Director/VP of Sales

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The Director/VP of Sales is responsible for driving the entire sales function for a major geography or a significant business unit, which directly impacts our overall market position and multi-year revenue growth. You'll work at the intersection of market demand and internal capability, translating our company's vision into actionable sales strategies that our teams can actually execute. When this role is done well, we'll see consistent, predictable revenue growth, increased market share, and a highly motivated, high-performing sales organisation. When it's not, we'll miss targets, lose ground to competitors, and struggle to retain top talent. The challenge is navigating complex market dynamics and internal trade-offs while maintaining relentless focus on the number. The reward is seeing your strategic vision come to life, building a truly exceptional sales team, and making a tangible, significant impact on the company's success.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Chief Sales Officer (CSO) or Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
• Direct reports: Roughly 10-25 people, including Sales Managers and potentially some senior individual contributors.
• Matrix relationships: Head of Sales, Sales Director, EMEA, VP, Commercial Operations,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Chief Sales Officer (CSO) / Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Finance leadership
• VP of Marketing
• VP of Product
• VP of Customer Success
• Legal Counsel
• HR Business Partners

External:

• Strategic customers and key accounts
• Industry analysts and consultants
• Channel partners and resellers
• Potential M&A targets (occasionally)
• Board members (for specific presentations)

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly shapes the sales trajectory of a major business unit or region. Your decisions on GTM strategy, team structure, and compensation directly influence hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue, market perception, and the careers of dozens of sales professionals. You're essentially running your own mini-business within the larger organisation, with full accountability for its commercial success.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Year-over-Year (YoY) Revenue Growth
2. Desc: The percentage increase in revenue for your business unit or region compared to the previous year.
3. Target: 30-40% YoY growth, depending on market maturity.
4. Freq: Quarterly and Annually.
5. Example: Achieved 35% YoY revenue growth for the EMEA region, increasing revenue from £50M to £67.5M.
6. Metric: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
7. Desc: The total cost of sales and marketing needed to acquire a new customer, measured against the revenue generated.
8. Target: Reduce CAC by 10-15% while maintaining or increasing bookings.
9. Freq: Quarterly.
10. Example: Reduced CAC from £10,000 to £8,500 per customer by optimising GTM channels and improving sales efficiency.
11. Metric: Sales Cycle Length
12. Desc: The average time it takes for a deal to move from qualified lead to closed-won, for your segment.
13. Target: Decrease average sales cycle by 15-20% for key segments.
14. Freq: Monthly, reported quarterly.
15. Example: Reduced the average enterprise sales cycle from 180 days to 150 days through improved qualification and deal execution.
16. Metric: Market Share Growth
17. Desc: The percentage of the total available market that your business unit captures, showing how you're performing against competitors.
18. Target: Increase market share by 2-3 percentage points annually in target segments.
19. Freq: Annually (based on market reports and internal analysis).
20. Example: Grew market share in the UK mid-market segment from 12% to 15%.
21. Metric: Net Revenue Retention (NRR)
22. Desc: How much revenue we retain from existing customers, including expansions and downgrades, net of churn.
23. Target: Maintain NRR above 115% for your customer base.
24. Freq: Quarterly.
25. Example: Achieved an NRR of 120% for the enterprise segment, showing strong expansion within existing accounts.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Strategic GTM Effectiveness
2. Desc: How well your defined Go-to-Market strategy translates into actual market penetration and competitive advantage.
3. Evidence: Your GTM plan is clearly articulated and understood by all sales teams. You're consistently identifying new market opportunities or pivoting effectively when old ones dry up. Internal stakeholders (Marketing, Product) actively seek your input on market strategy. You present compelling strategic updates to the CSO and board.
4. Metric: Talent Development & Retention
5. Desc: Your ability to build, develop, and retain a high-performing sales leadership team and a strong bench of future leaders.
6. Evidence: Your direct reports (Sales Managers) are consistently meeting or exceeding their targets. You have clear succession plans for key roles. Rep attrition rates are below industry average, especially for top performers. You're known for developing and promoting talent from within your organisation.
7. Metric: Cross-functional Leadership & Influence
8. Desc: Your ability to work effectively with other departments (Marketing, Product, Finance, CS) to remove blockers and drive collective success.
