Your sales team is working harder than ever to differentiate your product or service and close new business. In fact, HubSpot research shows 72{da2ef7ff2781dfb5887db3e3a6cf03c7c894e23a27536de3f64bd799872794d1} of companies with less than 50 new opps were unable to meet their goals. That number shrank to just 4{da2ef7ff2781dfb5887db3e3a6cf03c7c894e23a27536de3f64bd799872794d1} with companies earning 101 or more opportunities each month.
Reps need to prospect, sell, and close — and that doesn’t always leave a lot of time for administrative or big-picture work. Enter, the sales operations manager.
Sales operations exists to help the team use technology effectively, implement training exercises, align sales and marketing, set territories, evaluate compensation plans, and more.
Sales operations duties and titles vary per company, but we’ve gathered a few of the most common titles — along with some real-life job descriptions — to help you decide which one will be the right add to your team.
Sales Operations Administrator Job Description
When you see a sales ops role with “administrator” in the title, you can expect the position to involve a lot of … well … administrative work. This person might oversee CRM performance and engagement across the team, onboard new salespeople, strategize on process improvements, and coordinate team and executive meetings.
This role is usually an entry- or mid-level position that requires little to moderate experience (think 3+ years). Experience working with a CRM, excellent organizational and communication skills, and customer or sales experience will all be preferred or required qualifications.
The average salary of a sales operations administrator is $48,314 per year, according to PayScale, and can expect between $1,000 and $7,000 in commission.
Image source: EPIQSYSTEMS
A common phrase you’ll see in sales ops positions, regardless of title, will be, “… is responsible for supporting all stages of the sales cycle.” A sales ops specialist will do just that. This role often has a focus on data and forecasting, so experience in these two areas will be crucial.
The average salary for a sales ops specialist is $52,368 per year and has the opportunity to achieve between $2,000 and $20,000 in annual commission.
Image source: Expanse Energy Solutions
Sales Operations Coordinator Job Description
The sales operations coordinator is the most junior of the sales ops positions we’re reviewing in this post. This role serves as an administrator and gatekeeper for your sales team. Their duties might include general office management, individual administrative support for reps, data entry, and answering phones.
No previous sales experience may be required, though previous customer service, support, or administrative experience is likely preferred. This is usually an entry-level position with fewer than one year of experience preferred.
The average salary for a sales operations coordinator is $48,397 per year, according to Glassdoor, but is also often hired at an hourly wage of around $19 per hour.
Image source: Shashi Group, LLC
Sales Operations Analyst Job Description
This is another role that’s heavily involved in forecasting and data analysis. The right candidate for your sales analyst will work with Sales and Finance on sales order entry, manage the team’s CRM, handle reporting, and calculate commissions.
You want someone who will be able to evolve or reinforce existing sales processes and implement new ones. This position usually requires at least five years of management or sales ops experience, as well as proven analytical skills, familiarity with a CRM, and order management experience.
Image source: RF Code
Director of Sales Operations Job Description
The most senior of these roles, the sales operations director often manages a sales ops team, coordinates organizational planning processes, partners with sales management to ensure process and technological efficiency, and leads on sales forecasting.
The role is heavily involved in go-to-market strategies, liaises with executives and organizational leadership, and ensures quotas are appropriate and well-allocated.
Experience is usually a minimum of 10 years with demonstrated leadership skills, sales operations strategy, and excellent understanding of reporting and forecasting best practices, territory management, and compensation management.
The average salary for a director of sales operations is $130,000 per year with annual bonuses, commission, RSUs, and stock options totaling up to another $80,000.
Image source: PayPal
So, which of these roles is right for your team? Sales ops can make the difference between an organized sales team meeting their quotas and a team that’s unfocused and unmotivated. Make sure you have the right support for your business.
Want more on sales ops? Check out this piece on sales operations managers or this one on sales and operations planning.
SOURCE: Sales – Read entire story here.