VP of Sales job description.
A VP of Sales leads the sales organization's strategy, targets, and execution to drive revenue growth. They build and manage the sales leadership team, own forecasting and pipeline discipline, and align sales activity with company-wide revenue and go-to-market goals.
The VP of Sales job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: VP of Sales Reports to: Chief Executive Officer or Chief Revenue Officer
A VP of Sales leads the sales organization's strategy, targets, and execution to drive revenue growth. They build and manage the sales leadership team, own forecasting and pipeline discipline, and align sales activity with company-wide revenue and go-to-market goals.
- Set sales strategy, quotas, and territory structure aligned to company revenue goals
- Recruit, coach, and manage sales directors and regional sales managers
- Own pipeline forecasting accuracy and revenue reporting to executive leadership
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Chief Executive Officer or Chief Revenue Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Set sales strategy, quotas, and territory structure aligned to company revenue goals
- Recruit, coach, and manage sales directors and regional sales managers
- Own pipeline forecasting accuracy and revenue reporting to executive leadership
- Build and refine sales processes, playbooks, and enablement programs
- Partner with marketing on lead generation and go-to-market alignment
- Negotiate and approve major enterprise deals and strategic accounts
- Analyze sales performance data to identify growth opportunities and gaps
- Represent sales in executive and board-level strategy discussions
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- 8+ years of progressive sales leadership experience
- Proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue targets
- Experience building and scaling a sales team and organization
- Strong command of CRM, forecasting, and sales analytics tools
- Experience in the company's specific industry or vertical
- History of scaling sales through high-growth stages
- MBA or equivalent business qualification
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the VP of Sales job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this VP of Sales job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Chief Executive Officer or Chief Revenue Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What's the difference between a VP of Sales and a Sales Director?
- A VP of Sales typically owns the entire sales function and reports to the CEO or CRO, while a Sales Director manages a segment, region, or team and reports to the VP.
- What metrics should a VP of Sales be evaluated on?
- Common metrics include revenue attainment, pipeline coverage ratio, win rate, sales cycle length, and team retention.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Sales Director
A Sales Director leads a company's sales organization, setting territory and account strategy, owning revenue targets, and building the team that delivers them.
Head of Sales
A head of sales leads the sales organization's strategy, execution, and performance, setting revenue targets and building the team needed to hit them.
Chief Revenue Officer
A Chief Revenue Officer aligns sales, marketing, and customer success functions under a unified revenue strategy to drive sustainable growth.
This VP of Sales job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.