9. Evidence: You're seen as a trusted partner by your peers in other departments. You proactively resolve inter-departmental conflicts. Product and Marketing teams are openly collaborating on sales enablement and GTM initiatives, driven by your leadership. You can get the CFO to sign off on a tricky deal structure.
10. Metric: Board and Executive Communication
11. Desc: Your ability to clearly and concisely articulate complex sales performance, strategy, and market insights to the C-suite and Board.
12. Evidence: Your board presentations are well-received and lead to clear decisions. You can confidently answer tough questions from the CEO or board members. You proactively identify risks and opportunities, presenting solutions rather than just problems.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Decisive Under Pressure
• Manifestation: You're the person who makes the tough 'go/no-go' call on a resource-intensive deal that could make or break the quarter. You can let go of an underperforming manager, even if they're well-liked. You commit to a GTM pivot when the market shifts, even with incomplete data, because waiting means losing. When the board is asking hard questions, you give a clear answer and a plan, not 'we'll see'.
• Benefit: In sales leadership, hesitation kills momentum and confidence. A decisive leader prevents 'analysis paralysis' across their teams and keeps the entire organisation focused and moving forward, even when the path isn't perfectly clear or popular. Your team needs to see you make the hard calls.
• Trait: Master of Influence
• Manifestation: You can persuade the CFO to approve a non-standard deal structure that unlocks a massive account. You're able to convince Product to prioritise a feature crucial for closing a strategic enterprise deal. You inspire the entire sales floor at the annual kick-off, getting them bought into the vision. You can get Marketing to actually deliver the right kind of leads, and get Customer Success to help save a churning account.
• Benefit: A Director/VP of Sales's success depends almost entirely on securing resources, removing blockers, and building alignment from peers across the business (Marketing, Product, Finance, CS). You must sell the vision internally to the board and externally to the market, not just manage reps. If you can't influence, you can't lead at this level.
• Trait: Unwavering Accountability
• Manifestation: When the quarter is missed, you stand before the CSO and the board and say, 'I own this. Here's what went wrong, and here is my plan to fix it,' without blaming the market, marketing, or your team. You take responsibility for the good and the bad. You don't hide from difficult conversations about performance or strategy.
• Benefit: This builds immense trust with the C-suite, the board, and especially your sales team. It creates a culture where people take ownership of their results rather than making excuses. If the leader doesn't own the number, no one else will. It's the bedrock of credibility in sales.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Resilient
• Desc: You'll need to bounce back with a credible plan after a brutal quarter, a major deal loss, or a strategic misstep. Sales is a rollercoaster, and you're driving it.
• Trait: Commercially Astute
• Desc: You understand the full P&L impact of deals beyond just the top-line revenue number. You're thinking about margins, customer lifetime value, and the cost of acquisition. It's not just about closing, it's about profitable growth.
• Trait: Empathetic Leader
• Desc: You can genuinely understand the immense pressure a rep feels on the last day of the month, the frustration a customer has with a product bug, and the challenges your managers face. This helps you build strong teams and make better decisions.
• Trait: Incredibly Competitive
• Desc: You possess a deep, intrinsic drive to win market share, beat competitors, and be #1 in your segment. This isn't just about personal ambition; it's about instilling that winning spirit across your entire organisation.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Building and Leading High-Performing Teams
2. Daily: You'll spend a good chunk of your time coaching your managers, strategising on talent acquisition, and celebrating team wins. You get a real buzz from seeing your people grow and succeed.
3. Motivator: Driving Significant Business Impact
4. Daily: You're constantly looking at the big picture, identifying new market opportunities, and figuring out how to achieve ambitious revenue goals. You want to see your strategies directly translate into market share and financial success.
5. Motivator: Strategic Problem Solving at Scale
6. Daily: You'll be tackling complex, multi-faceted challenges like optimising global GTM models, designing new compensation plans, or navigating competitive threats. You thrive on figuring out the 'how' for big, hairy problems.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. You'll spend a significant amount of time in meetings – internal strategy sessions, forecast reviews, cross-functional alignments, and board presentations. The 'urgent' request that disrupted your Thursday will get deprioritised on Friday because a bigger fire erupted. You'll build beautiful, data-driven plans that get completely upended by a sudden market shift or a competitor's aggressive move. You'll inherit legacy systems and processes that are a nightmare to untangle, and you'll have to manage upwards to get the resources to fix them. If you need every piece of your strategic work to unfold exactly as planned or if you struggle with constant political navigation, you'll find this incredibly frustrating.

