A sales job description becomes difficult to assess when it asks one person to generate leads, close deals, manage customers and build partnerships without explaining which work comes first. Adding Account Executive or Business Development Manager to the heading does not resolve that uncertainty.
For a Singapore employer preparing a sales vacancy, a useful starting point is to describe the commercial responsibility before choosing the title. Candidates should be able to understand the customers they would serve, the outcomes expected and the support available.
Begin with the business need
Write one sentence explaining why the position exists. Perhaps an established team needs another salesperson to handle qualified opportunities. Perhaps the business wants someone to develop a new customer segment. Perhaps existing customers need more attention as the company grows.
Each situation implies different priorities. If the vacancy combines several needs, decide which one should take precedence when time is limited. A job description that treats every activity as equally important leaves that decision to the new employee.
Discuss the scope with the people who will work alongside the hire. Sales, marketing and delivery teams should have a consistent view of the role before candidates are interviewed.
State who owns each stage of the sale
Explain how prospects enter the process and who qualifies them. Clarify who conducts discovery, prepares proposals, handles commercial discussions and confirms delivery commitments.
Then describe what happens after an agreement. Will the salesperson retain the account, support a handover or take responsibility for renewal and expansion?
If the employee will run the full process, say so. If work is shared, describe the handovers. Candidates can then connect their previous experience to the actual responsibilities instead of making assumptions about the title.
Make targets understandable
Terms such as growth, pipeline and revenue need enough context to be meaningful. State the main outcome the role will be assessed on and explain any important supporting measures.
For a position opening a new market, consider what can reasonably be assessed before contracts are signed. For a role handling active opportunities, explain how ownership of a deal is established. If account retention matters, make that visible alongside new-business expectations.
Targets should also be discussed with the resources and learning period in view. Candidates need to know whether they are joining an established process or helping the business develop one.
Describe the support that exists
An advertisement may promise collaboration without explaining what help is available. Name the practical support: product training, technical demonstrations, marketing activity, proposal assistance or access to a sales manager.
Be equally clear about work the new hire must handle independently. An accurate description helps candidates assess whether the role suits their current experience. It also gives interviewers a stronger basis for asking relevant questions.
Use a short role brief to check the advertisement
The following is an illustrative brief, not a live vacancy:
"This role develops new customers for a B2B software service in Singapore. The salesperson will identify prospects, qualify opportunities and manage commercial discussions through to agreement. A technical specialist supports demonstrations, and the delivery team takes responsibility for implementation after handover. The role is an individual contributor position with a new-business revenue target."
A complete advertisement would still need details about experience, working arrangements and the employment offer. However, this brief establishes who the employee serves, what they own and where other teams become involved.
If a hiring manager cannot write that paragraph clearly, the scope may need further discussion before the advertisement goes live.
Choose the title after agreeing the scope
Account Executive can be appropriate for a role centred on progressing customer opportunities. Business Development Manager can suit a position developing new business or commercial relationships. Employers use both titles in different ways, so the responsibilities should carry the explanation.
If Manager does not include direct reports, state that the position is an individual contributor role. If it does include people management, describe those responsibilities separately.
Before publishing, ask a colleague unfamiliar with the vacancy to explain what the person would do during an ordinary week. Their answer is a useful check on whether the job description communicates the role you intend to hire for.
About the Author – Base Camp
The Base Camp Editorial Team shares insights on Singapore recruitment, technology careers, workplace trends and evolving hiring practices.
