Sales Director

What is the role of an interim sales director?

The role of an interim sales director is to temporarily oversee a company's sales strategy in order to secure revenue, restructure the sales force, support strategic transformation, or launch exploratory initiatives to enter a new market. They intervene in critical or changing contexts, with clear objectives and a tight schedule.
Examples of mission objectives
• Stabilize and boost sales during periods of crisis or under performance
• Structure or reorganize the sales function
• Support strategic change (new market, repositioning, merger)
• Ensure managerial continuity in the event of a vacancy and prepare for the transition to a permanent sales director

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Key responsibilities (depending on context and needs):

1.  Rapid commercial diagnosis

·  Analysis of pipeline, customer losses, churn rate

·  Study of margins, pricing, customer segmentation, penetration by region/country

· Assessment of sales team skills

2. Definition and implementation of an action plan

·  Development of a short-term plan with quick wins

·  Redefinition of sales strategy (customer acquisition, retention, key accounts)

·  Clarification of offers, pitches, pricing policy

3. Operational management

· Coaching and re-motivating sales teams

· Implementing management rituals: pipeline reviews, forecasting, reporting

· Coaching salespeople and middle managers

4. Structuring tools and processes

· Optimizing or deploying a CRM system

· Formalizing sales processes

· Implementing KPIs and dashboards

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Required skills:

• Sales leadership and ability to bring people together

• Expertise in sales strategy and performance management

• Proficiency in CRM tools and negotiation techniques

• Strong results orientation and adaptability

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