Common Frustrations

1. The endless 'Marketing vs. Sales' cold war over lead quality and attribution.
2. Inheriting a 'house of horrors' CRM that needs a year of clean-up before it's truly useful.
3. Being pressured by the CFO to pull deals forward to make the current quarter, even if it jeopardises next quarter's pipeline.
4. The CEO or board getting excited about a 'shiny new object' and demanding a GTM pivot that derails your current, focused strategy.
5. Your top rep, who accounts for 20% of your revenue, threatening to leave two weeks before quarter-end unless their commission plan is changed.
6. Losing strategic deals repeatedly for the same missing product feature that the product team has had on the roadmap for 18 months.
7. The weekly C-suite forecast interrogation where every deal in your pipeline is scrutinised and second-guessed, turning a planning tool into a political weapon.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A predictable 9-to-5 schedule – month-end and quarter-end are always intense.
2. The ability to avoid difficult conversations or decisions – that's a core part of the job.
3. A clean slate with perfect data and processes – you'll be building and fixing simultaneously.
4. Complete autonomy without C-suite or board oversight – you're accountable to them.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of sales leadership can be incredibly stimulating and engaging, providing constant novelty and challenge.
2. The need for rapid decision-making and problem-solving in dynamic situations can play to strengths in quick thinking and adaptability.
3. The role often involves juggling multiple strategic initiatives and urgent priorities, which can be managed effectively with strong organisational support.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. The sheer volume of meetings and constant interruptions can be overwhelming; we can explore strategies like 'no-meeting blocks' or dedicated focus time.
2. Maintaining focus on long-term, multi-year strategic plans amidst daily operational fires can be tough; structured check-ins and visual roadmaps can help.
3. Detailed administrative tasks, like board report preparation, might require focused support or tools to ensure accuracy and timely delivery.

Dyslexia Positives

1. Strong verbal communication skills, crucial for executive presentations and influencing stakeholders, are often a strength.
2. Big-picture strategic thinking and pattern recognition, essential for GTM strategy, can be highly developed.
3. Creative problem-solving for complex sales challenges and market positioning can be a significant asset.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Extensive written communication for board papers, strategic plans, and detailed reports might be a challenge; we encourage the use of AI writing assistants and proofreading tools.
2. Reading and synthesising large volumes of market research or financial reports can be time-consuming; audio tools or executive summaries can be provided.
3. We're happy to discuss any specific software or workflow adjustments that can make written tasks more efficient and less stressful.

