Sales / Business Development, Strategy / Planning
Director of Sales
Overview
A director of sales is responsible for leading a team of sales professionals and overseeing the sales process to ensure revenue goals are met. They may develop sales strategies, identify new business opportunities, and maintain relationships with key clients.
The main responsibilities of a director of sales may include developing and implementing sales strategies, setting sales targets and quotas, managing and motivating sales teams, analyzing and interpreting sales data, and collaborating with other departments to ensure that sales efforts are aligned with overall company goals.
Common tasks
| Task | Related trait(s) |
|---|---|
| Developing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets and business objectives | Strategic Planning Attention to detail Creativity and problem solving Adaptability |
| Leading, coaching, and mentoring a team of sales professionals to achieve sales goals | Effective listening Effective communication Emotional Intelligence |
| Identifying current customer needs to inform sales strategies | Strategic Planning Emotional Intelligence Creativity and problem solving Adaptability |
| Building and maintaining strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders | Effective listening Effective communication Emotional Intelligence |
| Managing budgets and ensuring cost-effectiveness | Strategic Planning |
| Collaborating with cross-functional teams, such as marketing, product development, and customer success | Inclusive leadership Team engagement Conflict management |
| Participating in industry events, conferences, and trade shows to represent the company and generate leads | Interpersonal proficiency Presenting with confidence |
| Staying up-to-date with developments in the field | Efficient multitasking Curiosity |
Soft skills measured by TraitForward
| Trait | No of Questions | Cronbach’s alpha (α) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective listening | 8 | 0.71 | |
| Do they understand others? | |||
| Effective communication | 11 | 0.84 | |
| Do they express themselves effectively? | |||
| Emotional Intelligence | 6 | 0.70 | |
| Do they understand the emotions of others? | |||
| Strategic Planning | 7 | 0.73 | |
| Do they plan carefully? | |||
| Attention to detail | 5 | 0.71 | |
| Do they pay attention to details? | |||
| Inclusive leadership | 11 | 0.73 | |
| Are they biased? | |||
| Creativity and problem solving | 8 | 0.77 | |
| Are they creative problem solvers? | |||
| Adaptability | 6 | 0.75 | |
| Are they adaptable? | |||
| Interpersonal proficiency | 6 | 0.75 | |
| Can they handle social situations? | |||
| Efficient multitasking | 9 | 0.78 | |
| Can they multitask? Can they handle demanding workloads? | |||
| Conflict management | 4 | 0.77 | |
| Are they calm? Do they respect others? | |||
| Presenting with confidence | 5 | 0.74 | |
| Are they socially confident? | |||
| Curiosity | 9 | 0.76 | |
| Are they deep learners? | |||
| Team engagement | 9 | 0.72 | |
| Do they like being included in a group? | |||
Did you Know?
Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median wage:
$193,387 / per year
$93 / hour
A relatively low annual wage is $146,680(10th percentile)
A relatively high salary of the annual wage is $247,386 (90th percentile)
Entry Education level:
Τo become a director of sales, one typically needs a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as business, marketing, or sales. They must have strong leadership and management skills and be able to motivate and manage sales teams effectively. Additionally, directors of sales must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and be able to develop and implement effective sales strategies. They should also have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be able to build and maintain strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders. Many directors of sales have several years of experience in sales roles before moving into leadership positions.
Find out the psychometric properties for the Director of Sales Traitforward questionnaire