First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
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.
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers 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. The role reports a median annual salary of $84,130 in the US and is showing modest growth of 0% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.55 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Management of Personnel Resources, Speaking, Coordination.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £37,924 a year for Business sales executives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £30,244 to £52,105 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3552). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure for this career: it falls in more than one occupation group, and the Government of India's labour survey (PLFS) publishes pay only by occupation group.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Economics and Accounting
- Sales and Marketing
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
A day in the life
You start the morning reviewing yesterday's sales figures and orders against targets, noting which team members are ahead and who needs support. At a short team meeting you share priorities for the week and explain a new pricing policy. Mid-morning you join a sales representative on a call with a difficult client, stepping in to handle a tricky negotiation and showing how to close the deal. Back at the office you check records of purchases and stock, and make sure cash receipts match invoices. After lunch you deal with a customer complaint about a delayed delivery, calming the situation and agreeing a solution. Later you interview a candidate for a new sales role and plan training for two recent hires. The day ends with updating reports for senior management. Pressure to meet targets is constant, but building a strong team that wins business is deeply satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Monitor sales staff performance to ensure that goals are met.
- Provide staff with assistance in performing difficult or complicated duties.
- Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or performing specific services.
- Listen to and resolve customer complaints regarding services, products, or personnel.
- Keep records pertaining to purchases, sales, and requisitions.
- Hire, train, and evaluate personnel.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers do?
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.
What does a typical day look like in First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers?
You start the morning reviewing yesterday's sales figures and orders against targets, noting which team members are ahead and who needs support. At a short team meeting you share priorities for the week and explain a new pricing policy. Mid-morning you join a sales representative on a call with a difficult client, stepping in to handle a tricky negotiation and showing how to close the deal. Back at the office you check records of purchases and stock, and make sure cash receipts match invoices.
How much does First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers earn?
The median annual salary for First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers in the US is $84,130.
What is the job outlook for First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers?
The role is showing modest growth of 0% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 320,000 workers.
How do I become first-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Management of Personnel Resources, Speaking, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers?
Our AI-durability model gives First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers a score of 0.55 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.