Sales manager job description template: team, quota, the comp plan and the executive or outside sales test
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"Sales manager: lead a team, drive revenue, exceed targets" could be a first-time manager running six SDRs, a regional manager with eight field reps and a car allowance, or a player-coach who still carries most of the number. Each one needs a different person. Candidates who are good at this job read a posting for the team size, the sales motion, how the number is set, what happened to it last year and how they get paid. A useful sales manager job description states those plainly, says what the manager owns (hiring, coaching, forecasting, territory design) and is honest about the comp plan. Below are the seat types, a copy-ready template, the classification and pay lines with sources, screening and scorecard rows built from the must-haves, and the mistakes that produce a quick exit. If you are hiring the reps too, start from the sales representative job description template.
Name the seat: team, motion and how much they sell
| Seat | What the month looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Inside sales manager (SDR or AE team) | Daily activity and pipeline reviews, call coaching, hiring, ramping new reps | Has ramped new reps to a measurable target; coaches from call recordings and pipeline data |
| Field or regional sales manager | Travel with reps, key account visits, territory planning, regional forecast | Has managed a team spread across a territory; willing to travel the stated amount |
| Player-coach | Carries a personal number while leading two to four reps | Still sells well; has led others informally; honest about how time splits |
| Enterprise sales manager | Long cycles, deal strategy, executive meetings, forecast accuracy on a few large deals | Has coached reps through multi-stakeholder deals and called a forecast that held |
| Channel or partner sales manager | Partner recruitment, enablement, joint pipeline, partner managers or reps reporting in | Has grown revenue through partners rather than direct reps |
Then settle the facts: number of direct reports and their roles, open seats the manager will fill, the team number and how it compares with last year, average deal size and cycle (as ranges), the CRM and forecast cadence, and who the manager reports to. BLS describes the work as setting targets, analyzing sales data, building training, assigning territories and preparing budgets, and notes that employers generally expect several years of prior sales experience (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026). Your posting should say which of those this manager owns.
The sales manager job description template
[Inside / Field / Regional / Enterprise / Channel] Sales Manager,
[Segment or Region]
[Company], [city] — [On-site / Hybrid: days / Remote within:
states], travel about [N]% [where]
Pay: base $[min]–$[max] per year; on-target variable $[N] [paid
(monthly / quarterly), tied to (team quota / personal quota /
both)]. [Car allowance, other.]
[Benefits summary, if required.] [Exempt, after review.]
SUMMARY
You will lead [N] [SDRs / account executives / field reps], with
[N] open seats to hire this year, selling [product] to [customer
type] in [segment / region]. Deals average about $[range] and take
about [range] to close. The team number for [year] is $[N]
[up N% / flat] versus last year. You will report to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Hire, onboard and ramp reps to [target] within [N] months.
- Coach weekly from [call recordings / ride-alongs / deal reviews].
- Run the forecast in [CRM] each [week] and call it to [leader].
- Design territories or account assignments with [sales ops].
- [Player-coach: carry a personal quota of $N.]
- Manage performance plans with HR when a rep is off track.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [N] years selling [similar product / to similar buyers], with
results you can describe.
- Led a team of [N]+ reps [or: top performer ready to lead, with
formal or informal coaching experience].
- Built and called a forecast someone relied on.
- [Field: willing to travel about N% and hold a valid driver's
license.]
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [CRM], [sales engagement tool], [methodology].
- Hired reps who are still on the team a year later.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- Variable pay follows the written plan you will receive before
you accept.
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; conversation with (leader); a pipeline review
exercise of at most (N) minutes using data we provide; meeting two
reps from the team.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment to apply or interview? Contact [address].Classification and pay
Not legal advice. The tests below were checked against Department of Labor fact sheets as of October 2026. State overtime and commission rules can be stricter; confirm classification and the written plan with counsel.
