, all while managing to client expectations

 Developing the skills required to know your client, building effective & lasting relationships with them and to be seen as a trusted advisor

Sales solution skills - the knowledge of  offerings, client applications, use cases and market trends and the skill to apply them to individual client and prospect situations that positions the sales team member as an expert client advisor

Success will require the ability to link  offerings, including high-value services to specific client and prospect needs and outcomes

Sales resources optimization - building internal relationships, working with pursuit teams and leveraging vendors as resources throughout the sales cycle

Sales pursuit - the skills and knowledge that enable a sales team member to create success by identifying and advancing opportunities at assigned prospects and clients

 Success will require both individual ownership as well as accountability for coordinating internal and external resources in order to close sales opportunities

Sales strategy execution - The skills to ensure that the sales strategy is aligned to the business strategy

Sales business management - the skills to ensure that target setting and associated processes is aligned to meeting the target

Sales talent management & enablement - the skills to ensure that results are achieved through effective talent management