A sales manager is in charge of the sales team in an organization.
The sales manager primary responsibility to identify, recruit and develop an excellent sales team. However, his key area of responsibility is to increase sales, albeit through his sales force or team.
The sales manager main activity is to motivate, monitor and drive his sales team to meet their sales target.
However, a sales manager’s job description, activities and responsibilities depends on his position and the products manufactured or marketed by his/her organization.
A sales manager’s job description, activities and responsibilities vary according to the position he is in the hierarchy in the company.
Obviously, a National Sales Managers job description and responsibilities varies sharply from the job description of the Zonal Sales Manager. Similarly, a Zonal Sales Managers role and responsibilities varies from a Regional Manager.
Nevertheless, there are some common functions and responsibilities common to all categories of Sales Manager’s.
All Sales Manager’s are responsible for a specific area of operation. For example, a National Sales Manager is responsible for all sales activities in a particular country. Similarly, a Regional Sales Manager is responsible for sales in a particular region.
As we can see only the scope of a sales manager’s responsibility varies and hence we can broadly sum up a Sales Managers responsibilities as:
- Recruiting and training sales staff
- Supervising, motivating and monitoring team performance
- Allocating areas to sales executives
- Setting budgets/targets
- Liaising with other line managers
- Reporting to senior managers
- Liaising with customers (which may include actual selling)
- Maintaining detailed knowledge of the company’s products or services
- Keeping abreast of what competitors are doing.
Source: Prospects, UK’s official graduate career website.
