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 Strategic Account Manager (L3/L4)
3-5 years as a Senior or Principal SAMSkills to master
- Consistently exceeding individual NRR targets, mentoring junior team members, leading complex multi-threaded deals, and demonstrating strong cross-functional influence. You'd have been seen as a 'player-coach' on your previous team.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully mentored 2+ junior SAMs to hit their targets.
- Led a major strategic initiative or project that improved team performance.
- Consistently closed complex, multi-million pound expansion deals.
- Received strong positive feedback from peers and leadership on your collaborative and leadership potential.
- 2
Sales Operations Manager
5-8 years in Sales Operations, with leadership experienceSkills to master
- Deep understanding of sales processes, CRM optimisation, forecasting methodologies, and sales enablement. You'd need to bridge your operational expertise with a strong grasp of client relationship management and team leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major sales process improvement project.
- Built and managed complex sales dashboards and reporting structures.
- Demonstrated ability to influence sales leaders and drive adoption of new tools/processes.
- Expressed a clear desire to move into a direct sales leadership role, with a focus on people development.
- 3
Product Marketing Manager (Enterprise Focus)
5-8 years in Product Marketing, working closely with SalesSkills to master
- Expertise in crafting value propositions, competitive positioning, and sales enablement content for enterprise clients. You'd need to prove your ability to lead and motivate a sales team, leveraging your market knowledge.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully launched a new product or feature targeting enterprise customers.
- Developed compelling sales collateral that significantly improved win rates.
- Worked hand-in-hand with sales teams, understanding their challenges and needs.
- Demonstrated strong presentation and communication skills, with a focus on influencing sales behaviour.