Sales Manager Job Description: Salary, Top Companies, and Future

Businesses run with the collaboration of different teams that are managed by professionals in leadership positions. Sales and marketing are integral parts of any business that help it grow. A high-performing sales team is typically led by a strategic-thinking and result-driven leader, the sales manager who is responsible to motivate and manage the team to achieve sales and business goals.   

However, in the current scenario of the changing business landscape, the role of a sales manager goes beyond the mere function of achieving targets; rather, it is about building robust teams and driving revenue growth while steering through the challenges and complexities.     

Aspiring sales professionals need to understand that the core of this role is key to long-term success in this field. The blog further discusses the sales manager job description, including salary, top recruiters, and the future scope.

What does a Sales Manager do? 

A sales manager is responsible for performing a wide range of job responsibilities within their ability to achieve results. The efficiency and expertise of a sales manager result in effective sales and marketing efforts in their organization. For the sales manager to be skilled and abreast with the current technological advancements makes a huge difference in making sales and marketing programs rewarding for an organization. Upskilling and being relevant with the latest courses and certifications support sales professionals in staying updated with the current developments in the market. Furthermore, sales aspirants can enroll in a 1-year online MBA programs from international institutions to boost their careers. 

Let us take a look at the top duties performed as part of a sales manager job description:

1. Executing and Driving Sales Strategies

Sales Managers are the driving forces of revenue plans, designing proposals that turn sales strategies into successful outcomes.

Key functions:

• Create sales plans (annual and monthly/quarterly)
• Setting performance benchmarks and identifying market opportunities
• Aligning sales tactics with marketing and product teams

2. Leading and Directing the Sales Team

A proficient sales manager mentors team members to build a high-performing team. They also empower each team member.

Key functions:

• Recruit and train new sales executives for the team
• Conduct performance reviews for team members
• Foster a positive, goal-oriented team culture

3. Setting Sales Goals

A sales manager is responsible for setting clear and measurable goals to turn strategy into results. They also help the team learn different sales techniques.

Key Functions:

• Outline short- and long-term revenue targets to meet business objectives
• Break down goals into monthly and weekly targets 
• Assess and adjust goals based on performance trends and market shifts

4. Monitoring Sales Performance and Forecasts

Tracking progress is a crucial task for sales managers to stay competitive in the dynamic market.

Key Functions:

• Analyze pipeline metrics, conversion rates, and sales forecasts
• Use CRM tools and dashboards to monitor team productivity
• Adjust strategies based on data-driven insights

5. Strengthening Customer Relationships

Sales Managers are required to strengthen key accounts or close deals of high value.

Key functions:

• Act as a connection between clients and the company
• Resolve customer issues
• Identify cross-sell opportunities

6. Doing Market Analysis

Understanding the external market and competition scenario helps sales managers in creating strategies accordingly.

Key functions:

• Stay updated with market trends and competitor movements
• Share insights with marketing and product teams

7. Bridging the Gap Between Senior Management and Frontline Team

A Sales Manager serves as the communication channel between planning strategies and executing them to ensure alignment across all levels.

Key functions:

• Transform high-level business goals into actionable plans for the sales team
• Communicate market feedback and customer insights to senior management  
• Cultivate a culture of transparency and accountability 

8. Recruiting and Training Sales Executives

A sales manager plays a crucial role in building a strong sales team by hiring the right talent.

Key functions:

• Identify requirements in the team and recruit members
• Collaborate with HR to hire candidates
• Conduct regular training sessions on product updates and soft skills

9. Promoting a Competitive and Collaborative Team Environment

A sales manager knows how to strike the perfect balance between healthy competition and team cohesion for success.

Key functions:

• Design programs for individual achievements and team milestones
• Cultivate mutual support in the team 
• Encourage open communication and collaboration 

Also Read: Sales vs Marketing: What is The Difference Between Sales and Marketing?

What Qualifications Do Sales Managers Require?

