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
Senior / Principal Account Executive (Internal)
5-8 years as an AE, with 2-3 years at the senior levelSkills to master
- Consistently exceeding individual quota, mentoring junior AEs, leading complex deals, strategic account planning, demonstrating informal leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting 120%+ of quota for 3+ consecutive years.
- Regularly sought out by peers for advice and coaching.
- Successfully led 2-3 large, multi-stakeholder deals from inception to close.
- Proactively identified and developed new business opportunities beyond assigned accounts.
- Demonstrated strong cross-functional collaboration with internal teams.
- 2
Sales Operations Lead / Manager (Internal or External)
8-12 years in Sales Operations, with a strong understanding of sales processesSkills to master
- Sales process optimisation, data analysis, CRM administration, sales enablement, understanding of sales compensation models, stakeholder management.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully designed and implemented new sales processes that improved efficiency or effectiveness.
- Expert in Salesforce reporting and analytics, providing actionable insights to sales leadership.
- Led projects involving sales technology implementation or optimisation.
- Built strong relationships with sales leadership and individual AEs.
- Demonstrated ability to translate data into strategic recommendations.
- 3
Product Marketing Manager (with Sales Background)
8-12 years in Product Marketing, ideally with prior sales experienceSkills to master
- Market analysis, competitive intelligence, messaging and positioning, content creation, sales enablement, product launch strategy.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully launched multiple products or features to market.
- Developed compelling messaging and positioning that resonated with target buyers.
- Created high-impact sales enablement materials (e.g., battlecards, sales decks).
- Deep understanding of customer pain points and market needs.
- Strong collaboration with sales teams to drive product adoption.