In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, companies are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to maximize their revenue streams. One area that has emerged as critical to achieving this goal is revenue operations (RevOps).
Whether you're already working in the field or are considering a career in this dynamic industry, it's important to have a clear understanding of what RevOps is all about.
In this article, we'll explore the:
- Key components of revenue operations.
- Various career paths available.
- Essential skills needed for success.
- Education and certification options to consider.
- Advice from RevOps professionals.
Understanding revenue operations
Before delving into the career opportunities and educational requirements, what actually is RevOps?
At its most basic level, revenue operations is the process of optimizing an organization's revenue streams. This involves streamlining sales, marketing, and customer service processes to create an efficient, seamless experience for customers and boost the bottom line.
At its core, revenue operations is a cross-functional approach that brings together various departments within a company to achieve common goals.
Read more: 👇
Revenue Operations Alliance
The revenue operations career path
Revenue operations is a crucial aspect of any business, and as such, it offers a variety of career paths for individuals interested in this field.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level, there are plenty of opportunities available.
Entry-level roles in revenue operations
As an entry-level professional, there are several roles you could consider to get your foot in the door of RevOps. Allowing you to build up the skills, knowledge, and experience of operations to move into RevOps
Such as:
- Sales Operations Coordinator - Responsible for supporting the sales team by managing data and maintaining accurate records, while ensuring that the sales team has the tools they need to be successful.
- Marketing Operations Analyst - Responsible for analyzing marketing data and metrics to help the marketing team make informed decisions. While also managing marketing campaigns and ensuring that they are executed effectively
- Deal Desk Analyst - Responsible for managing the contract approval process and helping deals to get across the line. Involves working across multiple departments to gain approvals.
Or if you wanted to dive right into a RevOps role, a Revenue Operations Analyst could be right for you.
This role involves:
- Educating and improving processes within an area of RevOps
- Being assigned to one or two branches of the go-to-market teams
- Supporting detailed processes and data analysis
Rebecca Stewart
Mid-level roles in revenue operations
If you have some experience in revenue operations, a mid-level role such as Revenue Operations Manager could be a great fit.
As a Revenue Operations Manager, you'll be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to improve revenue growth and streamline operations.
In this role, you'll also be responsible for analyzing data and metrics to identify areas for improvement. You'll also be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to increase revenue and improve operational efficiency.
Senior-level roles in revenue operations
If you're looking to take your revenue operations career to the next level, senior-level roles such as Director of Revenue Operations, Chief Revenue Officer, and Vice President of Sales Operations could be a good fit.
In these positions, you'll be responsible for driving revenue growth at a high level and leading and managing teams of professionals.
As a Director of Revenue Operations, you'll be responsible for overseeing all aspects of revenue operations, including sales, marketing, and customer success (CS).
You'll also be responsible for:
- Developing and implementing strategies to improve revenue growth
- Streamlining operations
A Chief Revenue Officer role is another option for senior-level professionals. In this position, you'll be responsible for driving revenue growth across the entire organization. You'll also be responsible for managing a team of sales, marketing, and CS professionals.
A Vice President of Sales Operations role is also an option for senior-level professionals.
In this position, you'll be responsible for:
- Leading the sales operations team
- Ensuring your team are meeting their goals and objectives.
- Developing and implementing strategies to improve revenue growth.
Potential career progression
Once you've gained experience in one of these roles, there are many opportunities for career progression. You could move into a different department within the company, take on a new role in another industry, or even start your own revenue operations consultancy.
Ultimately, the revenue operations career path offers a wide range of opportunities for professionals at all levels of experience.
Essential skills for a successful revenue operations career
If you want to succeed in the field of revenue operations, there are several essential skills you'll need to develop. Let's take a closer look at what they are.
Analytical and problem-solving skills
Analytical and problem-solving skills are essential in revenue operations, as you'll be responsible for analyzing data and developing strategies to optimize revenue streams.
This requires a strong understanding of statistical analysis and data visualization, along with the ability to think critically and develop effective solutions to complex business challenges.
💭 For example, imagine you're working for a software company that's struggling to increase its revenue.
By analyzing customer data, you discover that a large percentage of customers are dropping off during the onboarding process. Using your analytical and problem-solving skills, you develop a new onboarding strategy that reduces drop-offs and increases revenue.
Communication and collaboration skills
As revenue operations is a cross-functional approach to driving revenue growth, it's essential to have strong communication and collaboration skills.
You'll need to work closely with teams from different departments within the company, so the ability to communicate effectively and build consensus is crucial.
