The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Director of Sales Operations / Revenue Operations
5-8 years at Director levelSkills to master
- Deep expertise in sales process optimisation, CRM architecture, data analytics, and cross-functional project leadership. You'd need to expand your scope beyond just operations to include GTM strategy and P&L accountability.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major RevOps transformation project that delivered measurable ROI.
- Built and scaled a high-performing RevOps team.
- Consistently provided strategic insights that influenced executive decisions.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships across Sales, Marketing, and Finance.
- 2
Head of Go-to-Market Strategy
4-7 years at Head of levelSkills to master
- Expertise in market analysis, competitive positioning, pricing strategy, and launch execution for new products or markets. You'd need to gain significant experience in team leadership and P&L ownership.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully launched multiple new products or entered new markets with measurable revenue impact.
- Developed and iterated on core GTM playbooks that were widely adopted.
- Demonstrated strong analytical skills in market sizing and opportunity assessment.
- Proven ability to influence Product and Marketing teams to align with GTM objectives.
- 3
VP of Sales (with strong operational/strategic bent)
3-6 years at VP levelSkills to master
- While you'd have sales leadership down, you'd need to deepen your expertise in revenue operations, marketing alignment, and the broader revenue technology stack. It's about shifting from managing sales to owning the entire growth engine.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently exceeded sales targets for a large, complex sales organisation.
- Implemented significant sales process improvements that drove efficiency.
- Developed and promoted sales leaders within your team.
- Demonstrated a strong understanding of the financial levers of the business beyond just top-line revenue.