Role brief: The Sales Operations Manager ensures the sales organisation operates efficiently by aligning processes, systems, and people. This role partners with sales leadership to translate strategy into measurable outcomes, improving forecasting accuracy and accelerating revenue. The successful candidate will balance analytical rigour with practical implementation, supporting field teams and central functions to achieve consistent growth.
This job description outlines the core responsibilities, skills, and qualifications required to recruit a high-calibre Sales Operations Manager who will elevate sales performance and operational excellence.
Sales Operations Manager Job Profile
The Sales Operations Manager leads the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of sales processes, tools, and reporting. They act as the liaison between sales, finance, marketing, and IT to ensure data integrity and operational alignment.
Working closely with senior stakeholders, the postholder develops forecasting models, quota frameworks, and sales enablement initiatives that enable predictable revenue and scalable growth.
Sales Operations Manager Job Description
The Sales Operations Manager will own the end-to-end sales operations function, focusing on process optimisation, CRM governance, and actionable analytics. Key duties include streamlining lead-to-revenue workflows, maintaining an accurate deal pipeline, and producing insightful dashboards for leadership. The role requires a mix of strategic planning and hands-on execution to remove barriers to sales productivity.
This manager will design and sustain standard operating procedures for sales activities, ensure consistent adoption of tools and best practices, and lead projects that enhance sales efficiency. They will also manage monthly and quarterly forecasting cycles, collaborate on compensation and quota setting, and support new product or market rollouts from an operational perspective.
Customer-facing insight is essential. The role contributes to territory design, account segmentation, and prioritisation, helping sales focus on high-value opportunities. Continuous improvement is embedded in the position, with an expectation to analyse performance trends, recommend corrective actions, and champion change across the sales organisation.
Sales Operations Manager Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop, implement, and refine sales processes to improve conversion and velocity.
- Manage CRM administration, data quality, and usage policies.
- Produce accurate sales forecasts and pipeline analysis for senior leadership.
- Design quota and territory models in collaboration with commercial leaders.
- Create and maintain dashboards and regular reporting on sales performance metrics.
- Lead sales enablement activities, including onboarding, training, and playbook development.
- Partner with finance on commission calculations and sales compensation programmes.
- Coordinate cross-functional projects with marketing, product, and IT teams.
- Identify bottlenecks and implement process improvements using data-driven approaches.
- Support CRM and sales technology roll-outs and vendor management.
- Ensure compliance with internal controls and regulatory requirements affecting sales.
- Coach sales managers on operational best practices and performance improvement.
Sales Operations Manager Requirements and Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Management, or a related field; a master's degree is desirable.
- Proven experience in sales operations, sales enablement, or revenue operations, typically 4 to 7 years.
- Strong proficiency in CRM platforms such as Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience with BI tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities with a data-driven mindset.
- Experience in forecasting, quota setting, and territory design.
- Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills across senior levels.
- Project management experience and a track record of delivering change on time.
- Ability to work under pressure, prioritise tasks, and meet tight deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining clean, reliable data.
- Familiarity with sales compensation plans and commercial finance collaboration.
- Professional, collaborative attitude and a desire to mentor and develop others.
