All About Sales Supervisors

Example of a Sales Supervisor Job Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Life As a Sales Supervisor

• Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or performing specific services.
• Confer with company officials to develop methods and procedures to increase sales, expand markets, and promote business.
• Coordinate sales promotion activities, such as preparing merchandise displays and advertising copy.
• Formulate pricing policies on merchandise according to profitability requirements.
• Monitor sales staff performance to ensure that goals are met.
• Prepare sales and inventory reports for management and budget departments.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Sales Supervisor?

When polled, Sales Supervisors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Related Job Titles

• Manager
• Textile Conversion Manager
• Territory Supervisor
• Parts Department Manager
• Sales Director

Is There Job Demand for Sales Supervisors?

In the United States, there were 405,200 jobs for First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 20,000 new jobs for Sales Supervisors by 2026. There will be an estimated 39,000 positions for Sales Supervisor per year.

The states with the most job growth for First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers are Texas, Florida, and California.

Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for Sales Supervisors

The salary for First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers ranges between about $40,310 and $143,690 a year. The median salary for this occupation is $73,390.

How much do First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New York	$107,430
Virginia	$99,880
North Carolina	$99,310
Rhode Island	$97,550
Pennsylvania	$95,410
New Hampshire	$94,220
Wisconsin	$94,100
South Dakota	$93,430
New Jersey	$92,700
Massachusetts	$92,530
Colorado	$92,490
Indiana	$91,800
Washington	$87,590
Maryland	$86,890
District of Columbia	$86,540
Tennessee	$84,890
Delaware	$83,940
Texas	$81,870
Minnesota	$81,580
Connecticut	$81,400
Michigan	$81,230
Ohio	$80,390
Utah	$80,330
Florida	$80,290
Montana	$79,850
Missouri	$79,510
Vermont	$79,270
Alabama	$79,250
Iowa	$77,260
Oklahoma	$76,830
North Dakota	$76,300
Illinois	$76,080
Louisiana	$75,740
Kentucky	$75,120
Mississippi	$74,200
Arkansas	$74,120
Nebraska	$74,100
Hawaii	$73,650
Georgia	$73,570
California	$72,740
South Carolina	$70,360
Idaho	$69,610
Kansas	$68,140
Maine	$67,360
Wyoming	$67,030
Nevada	$66,710
Oregon	$66,670
Arizona	$64,470
Alaska	$63,800
New Mexico	$62,440
West Virginia	$58,470

What Tools & Technology do Sales Supervisors Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sales Supervisors:

• SAP
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• YouTube
• Salesforce software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Delphi Technology
• Microsoft Project
• NetSuite ERP
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Access

Becoming a Sales Supervisor

Individuals working as Sales Supervisors have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Sales Supervisors?

Related Careers

Are you already one of the many Sales Supervisors in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare Center/Program
• Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
• Gaming Managers

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons