sales director recruitment agency and headhunters
your next sales director, in good hands.
We combine our data, our sector experts and our AI algorithms to identify the headhunter most relevant to your role, from the sales director of an SME to the CSO running several subsidiaries.
- no setup fees, pay on hire
- guaranteed replacement
- hire signed in under 26 days
they hire their sales director with muzzo
how do you hire a sales director through a recruitment agency?
A sales director manages a budget and sits on the executive committee. Muzzo gives your role to the headhunters who hire the most: they check the budget held and the executive committee the profile sat on. You set the fee, from 5 to 30%, paid on hire. If your hire leaves within 3 months, we restart the search free.
the figures
sales director pay in figures
source: Apec, private-sector managerial pay in 111 job families, 2025 edition, p. 20 (sales leadership) (opens a new window), 2025 data
source: Apec, private-sector managerial pay in 111 job families, 2025 edition, p. 20 (sales leadership) (opens a new window), 2025 data
source: Apec, private-sector managerial pay in 111 job families, 2025 edition, p. 20 (sales leadership) (opens a new window), 2025 data
source: Apec, private-sector managerial pay in 111 job families, 2025 edition, p. 20 (sales leadership) (opens a new window), 2025 data
how it works
you only pay if you hire
01
you describe the role
Using the form above: the role, your company, your market. The rest is scoped in your first conversation with the Muzzo team.
02
our data chooses the headhunters
Our AI picks those who have hired the most sales directors, from more than 2,500 selected headhunters.
03
you meet the best profiles
Approached and qualified by headhunters who are sales experts. You choose who you meet.
04
you hire, then you pay
Not before. If your new hire leaves within 3 months, we restart the search at no cost.
they hired with muzzo
Muzzo's strength is the diversity of its recruiters: there is always someone listening to our needs.
With Muzzo, I get the reactivity of a marketplace and the quality of a search firm.
let's talk about your role
Antoine and the Muzzo team help you scope your role and choose the right headhunters. Describe your role in the form: we'll call you back to discuss it.
Antoine GigomasCEO and co-founder of Muzzo
one last question?
You set the fee, between 5 and 30%, and only pay it on hire: no deposit, no fixed fees. A sales director at an SME who keeps a portfolio and a CSO running several subsidiaries internationally don't take the same search. The fee follows that difficulty, and the Muzzo team helps you set it.
You have a double guarantee. If your new hire leaves within 3 months, for example because the actual mandate didn't match the brief, we restart the search at no cost. If we find no replacement within 4 months, we refund 50% of the fees. On average, 94% of Muzzo hires are still in post after 3 months.
sales headhunters are ready to start
A hire signed in under 26 days. You only pay when you hire.
the reality
a sales director is judged on the strategy they carry, not on their CV
a good sales director already sits on the executive committee
They are judged on their budget and results, not on an interview. They don't answer job ads. A sales headhunter knows what would make them move.
the same title covers an account owner and a strategist
Some sales directors keep a personal portfolio. Others steer only through their managers and a budget. The headhunter starts from what the role actually has to carry.
a bad hire damages the whole sales strategy
A missed forecast at executive committee level, a destabilised management team, sometimes a strained relationship with shareholders. The headhunter checks the budget actually held before introducing anyone.
the roles
the sales director profiles our headhunters go after for you
From the sales director of an SME to the CSO of a group, each role goes to a headhunter who has already hired that profile.
sales director
They set the sales strategy, manage the team's managers and carry the budget in front of the executive committee. The core role on this page.
already hired via muzzo
chief sales officer (CSO)
The English-language title for the same role, especially in scale-ups and international groups. Same strategy and budget responsibilities.
national sales director
They run the sales strategy across the whole country, with several regional directors or managers reporting to them.
sales director with a client portfolio
In an SME, they keep a few strategic accounts directly while also steering strategy and budget.
the method
a headhunter who hires strategists, not just salespeople
A sales director is judged on the strategy they carry and the budget they hold. The method starts from that mandate, not from the job title.
we define the mandate: budget, scope, reporting line
Revenue carried, number of managers overseen, reporting to the executive committee or to shareholders: the brief describes the mandate, not just the title.
a headhunter who hires sales directors
From more than 2,500 selected headhunters, your role goes to those who hire the most sales directors.
a budget and a strategy, checked
The headhunter asks what the profile has actually managed: budget held, forecast defended at committee level, decisions made with the executive team. Then they cross-check with references.
hiring a sales director: what you need to know
why use a headhunter to hire a sales director?
The sales director carries the sales strategy in front of the executive committee: they set targets, build the budget and report on the results of the whole sales organisation, not just one team. The right profiles already sit on their company's executive committee and don't answer job ads.
A sales headhunter approaches them directly: they ask what the profile has actually managed, the budget held, the decisions made at committee level. You meet strategists who have already carried this mandate, not just good salespeople chasing the title.
sales director, head of sales, sales manager: who does what?
The sales manager runs a team already in place across a sector or region. The head of sales builds the whole sales function, often the first time a company structures its sales after a funding round. The sales director runs the full commercial strategy of an already structured company, with several managers reporting to them and a budget to defend in front of the executive committee.
State in the brief who the role reports to and what budget it actually manages. A sales director overseeing three regional managers and one running a hundred-person sales organisation are not hired the same way.
how do you build a sales director's pay package?
A sales director's pay combines a high base with variable pay tied to the results of the whole sales organisation, not just one team. According to Apec, 77% of sales directors receive variable pay, a median of €15k, against 50% of all managers.
The budget actually managed also weighs on the offer: according to Apec, sales directors who manage a budget earn a median of €90k gross, against €80k without that responsibility. Prepare this answer before discussing pay: a vague budget slows negotiation down as much as a poorly set range.
which sales director should you hire for your company's size?
In an SME, the sales director often keeps a portfolio of strategic accounts on top of steering strategy: they stay close to the field and the founder. In a structured group, the role becomes mostly about steering: budget, managers, reporting to the executive committee.
Internationally, the mandate widens further: some sales directors run several subsidiaries or countries, often under the English-language title chief sales officer. The headhunter starts from that real scope, not just the job title.
what is a sales director's role at executive committee level?
The sales director sits on the executive committee alongside the CEO and other function heads. There, they defend a forecast, explain variances and weigh in on commercial investment: hiring, tools, international presence.
That is what sets the role apart from classic team management. According to Apec, sales directors who manage other managers earn a median of €89k gross, against €78k without that responsibility: budget and management level matter as much as the title.
your questions about hiring a sales director
Yes. According to Apec, sales directors who manage a budget earn a median of €90k gross a year, against €80k without that responsibility (2025 edition). State the role's real budget in the brief: it matters more than anything except management scope.
According to Apec, 77% of sales directors receive variable pay, a median of €15k a year, against 50% of all managers (2025 edition). Before setting the offer, also look at the budget the role actually manages: it weighs more than variable pay alone.
A little. According to Apec, median pay for sales directors is €87k gross a year in the Paris region, against €83k elsewhere in France (2025 edition). The gap is smaller than for other sales roles: budget and management level matter more than location.
The sales manager runs a team already in place. The head of sales builds the sales function, often after a funding round. The sales director runs the strategy and budget of an already structured sales organisation, with a seat on the executive committee. If your team still has to be built, start with a head of sales.
The headhunter asks about the budget actually managed, the number of managers overseen and the decisions made at executive committee level. They cross-check this with references from former leaders or shareholders. You meet profiles whose mandate is verified, not just claimed.