Head of Sales salary by region
| Region | Typical annual pay |
|---|---|
| United StatesNational range; SF/NYC skew higher. | $120,000 – $200,000 base + 30–50% variable (commission/bonus tied to revenue targets) |
| United KingdomNational range; London skews higher. | £100,000 – £160,000 base + 30–50% variable |
| European UnionVaries widely by country. | €110,000 – €180,000 base + 30–50% variable |
Ranges are directional benchmarks for budgeting, not offers. Actual pay depends on location, company stage, and the candidate’s track record.
What moves a Head of Sales’s salary
Seniority is the biggest lever (senior is the common band for this role), followed by the depth of these skills:
- 7+ years in B2B sales with 3+ closing deals individually at $20K+ ACV or managing a team through quota
- Proven ability to hire salespeople and scale a team from 0–5+ people; 2+ years in a management or senior IC role
- Strong Excel/Salesforce fluency: pipeline forecasting, cohort analysis, and reporting (not just CRM data entry)
- Track record building sales processes from scratch or inheriting broken ones and fixing them within 6 months
- Direct experience selling in your industry vertical or a comparable one (SaaS, professional services, or hardware sales)
- Comfortable with transparency: weekly pipeline reviews, call recordings, and honest deal assessment—no fluff
Why companies pay for a Head of Sales
SMBs hit a revenue plateau (~$2–5M ARR) and realize founder-led sales won't scale. You bring systems, hiring discipline, and accountability to turn inconsistent wins into predictable revenue.
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