Sales managers in an organization play a pivotal role in driving business revenue by leading teams, setting goals, and optimizing sales strategies. To succeed in this role, a strong mix of education, experience, and skills is essential.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree: A bachelor’s degree in Sales, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Statistics, or Management is the minimum qualification after 10+2 for a sales aspirant in India. Candidates can choose from a BBA, BCom, or any other relevant degree to start a career in sales.
• Master’s Degree: Although not compulsory, however, many candidates prefer to pursue further education, such as an MBA, MCom, or an MS. in Economics/Accounting/Statistics or a related field, to further their career in sales.  
• Certifications: Short courses and certifications can be pursued by candidates during their professional life or along with a bachelor’s or master’s degree to build expertise in specialized areas. Some relevant certifications include Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL), Certified Sales Executive (CSE), Certified Sales Coach (CSC), Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP), and Certified Sales Management Professional (CSMP). 
• Internship: An internship after a bachelor's or master’s degree is the next step in preparing for a rewarding career in sales. It allows candidates to gain experience in their desired area of expertise. An entry-level job can also help to gain experience.

Skills Required to Become a Sales Manager

A sales manager's main goal is to boost sales, but they also focus on building a strong team, setting future sales targets, and solving business challenges. Hence, along with sales and marketing skills, good communication and leadership skills are also important for success in this role. Take a look at some of the must-have skills of a sales manager below:

Skills Required:

• Communication Skills

Sales managers perform dual responsibilities of managing a sales team as well as the customers in general. They may also be coordinating with other teams across departments in an organization. Further, they are responsible for training their team members. All these functions require sales managers to communicate well. Hence, having strong communication skills is important.

• Leadership Skills

For sales managers, leadership skills are indispensable as these professionals are responsible for leading and managing teams. Sales managers are also responsible for motivating team members to work towards attaining the sales goals of the company. They are in charge of recruiting and onboarding candidates. All this requires them to have strong leadership skills to succeed in their roles.    

• Customer Service Skills

Sales managers are responsible for handling customer problems, overseeing, and enhancing retail experiences.  They identify customer challenges and try to improve them to enhance their overall experience with a particular brand or company.  Having strong customer service skills helps sales managers understand customer concerns and mediate conflicts to develop customer loyalty.

• Analytical Skills

Analytical skills of sales managers help them to assess and report sales data. These skills are pivotal for trend prediction and for developing strategies to boost sales. Further, sales managers are also required to prepare expected sales reports and operational costs, which again require analytical skills.  

• Problem-solving Skills

Sales managers use problem-solving skills to handle sales challenges and customer issues. They also work to fix team problems to keep everyone motivated and on track with sales goals.

Also Read: Top 15 Essential Skills for Sales Managers' Success in 2025

How Much Do Sales Managers Make? 

Sales managers in India typically earn a competitive salary, with the annual income ranging between ₹2.2 Lakhs - ₹16 Lakhs per annum and an average salary of ₹7.1 Lakhs per annum. However, several factors contribute to the average salary of a sales manager, including industry, location, and experience. 

Industry-Wise Salary of Sales Managers

Here’s an industry-wise salary of sales managers across industries:

City-Wise Salary of Sales Managers

Here’s a city-wise salary of sales managers across cities:

Experience-Wise Salary of Sales Managers

Here’s an experience-wise salary of sales managers across industries:

Source: AmbitionBox

Future of Sales Managers: Trends and Career Growth

According to data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), there is an expected growth of 6% in the job outlook for sales managers from 2023 to 2033, highlighting the growing demand for this profession. 

With the growing digitization of businesses, the sales manager’s role is transforming from mere supervising to performing strategic leadership functions. Sales managers who can easily blend analytics with emotional intelligence and leverage AI-driven tools and technologies are likely to gain huge growth in their careers in the future.

Businesses look for tech-savvy leaders to lead their company's growth. Hence, individuals with flexibility and the capacity to adapt can unlock varied paths to prosper in this field in roles such as Director of Sales, Vice-President (VP) Sales, Chief Revenue Officer, and more.   

Further, sales managers can also explore related fields like sales associate, sales representative, sales coordinator, advertising manager, and operations manager, among others. 

How Can UpGrad Help You?

Choosing the right course is the first step to a rewarding career as a sales manager. With upGrad, one of the top digital learning platforms, pursuing online courses for a sales career becomes smooth.  You can choose to enroll in an MBA program online after completing your bachelor’s degree. 

Students and professionals, looking to transition into sales or to enhance their sales skills without taking a career break, can join several courses offered by upGrad to boost their prospects.

Here are some of our popular MBA courses online, including our free courses:

• MBA from Paris School of Business
• MBA from Liverpool Business School
• MBA from Golden Gate University
• Post Graduate Diploma in Management (BIMTECH)
• MBA from UGNXT

Start with a personalized career counseling session with our experts or visit an upGrad center near you for more details on our top MBA courses.  

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