| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Sales and Business Development |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Sales |
| Direct reports | Pre-Sales Executive |
| Experience | 6 to 10 years in pre-sales or solution consulting |
Pre-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: Pre-Sales Manager
Department: Sales and Business Development
Reports to: Head of Sales
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Pre-Sales Manager leads the team that supports sales with solution expertise, demos, proposals and technical responses before a deal closes. They understand customer needs, design fitting solutions, run product demonstrations and lead responses to tenders and requests for proposal. A strong pre-sales manager raises win rates by presenting the right solution well and lifts the pre-sales team's quality. The role reports to a sales or solutions head, works closely with sales and product teams, and leads pre-sales consultants and executives.
Key responsibilities
- Lead the pre-sales team supporting sales opportunities with solutions and demos.
- Understand customer requirements and map them to the right product or solution.
- Prepare and deliver tailored product demonstrations and proof of concepts.
- Lead responses to requests for proposal, tenders and technical questionnaires.
- Build proposals, solution documents and pricing inputs with the sales team.
- Handle technical questions and objections from customer evaluators during the deal.
- Keep demo environments, decks and solution assets current and reusable.
- Coach pre-sales team members on solutioning and presentation skills.
- Give product teams feedback on gaps and features customers ask for.
- Track pre-sales support across deals and its influence on win rates.
Requirements
- Graduate in business, engineering or a relevant field
- MBA or a technical postgraduate qualification is an advantage
- Experience in pre-sales or solution consulting
- 6 to 10 years in pre-sales or solution consulting
KRAs and KPIs for a Pre-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 |
|---|---|
| Win rate influence | Win rate on supported deals kept above the agreed level |
| Proposal turnaround | Proposals and RFP responses delivered within the agreed time |
| Demo quality | Demos rated positively by sales and customers |
| Solution fit | Solutions proposed match customer needs with few reworks |
| Asset readiness | Demo environments and solution assets kept current and reusable |
| Team capability | Pre-sales team skills improved through coaching each quarter |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: CRM platform, Demo environments, Proposal and RFP tools, Presentation tools, MS Excel.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Pre-Sales, Solutions Director, Sales Manager
Interview questions for a Pre-Sales Manager
- How do you map a customer's requirements to a solution?
- How do you prepare and deliver a demo that moves a deal forward?
- How do you lead a strong response to a large RFP?
- How do you handle a tough technical objection during an evaluation?
- How do you coach your team to present solutions well?
- Tell me about a deal your pre-sales work helped win.
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What does a pre-sales manager do?
A pre-sales manager leads the team that supports sales with solution expertise before a deal closes. They understand customer needs, design fitting solutions, deliver demos and lead responses to RFPs and tenders. They build proposals with sales, handle technical objections and coach the pre-sales team, raising win rates by presenting the right solution well.
What is the difference between pre-sales and sales?
Sales owns the relationship, the commercials and closing the deal. Pre-sales supports sales with the technical and solution side: understanding requirements, demos, proof of concepts and proposal responses. Pre-sales makes the case that the product fits, while sales drives the deal to close. The two work as a pair on complex opportunities.
What skills does a pre-sales manager need?
They need strong product and solution knowledge, the ability to map customer needs to a solution, and excellent demo and presentation skills. Writing winning RFP responses, handling technical objections and coordinating with product and sales matter. Leading and coaching a team, plus staying calm under deadline pressure, round out a strong pre-sales manager.