Executive exemption. A manager is exempt under this test only if paid a salary of at least the standard level (the Department of Labor lists $684 a week), the primary duty is managing the enterprise or a recognized department, they customarily and regularly direct the work of two or more full-time employees, and they can hire or fire or their recommendations on those decisions get particular weight (DOL Fact Sheet 17B). Most front-line sales managers with a real team meet it; a player-coach with two part-time reps and a personal quota that fills the week may not.
Outside sales exemption. It requires a primary duty of making sales and being customarily and regularly away from the employer's place of business; the salary requirements do not apply, and sales made by mail, telephone or the internet generally do not count (DOL Fact Sheet 17F). It can fit a field player-coach, not an inside sales manager.
The comp plan. Publish the base range and the on-target variable, and describe the mechanics in a sentence: what is measured, when it pays and whether there is a cap or accelerator. Check pay transparency laws by state and whether your state requires commission terms in writing. BLS publishes pay data for sales managers in the Handbook profile above; this page does not quote figures. Close with a short EEO statement and an accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
Each question asks for a specific team, number or rep. Strong candidates describe what they changed and what happened; weaker ones describe their own deals.
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team results | "What was your team's number last year, where did it land, and what explained the gap?" | Results ownership | Knows the numbers by rep; separates market, hiring and coaching causes |
| Hiring and ramp | "Tell me about the last rep you hired. How long until they hit target, and what did you do in their first 90 days?" | Hiring and onboarding | A ramp plan with checkpoints, and an honest account of a hire who did not work out |
| Coaching | "Pick one rep you improved. What did you see, what did you change, and how did you measure it?" | Coaching | Specific behavior, a coaching routine, a measurable change |
| Forecasting | "How close was your forecast last quarter, and what do you look at before calling a deal committed?" | Forecast accuracy | A stated accuracy, deal criteria beyond the rep's word, and a recovered miss |
| Performance management | "Describe a rep you had to put on a plan. What happened?" | Accountability | Clear expectations, documented support, a timely decision either way |
The later rounds are in the interview guide for sales roles, the scoring rubric in the interview scorecard for sales roles, and the first months in the 30-60-90 day plan for sales managers.
Common mistakes in sales manager job descriptions
"Uncapped earning potential" instead of a plan
Experienced managers want base, on-target variable and the mechanics. Hype without numbers signals a plan you would rather not explain.
No team size or open seats
Managing four tenured reps and building a team of twelve from three are different jobs. Say which.
Hiding the player-coach split
If the manager carries a personal number, say how big and how the time splits. It also affects classification.
Hiring the best rep by default
Top sellers can be strong managers, but ask for evidence of coaching, not just their own quota attainment.
No word about last year
A candidate will ask whether the team hit its number. Saying "flat year, new segment" in the posting builds trust and filters for people who want that challenge.
Before you publish
- Team size, roles, open seats and the sales motion are in the summary.
- The team number, deal size and cycle appear as ranges or labelled examples.
- Base, on-target variable and plan mechanics are stated.
- Classification has been reviewed against the executive or outside sales tests.
- The EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
What should a sales manager job description say about quota?
Say whether the manager carries a team quota, a personal quota or both, how big the team number is relative to last year, and how the manager's variable pay is tied to it. Write numbers as ranges or examples if you cannot publish the exact figure, and label them that way.
Is a sales manager exempt from overtime?
Usually under the executive exemption if the primary duty is managing the team, the manager regularly directs the work of two or more full-time employees, has hiring and firing authority or recommendations given particular weight, and is paid a salary of at least the standard level, $684 a week as listed by the Department of Labor. A player-coach who mostly sells needs a separate review.
Does the outside sales exemption cover a sales manager?
Only if the person's primary duty is making sales and they are customarily and regularly away from the employer's place of business. The outside sales exemption has no salary requirement, but sales made by phone, mail or the internet generally do not count as outside sales, so an inside sales manager does not fit it.
Should we require prior management experience?
Not always. Many first-time managers come from the top of the rep team. If you will consider them, say so and describe the support they get. If the team is large or struggling, prior experience managing a team through a down quarter is a fair must-have.