About VP of Sales Roles
This position has been filled. Here's what you should know about similar VP of Sales roles in the market.
A VP of Sales leads the sales organization, setting quotas, building teams, and driving revenue execution. They own the sales number and are responsible for hiring, coaching, and holding reps accountable to pipeline and close targets.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes running team pipeline reviews, coaching reps on active deals, joining late-stage enterprise calls, reviewing hiring pipelines for open AE and manager roles, meeting with marketing on lead quality, presenting forecast to the CRO or CEO, and refining the sales playbook.
Compensation Benchmarks
Companies with $5M-$100M in revenue that have outgrown founder-led sales and need a dedicated leader to build and scale a sales team. Common in B2B SaaS, fintech, healthtech, and enterprise software.
Key Skills for VP of Sales Roles
Market Demand
VP of Sales remains one of the highest-demand revenue leadership roles. Companies hiring their first VP Sales is a major inflection point, usually happening between $3M-$10M ARR when the founder can no longer run sales directly.
Career Path to VP of Sales
The VP Sales path usually starts as an AE, then moves to senior AE, sales manager, director of sales, and VP. Top performers often reach VP in 8-12 years. Some VPs come from sales engineering or solutions consulting backgrounds in technical markets.
How to Evaluate a VP of Sales
When hiring for a vp of sales role, look for candidates who have done the specific work your company needs at a similar stage. A vp of sales who scaled a team from 5 to 50 reps is a different profile than one who managed an existing team of 200.
Ask for concrete metrics: quota attainment history, ramp times for new hires, win rates, pipeline coverage ratios, and net revenue retention where applicable. The best candidates talk in numbers, not narratives.
Check references from peers and direct reports, not just managers. How a vp of sales is perceived by the people they work alongside and the people they manage tells you more than how they present in interviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a VP of Sales do?
A VP of Sales leads the sales organization, setting quotas, building teams, and driving revenue execution. They own the sales number and are responsible for hiring, coaching, and holding reps accountable to pipeline and close targets.
How much does a VP of Sales make?
Typical VP of Sales base salary ranges from $200,000 - $300,000. With on-target earnings (OTE), total compensation is typically $350,000 - $550,000. Actual pay varies based on company stage, industry, location, and individual experience.
What skills are required for a VP of Sales role?
Key skills for a VP of Sales include: Sales team building and management, Quota setting and territory planning, Pipeline management and forecasting, Sales coaching and rep development, Enterprise deal negotiation, Sales process design (MEDDPICC, SPICED). The right mix depends on the company's sales motion, stage, and market.
What kind of company hires a VP of Sales?
Companies with $5M-$100M in revenue that have outgrown founder-led sales and need a dedicated leader to build and scale a sales team. Common in B2B SaaS, fintech, healthtech, and enterprise software.
How do you become a VP of Sales?
The VP Sales path usually starts as an AE, then moves to senior AE, sales manager, director of sales, and VP. Top performers often reach VP in 8-12 years. Some VPs come from sales engineering or solutions consulting backgrounds in technical markets.
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