Autism Positives

1. A deep, analytical approach to market data, sales performance, and GTM strategy can lead to highly effective, evidence-based decisions.
2. Exceptional focus on specific strategic objectives and a drive for logical, structured solutions can be invaluable.
3. Direct and honest communication, when framed appropriately, is highly valued in executive leadership for clarity and trust.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating complex social dynamics and unspoken political currents within the C-suite and board can be challenging; we can provide coaching and explicit guidance on these interactions.
2. The expectation for constant networking and informal relationship-building might be draining; we can help structure these interactions and focus on quality over quantity.
3. Unexpected changes to strategic direction or sudden shifts in priority can be difficult; we aim for transparency and clear communication on rationale for changes.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Director/VP of Sales (16-20 years)
2. Responsibilities: Drive the overall sales strategy and execution for a major business unit or geographical region (e.g., EMEA, North America), accountable for delivering multi-year revenue targets.
3. Define and implement the Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, including market segmentation, ideal customer profiles, pricing models, and channel strategies (direct, partner, OEM) to maximise market penetration and competitive advantage.
4. Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing sales leadership team (Sales Managers), fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and aggressive growth. This means active coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
5. Own the global revenue forecast for your segment, presenting and defending it to the CSO, CFO, and the board. This involves deep analysis of pipeline health, market trends, and strategic risks and opportunities.
6. Architect and optimise sales compensation plans and quota setting methodologies that motivate top performance, align with company objectives, and attract/retain top talent. You'll work closely with Finance on this.
7. Lead strategic initiatives such as M&A integration for sales teams, significant market expansions, or major sales force transformations. This is about shaping the future, not just managing the present.
8. Represent the organisation at industry events, with key strategic customers, and occasionally to investors, acting as a credible and influential voice for our sales vision and performance.
9. Supervision: You'll operate with full strategic autonomy within your business unit, reporting directly to the CSO/CRO with monthly strategic alignment meetings. Day-to-day, you're expected to self-direct and lead.
10. Decision: Full strategic authority within your domain, including budget allocation up to £5M, hiring and firing decisions for your direct reports, and approval of major vendor contracts (e.g., CRM, Sales Engagement platforms) up to £500K. You'll present and recommend major GTM shifts and M&A sales integration plans to the C-suite and board for final approval.
11. Success: Consistently exceeding annual revenue targets for your business unit, achieving significant market share growth, building a highly engaged and effective sales leadership team, and delivering accurate, defensible forecasts to executive leadership. Your success is measured by the sustainable, profitable growth of your entire sales segment.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Strategic GTM Shifts
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Propose and recommend to Director/VP of Sales.
• Type: Sales Compensation Plan Design
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: Provide input on effectiveness and fairness.
• Senior: Design and recommend to CSO/CFO for approval.
• Type: Major Vendor Selection (e.g., CRM)
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: Evaluate tools and provide recommendations.
• Senior: Approve selection up to £500K; recommend larger investments to CSO/CRO.
• Type: Hiring/Firing Sales Managers
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: Participate in interviews and provide feedback.
• Senior: Full authority for direct reports, with HR partner consultation.
• Type: Business Unit P&L Management
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Own and manage P&L up to £5M, with quarterly review by CFO.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

At this level, we expect your foundational skills to be exceptional. These aren't just 'nice-to-haves'; they're the bedrock upon which you'll build and lead. You'll need to demonstrate mastery in influencing, strategic thinking, and leading through complexity.

• Category: Executive Communication & Influence
• Skills: Board-level presentation skills: Articulating complex strategies and performance to non-sales executives and board members, handling tough questions with grace.
• Cross-functional negotiation: Securing resources and alignment from peer VPs (Marketing, Product, Finance, CS) for sales initiatives.
• Inspirational leadership communication: Motivating and rallying a large, diverse sales organisation around ambitious goals and strategic shifts.
• Category: Strategic Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Skills: Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy formulation: Designing and implementing comprehensive GTM plans for new markets or products.
• Organisational design & optimisation: Structuring sales teams, territories, and processes to maximise efficiency and effectiveness at scale.
• Risk assessment & mitigation: Identifying potential threats to revenue targets (market shifts, competitive actions, internal blockers) and developing proactive plans.
• Category: Leadership & Talent Development
• Skills: Executive coaching & mentorship: Developing Sales Managers and future leaders, providing critical feedback and career guidance.
• Performance management at scale: Implementing robust performance frameworks across a large organisation, addressing underperformance decisively.
• Culture building: Fostering a high-performance, accountable, and ethical sales culture across multiple teams and geographies.
• Category: Commercial Acumen & Financial Literacy
• Skills: P&L management: Understanding and managing the financial performance of your business unit, including revenue, costs, and profitability.
• Investment justification: Building compelling business cases for sales tech, headcount, or market expansion, demonstrating ROI.
• Deal structuring & negotiation (complex): Overseeing and advising on highly complex, multi-million-pound enterprise deals.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

