What Is a VP of Sales? An Overview of Responsibilities

Are you looking to hire a VP of Sales for your SaaS team? Not sure where to start or what a VP of Sales even means?

It can be daunting - after all, the person you hire will have significant responsibilities. Understanding the answer to those questions and finding the right candidate for the role is essential.

In this blog post, we'll explain what it takes to be a successful Vice President of Sales and offer strategies to find the perfect fit for your business.

With some knowledge and helpful tips from experts in recruitment, you can confidently move forward with hiring decisions!

What Is a Vice President of Sales?

A VP of Sales is a senior-level executive who oversees all sales and revenue generation activities in a business, including:

• Managing sales staff and guiding them in their day-to-day activities
• Developing and implementing sales strategies to achieve business goals
• Measuring and analyzing data to identify areas for improvement
• Working closely with marketing teams to develop highly effective sales materials and campaigns

Also, the VP of Sales needs to work well with other departments and have strong leadership skills.

For instance, they must effectively collaborate with the marketing team and lead their sales staff by example. Inspire them to do their best, and build relationships with key clients and industry partners.

Do You Need a VP of Sales?

A VP of Sales can be a great addition to your team if you're looking to grow your business and increase revenue. This doesn't always mean, though, that you need one.

Before hiring a VP of Sales, it's essential to consider whether your business needs this senior leadership level.

A few key factors to consider include:

• Your business's size and revenue potential. If you are a small startup, you may not need someone at this level of seniority yet.
• Your team and sales processes. If you already have a strong sales team with well-defined processes, you might be ready for a VP of Sales.
• The overall needs of your business. A VP of Sales can be valuable to your team if you need help with strategy, management, leadership skills, and other high-level business functions.
• The size of your sales team. If it is extensive, it may be worth investing in a VP of Sales to manage and oversee them.

The best way to determine whether you need a VP of Sales is to evaluate your business needs. Consider your team's skills and capabilities and research candidates.

What Makes a Great VP of Sales?

Several vital qualities and skills can make or break a VP of Sales.

Some of the most critical include:

• Strong sales skills and experience. A great VP of Sales will have extensive experience in revenue generation and sales, ideally with a proven track record of success.
• Strong leadership and management skills. To be successful in this role, you need to be able to lead, motivate, and inspire your sales team.
• Effective communication skills. A great VP of Sales can build strong, positive relationships with the rest of your team, clients, and other industry partners.
• Analytical thinking. A great VP of Sales can analyze sales data, identify patterns and trends, and develop effective growth strategies.

Besides, it's also essential to find a candidate who is a good fit for your business culture and values and the specific challenges you face.

Don't get caught up in the "perfect" candidate.

Instead, focus on finding someone who can bring value to your team and has the skills and experience needed to help you achieve your business goals.

How Can You Hire a Great VP of Sales?

Due to the role's nature, finding a great VP of Sales can take time and effort.

One of the best ways to do so is to start with a strong foundation of pre-hired candidates and work your way up.

Some common qualities often looked for in a VP of Sales, such as sales experience and leadership skills, can be evaluated during an interview or hiring process. Others, such as analytical thinking and communication skills, are not so easily assessed.

To find the best candidates, consider partnering with a recruiting firm or other hiring resources specializing in VP of Sales recruiting.

These firms will have extensive experience and knowledge when it comes to finding the 'best' candidates and can meet with the best job seeker.

The recruiting specialists are also well-equipped to review your job listing and support you in crafting a compelling message to help attract top talent.

Hiring ideas

• Engaging in a targeted job advertising campaign to reach the most relevant candidates. This might include posting job boards and social media listings and working with other industry partners to share your job posting.
• Establishing a referral program for your existing team to help find and refer potential candidates. This can be a great way to tap into the hidden job market and help build a network of people you can rely on to provide quality referrals.
• Utilizing recruiting software or other online tools to help identify and connect with potential candidates. This can include sourcing platforms, resume databases, and other online job boards.
• Attending industry conferences and events to network with potential candidates. This can be a great way to meet people face-to-face and make connections that could lead to valuable referrals or job postings.
• Offering a competitive compensation package and other benefits. This is important for attracting top talent and can help to set your business apart from others in the same industry.

VP of Sales FAQs

Now that you know what a VP of Sales does and how to find and hire a great one for your business, here are some common questions about the role.

1. What does a VP of Sales do on a day-to-day basis? 

A VP of Sales is responsible for leading and managing the sales team, including setting sales targets, developing sales strategies, and providing ongoing support and guidance to the sales team.

VPs of sales might also oversee marketing, client relations, and other aspects of the sales process. However, they may delegate these tasks to other team members or specialists.

2. How do you measure the success of a VP of Sales? 

This will depend on your business and the goals that you want to achieve. Standard metrics often used to evaluate a VP of Sales include revenue growth, marketing conversion rates, customer retention rates, and employee turnover.

To determine whether your VP of Sales is successful. You should constantly evaluate these metrics and look for ways to improve them. 

Some strategies you can use include providing regular feedback, establishing clear goals and KPIs, and conducting regular performance reviews.

3. What essential qualities should you look for in a VP of Sales?

Some key traits that indicate whether a candidate is a good fit for the role of VP of Sales include:

• Sales experience
• Leadership skills
• Strong communication and negotiation skills
• Analytical thinking
• Strong work ethic

You should also look for candidates who are motivated, driven to succeed, and able to work well independently as well as in a team environment. Additionally, it's essential to find candidates comfortable with change and driven to learn and improve continuously.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a high-performing VP of Sales who can help take your business to the next level, be selective and take the time to find the right person for the job.

The key to a successful VP of Sales role is finding someone who can lead and manage your sales team while meeting your business's needs and helping you achieve your goals.

So if you're ready to start the search, consider focusing on candidates with strong sales and leadership experience and the appropriate skills and qualities to help your business thrive.

Meet the author

Joran Hofman

Back in 2020 I was an affiliate for 80+ SaaS tools and I was generating an average of 30k in organic visits each month with my site. Due to the issues I experienced with the current affiliate management software tools, it never resulted in the passive income I was hoping for. Many clunky affiliate management tools lost me probably more than $20,000+ in affiliate revenue. So I decided to build my own software with a high focus on the affiliates, as in the end, they generate more money for SaaS companies.