Regional Sales Directors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of regional sales directors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for regional sales directors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of regional sales directors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for regional sales directors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Regional Sales Directors?
Do regional sales directors need a degree? What kind of experience do regional sales directors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for regional sales directors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Regional Sales Directors
Jobs Postings for Regional Sales Directors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 278,961 (51%)
- No Education Listed: 143,190 (26%)
- Master's degree: 59,323 (11%)
- High School or GED: 57,172 (10%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 7,342 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of regional sales directors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 51% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Regional Sales Directors
Jobs Postings for Regional Sales Directors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 30,450 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 100,433 (32%)
- 4-6 Years: 109,954 (35%)
- 7-9 Years: 38,684 (12%)
- 10+ Years: 36,782 (12%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for regional sales directors. In 35% of job postings for Regional Sales Directors, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for regional sales directors.
What Kind of Degree Do Regional Sales Directors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for regional sales directors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 24 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective regional sales directors, and in 2021 a total of 1,108,580 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective regional sales directors.
Top Degree Programs for Regional Sales Directors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Regional Sales Directors (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,754 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,754 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 34,937 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Environmental Studies. | 9,893 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,231 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,769 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,435 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 2,821 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other. | 1,336 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 242 |
| Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management. | 188 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 97 |
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What Skills Do Regional Sales Directors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by regional sales directors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for regional sales directors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Regional Sales Directors
Based on 464,314 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Regional Sales Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 161,220 | 35% |
| Sales Management | 131,615 | 28% |
| Selling Techniques | 126,468 | 27% |
| Business Development | 116,060 | 25% |
| Sales Prospecting | 99,376 | 21% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Regional Sales Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 352,137 | 76% |
| Communications | 226,965 | 49% |
| Management | 205,597 | 44% |
| Leadership | 175,254 | 38% |
| Customer Service | 154,901 | 33% |
Based on 464,314 job postings related to regional sales directors, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 35% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sales management, selling techniques, business development, sales prospecting and customer relationship management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, sales was the most desired skill found in job postings for regional sales directors, followed by communications, management, leadership, customer service and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 161,220 | 35% |
| Sales Management | 131,615 | 28% |
| Selling Techniques | 126,468 | 27% |
| Business Development | 116,060 | 25% |
| Sales Prospecting | 99,376 | 21% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 81,374 | 18% |
| Project Management | 54,771 | 12% |
| Salesforce | 50,365 | 11% |
| Sales Strategy | 50,131 | 11% |
| Sales Process | 47,988 | 10% |
| Finance | 44,890 | 10% |
| Regional Sales | 42,814 | 9% |
| Account Management | 39,793 | 9% |
| Sales Territory Management | 38,101 | 8% |
| Business To Business | 35,183 | 8% |
| Market Share | 31,316 | 7% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 30,961 | 7% |
| Merchandising | 29,389 | 6% |
| New Product Development | 28,809 | 6% |
| Outside Sales | 27,120 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 352,137 | 76% |
| Communications | 226,965 | 49% |
| Management | 205,597 | 44% |
| Leadership | 175,254 | 38% |
| Customer Service | 154,901 | 33% |
| Presentations | 111,544 | 24% |
| Operations | 103,939 | 22% |
| Planning | 92,093 | 20% |
| Writing | 80,225 | 17% |
| Problem Solving | 77,851 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 72,830 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 72,276 | 16% |
| Self-Motivation | 71,292 | 15% |
| Negotiation | 68,804 | 15% |
| Coaching | 64,583 | 14% |
| Influencing Skills | 63,670 | 14% |
| Forecasting | 56,188 | 12% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 56,050 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 54,784 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 54,665 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about regional sales directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for regional sales directors.
What do regional sales directors do?
How much do regional sales directors make?
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