Beyond the foundational, you'll need deep, practical expertise in sales methodologies, operational planning, and the tools that power a modern sales organisation. This isn't just theoretical knowledge; it's about applying it to drive results.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy & Execution
• Desc: Designing and implementing the complete plan to drive revenue for a business unit, including market segmentation, ideal customer profile (ICP) definition, channel strategy (direct, partner, OEM), and pricing models. This is about owning the 'how we win' for your segment.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Sales Methodology Implementation (e.g., MEDDPICC, Challenger, Solution Selling)
• Desc: Not just knowing the acronyms, but embedding a chosen methodology into the CRM, training, coaching, and deal review processes across multiple teams so it becomes the organisational standard and drives consistent behaviour.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Compensation Plan Design & Quota Setting
• Desc: The science and art of creating incentive plans that are motivating, fair, and aligned with company goals, and setting quotas that are challenging but attainable across a large, diverse sales force. You'll negotiate these with Finance.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Sales Capacity & Territory Planning
• Desc: A data-driven approach to determine how many reps and managers are needed, where they should be focused, and how to carve territories to maximise market penetration, minimise conflict, and ensure predictable scalability.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Executive Forecasting (Commit, Best Case, Pipeline)
• Desc: The high-stakes process of accurately predicting quarterly and annual revenue for your entire business unit, defending the forecast to the CFO and board, and understanding the risks and upside in the pipeline at a macro level.
• Level: Expert

Digital Tools

• Tool: Salesforce Sales Cloud
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Approving major platform investments/integrations (e.g., CPQ, Billing), defining the overall data architecture for sales, and holding the organisation accountable for CRM data integrity and adoption. You'll use dashboards for high-level insights.
• Tool: Gong.io / Chorus.ai
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Analysing market-level trends and 'voice of the customer' insights from thousands of calls to inform GTM strategy, product feedback, and executive presentations. You'll use it to identify macro coaching opportunities for your leadership team.
• Tool: Outreach / SalesLoft
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Evaluating platform effectiveness against CAC and pipeline generation, making strategic decisions on sales engagement tooling and budget for the entire organisation. You'll define the role of these tools in the GTM motion.
• Tool: Tableau / Power BI
• Level: Expert
• Usage: Designing and presenting executive-level dashboards for C-suite and board meetings, defining the key KPIs the entire business unit will track, and using advanced analytics to uncover strategic insights and risks.
• Tool: Anaplan / Workday Adaptive Planning
• Level: Expert
• Usage: Owning the global revenue forecast for your segment, modelling different GTM scenarios, and negotiating top-down targets with the board and CFO. You'll be the primary user for strategic planning and forecasting.
• Tool: Diligent / Nasdaq Boardvantage
• Level: Advanced
• Usage: Preparing and distributing sales performance materials for board meetings, using the platform to securely communicate with directors, and reviewing board packs for accuracy and strategic alignment.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Competitive Landscape & Market Dynamics
• Desc: Deep understanding of key competitors, their strategies, market share, and emerging threats. You'll need to interpret broad economic and industry trends and their impact on sales.
• Area: Customer Lifecycle Management
• Desc: Holistic view of the customer journey from acquisition to retention and expansion, understanding how Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success interact to maximise customer lifetime value.
• Area: Channel Partner Ecosystems
• Desc: Expertise in building and managing indirect sales channels (resellers, distributors, alliances) to extend market reach and drive incremental revenue.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Usage: Ensuring all sales processes, data handling, and outreach activities comply with GDPR for customer and prospect data. You'll be accountable for your teams' adherence and work with Legal.
• Reg: Anti-Bribery & Corruption Laws (e.g., UK Bribery Act)
• Usage: Establishing and enforcing clear policies and training for your sales teams to prevent any unethical or illegal sales practices, especially in international markets. You're responsible for the ethical conduct of your organisation.
• Reg: Industry-Specific Regulations (e.g., Financial Services, Healthcare)
• Usage: Understanding and ensuring compliance with any specific regulations that impact how sales are conducted in our target industries, working closely with Legal and Compliance teams.

Essential Prerequisites

• A proven track record of 10+ years in sales leadership roles, including at least 5 years managing managers, with consistent achievement of ambitious revenue targets (e.g., £50M+ annual quota responsibility).
• Demonstrable experience in designing, implementing, and optimising Go-to-Market strategies for a significant business unit or region.
• Expert-level proficiency in at least one major CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and a deep understanding of sales operations best practices.
• Experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and board members on sales performance and strategy.
• A strong history of building, developing, and retaining high-performing sales leadership teams.
• A deep understanding of financial metrics, P&L management, and commercial deal structuring.

