Territory manager job description templates: individual contributor, medical device, CPG, manages-reps, and small business. FLSA and pay guidance built in.
6 templates by type and setting, from individual contributor to medical device, CPG, and the first territory hire at a small business, with the FLSA outside sales and pay-structure guidance the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
The hard part of writing a territory manager job description is not the duties list, which every template copies from the next. It is two things those templates skip: deciding whether you actually need a territory manager or just a sales rep who owns a region, since at most small companies they are the same hire, and getting the overtime classification right, because the field selling that defines the role can make it exempt under the outside sales rule or leave it non-exempt, depending entirely on where the selling happens.
At FirstHR, we build templates for small businesses that hire without a recruiting team, and we treat the "do you even need this role" question and the FLSA call as part of the job description rather than fine print. The six templates below cover the role by type and setting: standard, individual contributor, medical device, CPG and distribution, a manages-reps version, and a first-territory-manager version for a small business. Each carries the outside sales and pay-structure guidance the generic templates leave out. Fill in the brackets and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six territory manager job description templates by type and setting: Standard, Individual Contributor, Medical Device, CPG / Distribution, Manages Reps, and Small Business. The two things generic templates skip: deciding whether you need a territory manager or a sales rep, and the FLSA outside sales exemption, which turns on whether selling happens in the field or from a desk. Closest federal benchmarks are about $66,780 to $100,070 for wholesale sales reps. Download as DOCX.
What Does a Territory Manager Do?
A territory manager owns sales and account growth across a defined geography, hitting revenue targets for the region by managing existing accounts, winning new business, and traveling to meet customers in person. The work is field-based and customer-facing, built around a territory plan, a call schedule, and a pipeline tracked in a CRM.
There is no single federal occupation for territory managers; the closest is sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, who sell goods to businesses and often own a geographic territory. For the employer writing the posting, the useful frame is that the revenue-owning core stays constant while the setting shifts the rest: full-cycle selling for an individual contributor, clinical selling and credentialing in medtech, route and shelf-space work in CPG, and team leadership for a manages-reps role. That is why the templates below differ by type and setting.
Do You Need a Territory Manager or a Sales Rep?
Often the honest answer for a small business is a sales rep, and it is worth deciding before you write the posting. The territory manager title concentrates in mid-market and enterprise sales, where it frequently means managing reps across a geography, a structure that only exists once a sales org has scale. A company of five to fifty people building field sales usually needs an individual-contributor seller first, who happens to own a region.
The genuine small-business cases are specific: a distribution, beverage, or CPG firm where territory managers are individual sellers from the start, or a growing company ready to put one person fully in charge of a region. If one of those is you, the individual-contributor and first-territory templates here fit. If you mostly need someone to go sell, the sales representative job description templates are the more honest and affordable starting point, and for a multi-location retail or service business, the area manager job description templates cover the manage-multiple-sites alternative.
Territory Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Territory manager duties cluster into four areas: selling and growing the territory, planning and running the region, relationships and support, and tracking and reporting. The setting shifts the weights, clinical support in medtech versus merchandising in CPG, but the categories hold across nearly every territory role. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
Sell and grow the territory
Own revenue and growth targets for the region
Prospect, qualify, and close new business
Manage and expand existing accounts
Plan and run the region
Build a territory plan and call schedule
Manage route, travel, and account coverage
Prioritize the highest-value accounts
Relationships and support
Build relationships with customers and buyers
Present and tailor solutions to needs
Provide product support and follow-up
Track and report
Keep pipeline current in the CRM
Forecast and report on results
Bring market and competitive feedback back
A strong posting grounds these in your specifics: the territory, the accounts, the products, the CRM, and the travel. For a structured way to scope any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process, and for the broader hire, the small business hiring guide covers the surrounding steps.
Territory Manager Types Compared
The territory manager title spans different jobs by setting and level, and naming the right one in the posting screens for the right skills and sets the right pay. This is how the variations differ.
