Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Broker Sales Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Broker Sales Manager leads and drives the broker channel strategy for an organisation, overseeing a team of brokers or agents, designing and implementing effective sales plans, building strong partner relationships and ensuring consistent revenue growth. This role combines leadership, strategic sales planning and broker‑network development to achieve ambitious business goals in a competitive marketplace.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Broker Sales Representative
Channel Account Manager – Broker Partner
Regional Sales Manager with broker channel responsibility

Advancement To:

Director of Broker Sales / Head of Broker Channel
Vice President – Partner & Broker Sales
General Manager – Sales & Distribution (Broker Network)

Lateral Moves:

Channel Partner Manager (Non‑broker channel)
National Account Manager – Strategic Broker Relationships
Business Development Director – Financial Products via Brokers

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a comprehensive broker channel sales strategy aligned with company objectives, ensuring the broker network delivers revenue growth and expands market share.
Lead, mentor, motivate and coach a team of broker sales professionals, setting clear performance targets, conducting regular reviews and driving improvement in individual and team results.
Establish and nurture strong relationships with key broker partners, agencies and third‑party distribution firms to deepen engagement and maximise sales through collaborative initiatives.
Track and analyse broker network performance metrics, sales pipeline status, market trends and competitive activity; interpret data to inform action plans and strategic decisions.
Create, launch and monitor incentive programs, training programmes and engagement events designed to drive broker productivity, loyalty and brand alignment.
Oversee the recruitment, onboarding and development of new broker partners, ensuring they are fully trained, aligned to brand standards and integrated into the sales ecosystem.
Coordinate cross‑functional collaboration with marketing, product, compliance and operations teams to deliver effective broker‑facing materials, campaigns and support frameworks.
Ensure compliance with all regulatory, licensing and internal policy requirements relevant to the broker sales channel; monitor for risk, escalate issues and enforce standards.
Develop annual budgets, channel revenue forecasts, territory plans and resource allocation for the broker network; adjust plans in response to market or business changes.
Manage the broker channel’s communications, share best practices, deliver presentations and lead regular meetings to align broker teams with the organisation’s vision and priorities.
Identify new business opportunities via the broker channel, including market segments, geography expansion or partnership models, and drive initiatives to capture them.
Monitor competition, conduct market intelligence within the broker‑network domain, and adjust strategies for positioning, pricing or partner mix accordingly.
Review and negotiate contract terms, commission structures and service‑level agreements with broker partners, ensuring alignment with business goals and partner incentives.
Resolve escalated issues raised by brokers or clients within the network, collaborating with operations and support teams to ensure timely, high‑quality service.
Use CRM systems, dashboards and sales automation tools to maintain accurate broker data, pipeline tracking and real‑time visibility into channel performance.
Drive adoption of new systems, processes or technologies for broker sales‑enablement, optimising time‑to‑productivity and improving broker experience.
Lead regional or field events, training sessions, trade shows and broker networking functions to elevate brand presence and engage the broker community.
Monitor and control channel spend, marketing support funds, commission expenses and ensure profitability of the broker channel in line with P&L objectives.
Report regularly to senior leadership on broker channel status, key metrics, successes, challenges and proposed actions to enhance results.
Continuously review, refine and scale broker‑channel processes, guidelines and frameworks to improve efficiency, scalability and competitive advantage.

Secondary Functions

Participate in ad‑hoc strategic projects affecting the broker channel (e.g., new product launches, channel restructuring, digital transformation).
Collaborate with senior management and external stakeholders to shape long‑term broker channel evolution and growth roadmap.
Provide backup support for direct sales or partner teams when necessary, and assist with operational or administrative tasks.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement and broker‑centric service within the organisation’s sales ecosystem.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven sales leadership and team‑management skills, including coaching, performance review and development of broker sales teams.
Expertise in broker/distribution channel management, partner engagement strategies and sales‑through brokers.
Strong analytical ability to interpret channel dashboards, pipeline data, conversion metrics and market intelligence.
Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), sales‑automation tools, reporting dashboards and Microsoft Office Suite.
Skill in developing and implementing channel incentive programmes, broker training curricula and partner engagement frameworks.
Excellent negotiation skills for contract terms, commission structures and service‑level agreements with brokers.
Understanding of regulatory compliance, licensing and internal controls relevant to broker networks (insurance, financial services or real‑estate brokers).
Ability to create high‑impact presentations and deliver training or onboarding sessions to partners and brokers.
Strategic planning skills: setting channel budgets, territory plans, growth initiatives and resource allocation.
Advanced communication of technical and commercial information to broker partners, senior management and internal stakeholders.

Soft Skills

Outstanding relationship‑building and stakeholder‑management abilities: able to engage and influence broker partners and internal teams.
Strong strategic thinking and business‑acumen: able to align broker‑channel activity with company goals and market opportunities.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presentation skills and active listening.
High level of initiative and proactivity: drives improvements, identifies new opportunities and acts decisively.
Resilience and flexibility: thrives in fast‑moving, target oriented environment with evolving broker‑channel demands.
Coaching and mentoring mindset: able to develop talent, encourage performance and build high‑performing teams.
Effective time‑management and organisational skills: able to manage multiple broker relationships, programmes and deadlines simultaneously.
Change‑oriented attitude: able to lead change, digital adoption and process improvement within the broker network.
Customer‑oriented mindset: focused on delivering value to broker partners and end‑clients while balancing commercial objectives.
Ethical mindset and strong integrity: holds self and broker channel to high standards of compliance and professionalism.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Sales or a related discipline.
Preferred Education:
Bachelor’s degree with additional qualification in Sales Leadership, Channel Management, or an MBA.
Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Sales & Marketing
Finance
Channel/Distribution Management
Leadership & Management Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
5‑8 years of progressive experience in broker‑sales, channel management or partner sales leadership.
Preferred:
Demonstrated success managing a broker or partner sales team, setting and achieving channel targets, and scaling broker operations in a dynamic business environment.