Career Pathway Context

We're looking for someone who has genuinely 'been there, done that' when it comes to leading large sales organisations. This isn't a role for learning the ropes of sales management; it's about taking everything you've learned and applying it at a strategic, business-unit level. We expect you to hit the ground running, but also to bring fresh perspectives.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: AI-Driven Strategic Insights & Decision Making
• Why: AI is moving beyond just automating tasks for reps; it's now providing predictive analytics and deep insights that can fundamentally reshape GTM strategy, territory planning, and even product development. Leaders who can interpret and act on these insights will gain a significant competitive advantage.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Predictive analytics for market shifts and custome', 'description': 'Predictive analytics for market shifts and customer churn.'}, {'concept_name': 'AI-driven territory optimisation and capacity plan', 'description': 'AI-driven territory optimisation and capacity planning.'}, {'concept_name': 'Interpreting generative AI outputs for strategic p', 'description': 'Interpreting generative AI outputs for strategic planning.'}, {'concept_name': 'Ethical considerations and bias in AI sales data.', 'description': 'Ethical considerations and bias in AI sales data.'}, {'concept_name': 'Leveraging AI for competitive intelligence and mar', 'description': 'Leveraging AI for competitive intelligence and market forecasting.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Take an executive course on AI for business strategy, focusing on sales applications.
• Next 6 months: Work with Sales Ops to implement a new AI-powered forecasting model and personally validate its accuracy.
• Next 12 months: Lead a pilot project using AI for territory optimisation, measuring its impact on revenue and efficiency.
• Ongoing: Regularly engage with AI vendors and industry experts to stay abreast of the latest advancements and their practical applications.
• QuickWin: Start using AI tools (like advanced Gong features) to identify macro trends in sales conversations across your organisation. Look for common objections, successful talk tracks, and emerging customer needs to inform your strategy today.
• Skill: Orchestrating Digital-First Sales Motions
• Why: The shift to hybrid and fully digital sales models is permanent. Leaders need to master how to build, scale, and measure sales motions that are less reliant on traditional field sales, integrating digital engagement, self-serve options, and partner ecosystems more effectively.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Digital buyer journeys and touchpoints.', 'description': 'Digital buyer journeys and touchpoints.'}, {'concept_name': 'Optimising sales for remote engagement and virtual', 'description': 'Optimising sales for remote engagement and virtual selling.'}, {'concept_name': 'Integrating self-serve and product-led growth (PLG', 'description': 'Integrating self-serve and product-led growth (PLG) into traditional sales.'}, {'concept_name': 'Building and managing a robust partner sales ecosy', 'description': 'Building and managing a robust partner sales ecosystem.'}, {'concept_name': 'Measuring ROI of digital sales channels vs. tradit', 'description': 'Measuring ROI of digital sales channels vs. traditional.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Review our current digital sales capabilities and identify key gaps or opportunities.
• Next 6 months: Lead the development of a new digital-first sales playbook for a specific product or market segment.
• Next 12 months: Establish key metrics and dashboards to track the performance of digital sales channels and present findings to the C-suite.
• Ongoing: Network with other sales leaders who have successfully transitioned to digital-first models and learn from their experiences.
• QuickWin: Identify one specific part of our sales cycle that could be significantly improved or automated with a digital tool or process. Pilot it with a small team and measure the impact.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Advanced Sales Operations & Revenue Operations (RevOps) Leadership
• Why: Sales operations is evolving into Revenue Operations, a more holistic function that aligns Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success. As a VP, you'll need to lead this convergence, ensuring seamless data flow, process optimisation, and tech stack integration across the entire customer lifecycle.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'RevOps organisational structure and mandate.', 'description': 'RevOps organisational structure and mandate.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data governance and single source of truth for cus', 'description': 'Data governance and single source of truth for customer data.'}, {'concept_name': 'End-to-end process mapping (lead to cash).', 'description': 'End-to-end process mapping (lead to cash).'}, {'concept_name': 'Tech stack rationalisation and integration.', 'description': 'Tech stack rationalisation and integration.'}, {'concept_name': 'Attribution modelling across the revenue funnel.', 'description': 'Attribution modelling across the revenue funnel.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Work closely with our Head of Sales Ops to understand their roadmap and challenges.
• Next 6 months: Champion a cross-functional initiative to align Sales, Marketing, and CS metrics and reporting.
• Next 12 months: Evaluate our current RevOps maturity and propose strategic investments or organisational changes.
• Ongoing: Read up on RevOps best practices and attend industry conferences focused on revenue operations.
• QuickWin: Identify one critical data inconsistency between Sales and Marketing systems and lead the effort to resolve it, demonstrating the value of RevOps alignment.
• Skill: Data Governance & Ethical Data Use in Sales
• Why: With increasing data privacy regulations (like GDPR) and the rise of AI, ensuring data quality, security, and ethical use is paramount. Sales leaders must understand the implications for prospecting, customer engagement, and internal analytics to avoid legal pitfalls and maintain customer trust.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA).', 'description': 'Data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA).'}, {'concept_name': 'Data quality frameworks and master data management', 'description': 'Data quality frameworks and master data management.'}, {'concept_name': 'Ethical AI use in sales (e.g., avoiding bias in le', 'description': 'Ethical AI use in sales (e.g., avoiding bias in lead scoring).'}, {'concept_name': 'Data security best practices for sales tools.', 'description': 'Data security best practices for sales tools.'}, {'concept_name': 'Consent management for marketing and sales outreac', 'description': 'Consent management for marketing and sales outreach.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Review our current data privacy policies with Legal and identify potential risks in sales processes.
• Next 6 months: Implement a data quality initiative within Salesforce to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Next 12 months: Develop and deliver training to your sales leadership on ethical data use and privacy best practices.
• Ongoing: Stay informed on evolving data privacy laws and their impact on sales strategies.
• QuickWin: Conduct an audit of our current prospecting data sources to ensure they meet our ethical and legal standards, making immediate adjustments where necessary.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, or a related field.
• Alts: Exceptional practical experience (20+ years) in senior sales leadership roles, demonstrating equivalent strategic and analytical capabilities, will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: Master's degree (MBA) or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Alts: A strong track record of leading significant business transformations or P&L responsibilities in a relevant industry.

