Sales director job description.

What does a sales director do?

 

A sales director sets sales strategy, leads high-performing sales teams, and owns regional or business-line revenue targets. They play a critical role in scaling sales operations, entering new markets, and aligning with broader commercial goals.

 

Responsibilities include setting quotas, forecasting revenue, managing managers or senior reps, and reporting performance to leadership. They also contribute to hiring, coaching, pricing, and process improvement across the sales funnel.

 

In startups, sales directors are often both strategic and hands-on. In larger businesses, they lead across geographies or verticals, ensuring that sales execution aligns with overall business strategy.

 

Key responsibilities of a sales director.

 

Sales directors lead commercial strategy and execution across regions or teams. Their responsibilities include:

• Setting sales strategy and targets aligned with business objectives

• Managing regional or vertical sales teams

• Driving pipeline growth and ensuring revenue delivery

• Overseeing training, hiring, and team performance

• Aligning closely with marketing, product, and executive teams

• Monitoring market trends and adapting positioning

• Supporting key deals and senior customer engagements

• Building forecasts and reporting to executive leadership

• Managing territory or segment planning

• Representing sales within business planning and budgeting cycles

This role blends leadership, strategy, and commercial execution at scale.

 

Skills and requirements for a sales director.

 

Sales directors lead sales functions and growth strategy. Employers typically look for:

• 8–12 years of experience in senior sales or commercial leadership roles

• Proven success managing large sales teams and high-value targets

• Experience setting strategy, quotas, and territory plans

• Skilled in budgeting, forecasting, and revenue analysis

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and hiring capabilities

• Ability to collaborate across product, marketing, and customer success teams

• Confident presenting to board-level or investor stakeholders

• Familiarity with outbound, inbound, and partner sales model

• Deep understanding of customer needs and market dynamics

Most sales directors operate strategically, accountable for revenue growth and team success.

 

Average salary for a sales director.

 

In the UK, the average salary for a sales director typically ranges from £80,000 to £120,000, based on sales strategy ownership, revenue growth, and board-level reporting.

• Mid-level sales directors typically earn between £80,000 and £100,000

• Senior professionals managing large sales organisations or global regions may earn between £101,000 and £120,000

• Incentives often include performance-based bonuses or profit share

High-paying roles are in tech, enterprise sales, and VC-backed scale-ups.

 

Career progression for a sales director.

 

A sales director leads the organisation’s revenue growth strategy, overseeing teams, forecasting, and territory planning. This senior role often progresses into C-suite or cross-functional revenue ownership. A typical path includes:

 

Sales executive / Acount manager

 

Manages a book of business and delivers consistent personal sales performance.

 

Sales manager

 

Leads a small team. Oversees targets, territory planning, and sales enablement.

 

Senior sales manager / Regional director

 

Takes on multiple teams or geographies. Delivers growth through leadership and coaching.

 

Sales director

 

Leads the entire sales function. Owns budgeting, hiring, and long-term revenue planning.

 

Chief revenue officer (CRO)

 

Joins the executive team. Owns all revenue-generating departments — from sales to CS and marketing alignment.