Sales Manager: Facts, Skills, and Next Paths

A Sales Manager leads a team of sales representatives to meet revenue targets. Day-to-day tasks include developing sales strategies, forecasting revenue, managing key accounts, and analyzing performance data. The role requires regular client meetings and coordination with internal teams.

Core responsibilities include setting sales targets, building customer relationships, and managing the sales process. This role typically reports to a VP of Sales or Regional Sales Director. For example, at Tektronix (a Ralliant company), the National Sales Manager leads a team focused on accelerating new service revenue. At Eaton, the OEM Area Sales Manager manages a team of sales engineers and handles key accounts.

The median salary for a Sales Manager is approximately $130,000. The most requested skills in current job postings are Negotiation (50%), Forecasting (40%), Analytics & Reporting (40%), User Acquisition (40%), and CRM (40%).