Experience Requirements

You'll need at least 16-20 years of progressive experience in Sales, with a minimum of 8-10 years in senior leadership roles (e.g., Director of Sales, Regional VP), where you've owned a significant P&L (typically £50M+ annual revenue responsibility). We're looking for someone with a proven history of driving substantial year-over-year revenue growth, building and scaling high-performing sales organisations across multiple geographies, and successfully implementing complex Go-to-Market strategies. Experience in M&A integration or leading significant sales force transformations would be a big plus. Frankly, you should have a few battle scars and plenty of lessons learned.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: Certified Sales Leadership Professional
• Prod: Various reputable sales training organisations (e.g., Sales Management Association, Huthwaite)
• Usage: Demonstrates a commitment to formalising and advancing sales leadership best practices, especially in areas like coaching, performance management, and strategic planning.
• Cert: Strategic Account Management Certification
• Prod: Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA)
• Usage: Highly relevant for leaders overseeing enterprise sales teams, focusing on long-term relationship building and expansion with key strategic customers, which often drives a significant portion of revenue.
• Cert: Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Prod: Project Management Institute (PMI)
• Usage: Useful for leading large-scale sales transformation projects, M&A integrations, or complex GTM launches, ensuring disciplined execution and stakeholder alignment.

Recommended Activities

• Participate in executive leadership programmes or peer groups focused on sales strategy and organisational growth.
• Regularly attend and present at industry conferences to stay abreast of market trends and build your professional network.
• Mentor emerging sales leaders, both within and outside our organisation, to hone your coaching and development skills.
• Engage in continuous learning around AI, data analytics, and digital sales models to keep your strategic toolkit sharp.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Director of Sales (Large Enterprise / Global)
• Time: 3-5 years
• Path: VP of Sales (Specific Industry Vertical)
• Time: 3-5 years
• Path: Head of Revenue Operations (RevOps)
• Time: 4-6 years

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: Chief Sales Officer (CSO) / Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
• Time: 3-5 years

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Time: 8-12 years
• Title: Board Member / Non-Executive Director
• Time: 5-10 years (often alongside other roles)
• Title: Venture Partner / Advisor (Private Equity/VC)
• Time: 5-10 years

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.