💭 Imagine you're working on a project to increase revenue from a particular product line.
To achieve this, you'll need to collaborate with the sales team to develop a new pricing strategy, the marketing team to create a targeted campaign, and the product team to improve the product's features.
By using your communication and collaboration skills, you're able to bring these teams together and achieve your revenue goals.
Emma Bilardi
Technical and software proficiency
Revenue operations, like most fields, is becoming increasingly reliant on technology and software, so it's essential to have the technical skills needed to use these tools effectively.
This includes proficiency in data analysis tools, CRM software, marketing automation software, and other relevant technologies.
💭 For example, imagine you're working for an e-commerce company that's looking to increase its revenue through targeted email campaigns.
By using your technical and software proficiency, you're able to set up an email marketing automation system that targets customers based on their browsing and purchase history, resulting in a significant increase in revenue.
Project management and organization skills
Revenue operations often involves managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders and deadlines, so it's important to have strong project management and organization skills.
This means being able to prioritize tasks, manage timelines effectively, and collaborate with team members to achieve goals.
For instance, imagine you're working on a project to launch a new product line. You'll need to coordinate with the product team to develop the product, the marketing team to create a launch campaign, and the sales team to ensure the product is properly positioned in the market.
By using your project management and organization skills, you're able to keep everyone on track and launch the product successfully.
Education and certification options
Finally, let's take a look at the education and certification options available for those pursuing a career in revenue operations.
Relevant degrees for a revenue operations career
There are several degrees that could be relevant for a career in revenue operations, including:
- Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration
- Bachelor's Degree in Marketing
- Bachelor's Degree in Finance
- Master's Degree in Business Administration
Continuing education and skill development
Finally, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and best practices in revenue operations. This can be achieved through continuing education and attending relevant industry conferences and events.
Speaking of events… Join us at one of our Revenue Operations Summits in London, New York, or San Francisco!
You can also continue your education journey by becoming revenue operations certified. Our comprehensive Revenue Operations Core course allows you to take your RevOps knowledge to the next level.
Rebecca Stewart
Advice from RevOps professionals
Looking for some advice? 👀
Our Slack community of RevOps professionals have their top tips for you!
“Learn to sell. If you don’t know what a salesperson goes through and how hard the job is firsthand, you will struggle to build the cross-functional relationships necessary to be successful.”
Brad Rosen, President at Sales Assembly
“Pick an industry that you have experience in. Target RevOps roles that are in tech if you've been a Sales rep or CSM at a startup as an example.
“You'll be starting off in a new type of position, but if you can pitch understanding the business and the struggles faced by customer-facing folks, you'll have an easier time showing your value.”
Jeremy Steinbring, Founder at RevOynx
“Any consulting experience is HUGE in advancing your career in RevOps.
“Doesn't have to be professional/paid consulting, but just understanding how to identify requirements, document current process, and establish a future vision will go a long way in becoming a strategic RevOps leader vs a data miner and task completer.”
Greg Laren, VP of RevOps at Eltropy
“For someone looking to get promoted internally, it would be important to network and develop strong relationships in the RevOps team. Ask to shadow, develop a good understanding of their revenue processes and how things within the company interconnect with that team.
“For someone looking to switch, I'd say these three things are critical:
“Stay up to date on the trends. RevOps is ridiculously fast at evolving. Our field is so dynamic. Attend webinars, join things like our Slack community, go to networking events, connect with people on LinkedIn, etc. Try to get a mentor, even if it's unofficial.
“Invest in professional development: If the company won't pay for you, take advantage of free webinars or free training. If they will, look to get certified.
“Last but not least, in your current role, look to create a results-driven mindset. RevOps is all about numbers and being proactive in trends. If you don't have that mindset yet, you'll need to practice it.”
Karli Brophy, Senior Manager, RevOps Processes at HST Pathways
Conclusion
Revenue operations is a dynamic and essential field that is critical to business growth and success.
Whether you're just starting out in the field or are looking to take your career to the next level, understanding the key components, career paths, essential skills, and educational options are critical to success.
With the right combination of education, experience, and skills, a successful career in revenue operations is well within reach.
Looking to stand out in the job market?
Take your revenue operations knowledge to the next level, with our new comprehensive course. Our Revenue Operations Core certification covers:
🧠 What revenue operations truly means
🙏 How to build an impactful RevOps team
🔑 The keys to tracking your team’s success
📈 How to enhance the function in your organization
And much, much more...
