| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Sales and Business Development |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Sales |
| Direct reports | Inside Sales Executive |
| Experience | 6 to 10 years in inside sales with team handling |
Inside Sales Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Inside Sales Manager
Department: Sales and Business Development
Reports to: Head of Sales
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Inside Sales Manager leads a team that sells remotely over phone, email and online, owning the team target, process and tools. They set targets, coach the team on remote selling, design the sales process and cadences, and manage lead flow and conversion. A strong inside sales manager lifts team conversion, builds a disciplined remote selling engine and develops the reps. The role reports to a head of sales and leads inside sales executives selling from the office.
Key responsibilities
- Own the inside sales team target and set individual targets for each member.
- Lead the team selling over phone, email and online to hit conversions.
- Coach the team on pitching, qualification, objection handling and remote closing.
- Design and improve the inside sales process, scripts and follow up cadences.
- Manage lead flow, distribution and response times across the team.
- Monitor call and pipeline metrics and act to lift conversion.
- Own the team pipeline and forecast and drive actions to close any gap.
- Ensure the CRM and calling tools are used well by the whole team.
- Handle escalations and support the team on their tougher remote deals.
- Report inside sales activity, pipeline and conversions to the reporting manager.
Requirements
- Graduate in business, commerce or any discipline
- MBA in sales or marketing is an advantage
- Experience leading an inside sales or telecalling team
- 6 to 10 years in inside sales with team handling
KRAs and KPIs for a Inside Sales Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Sales target | Inside sales team meets the assigned monthly target |
| Team quota | Share of the team hitting individual targets grown to the agreed level |
| Conversion | Team lead to sale conversion kept above the agreed level |
| Lead response | Team responds to new leads within the agreed response time |
| Pipeline health | Qualified pipeline held at the agreed multiple of target |
| Team productivity | Team call and activity standards met each week |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: CRM platform, Dialer and calling tools, Sales dashboards, MS Excel, Video conferencing.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Inside Sales, Regional Sales Manager, Head of Sales
Interview questions for a Inside Sales Manager
- How do you set targets and lead an inside sales team?
- How do you improve conversion across a remote selling team?
- How do you coach an inside sales rep who is missing target?
- How do you design a follow up cadence for leads?
- How do you use metrics to manage an inside sales team?
- Tell me about an inside sales team you led and its results.
Managing a Inside Sales Manager in ZeniaHR
Hire and manage your sales and business development team in one place
Post the role, onboard the new hire, and track attendance, leave and KRAs in ZeniaHR. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does an inside sales manager do?
An inside sales manager leads a team that sells remotely over phone, email and online. They own the team target, set individual goals, coach the team on remote selling, and design the sales process and follow up cadences. They manage lead flow, monitor metrics, own the pipeline and forecast, and lift the team's conversion.
What is the difference between inside sales and field sales management?
An inside sales manager leads a team that sells remotely from the office, focused on call volume, lead response and conversion. A field sales manager leads a team that sells in person, focused on territory coverage and visits. Inside sales management leans on metrics, scripts and tools, while field management leans on coverage and on ground coaching.
What skills does an inside sales manager need?
They need remote selling and coaching skills, the ability to design a repeatable process, scripts and cadences, and comfort managing by metrics from the CRM and dialer. Pipeline discipline, lead management and the ability to motivate a desk based team matter. Clear communication and quick problem solving keep conversion and morale high.