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.
Salary factors for Head of Sales
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 invest in 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.
When you are ready to hire
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