An AE Manager (Account Executive Manager) is a pivotal frontline sales leadership role responsible for guiding, developing, and driving the performance of a team of Account Executives. This profession sits at the critical intersection of revenue generation, talent development, and strategic execution, making it a key career path for experienced sales professionals looking to scale their impact. For those seeking leadership roles, exploring AE Manager jobs offers a dynamic opportunity to shape business growth and mentor future sales talent. Professionals in this role are primarily accountable for the success and productivity of their sales team. Their day-to-day activities revolve around coaching and mentorship, conducting regular one-on-one meetings and team training sessions to refine skills in prospecting, discovery, value-based selling, and complex negotiation. A core responsibility is pipeline and forecast management, requiring rigorous oversight of sales activity in CRM systems like Salesforce to ensure accuracy, identify risks, and drive accountability toward monthly or quarterly quotas. AE Managers often act as strategic players in key deals, providing executive presence, guiding deal strategy, and assisting with high-stakes negotiations to secure enterprise-level contracts. The scope of an AE Manager role can vary, often specializing in segments such as enterprise, mid-market, or startup sales, each with distinct sales cycles and customer profiles. Common responsibilities across these domains include recruiting, hiring, and onboarding new Account Executives, implementing data-driven sales processes, analyzing market opportunities, and fostering cross-functional collaboration with marketing, product, and customer success teams to optimize the go-to-market motion. Typical requirements and skills for AE Manager jobs are substantial, reflecting the role's strategic importance. Candidates generally possess 5+ years of successful SaaS or technology sales experience, with at least 1-2 years in a direct frontline leadership or team lead capacity. A proven track record of not only meeting personal quotas but also leading teams to exceed collective targets is essential. They must demonstrate deep expertise in managing complex, multi-threaded sales cycles and possess exceptional coaching abilities to develop sales talent. Operational rigor in forecasting, proficiency with sales tech stacks (e.g., CRM, conversation intelligence, prospecting tools), and strong business acumen are mandatory. The ideal AE Manager is a strategic thinker who can balance immediate execution with long-term team scaling, thriving in a high-velocity, quota-driven environment. Ultimately, an AE Manager is a player-coach whose success is measured by their team's performance. It is a career built on leadership, strategic insight, and a relentless drive to achieve growth objectives, making it one of the most impactful and rewarding leadership roles within a sales organization.