Pick the template by the type of role and the setting you are in. The revenue-owning core runs through all six, but the duties, the pay structure, and the FLSA classification differ enough that the matched version reads more credibly and saves you editing. Use this guide to choose.
Standard Territory Manager
The universal baseline
Own revenue for a defined region: manage accounts, win new business, hit targets, and travel the territory. Start here for a general field sales role, with the FLSA note built in.
Individual Contributor
Outside sales, no reports
For a pure selling role: own the full cycle in the field, prospect to close, with no direct reports. Written for the outside sales exemption when the work is primarily in the field.
Medical Device / Healthcare
Clinical, regulated market
For medtech, pharma, and healthcare: sell to clinicians and buyers, provide in-service support, and meet facility credentialing, in a relationship-driven regulated market.
CPG / Distribution
Retail, beverage, route sales
For consumer goods and distribution: manage a route of accounts, secure orders and shelf space, and merchandise product. Includes the non-exempt note for merchandising-heavy roles.
Territory Sales Manager
Manages a team of reps
The leadership version: own the region's number and manage a team of reps, with strategy, coaching, and hiring. Written for the executive exemption when the primary duty is managing.
First Territory Manager
Owner-led, small business
The signature small-business version: your first dedicated hire for a region, selling hands-on and building the playbook, reporting to the owner. Plain language, FLSA note built in.
Type First, Then Setting
Two questions pick the template. First, is the role an individual seller or a team leader? Individual Contributor for a pure seller, Territory Sales Manager for someone managing reps, Standard for a balanced general role. Second, what is the setting? Medical Device for clinical sales, CPG / Distribution for route and retail, and First Territory Manager when it is the first dedicated hire for a region at a small business. Customize the duties, pay, and FLSA from there.
6 Territory Manager Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, compensation with an FLSA note, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, individual contributor, medical device, CPG, manages-reps, and small business. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Territory Manager (Standard)
The universal baseline: own revenue for a defined region, manage accounts, win new business, hit targets, and travel the territory, with the FLSA note built in. Start here for a general field sales role.
Territory Manager Job Description (Standard)
TERRITORY MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Territory: __ ([region, states, or metro])
Reports to: [Sales Director / VP Sales / Owner]
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties; outside sales exempt vs non-exempt, see notes]
Compensation: $____ base + commission [+ benefits]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences: what you sell, the territory the manager will own, and
the customers and accounts in that region.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Territory Manager to own sales and account
growth across [territory]. You will manage existing accounts, win new
business, hit revenue targets, and represent us with customers in the
field. This is a field-based, customer-facing role built around a defined
geography.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own revenue and growth targets for the assigned territory
•Manage and grow relationships with existing accounts
•Prospect, qualify, and close new business in the region
•Build and execute a territory plan and call schedule
•Demo or present products and tailor solutions to customers
•Track pipeline and activity in the [CRM]
•Report on forecasts, results, and market feedback
•Travel within the territory to meet customers in person
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•____ + years in sales, ideally field or territory sales
•Track record of hitting or exceeding revenue targets
•Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills
•Comfort managing a territory and travel schedule independently
For a pure selling role: own the full cycle in the field, prospect to close, with no direct reports. Written for the outside sales exemption when the work is primarily in the field.
For medtech, pharma, and healthcare: sell to clinicians and buyers, provide in-service support, and meet facility credentialing, in a relationship-driven regulated market.
Reports to: [Regional Sales Manager / Sales Director]
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties; outside sales typically exempt]
Compensation: $____ base + commission [+ benefits]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Territory Manager to sell our [devices /
products] to [hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, physician offices]
across [territory]. You will build relationships with clinicians and
purchasing decision-makers, support product use in the field, and grow
revenue in a regulated, relationship-driven market.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Sell [products] to clinical and purchasing stakeholders
•Build relationships with physicians, nurses, and buyers
•Provide in-service training and clinical product support
•Support cases or evaluations in the field where required
•Manage the territory pipeline and hit revenue targets
•Track activity and accounts in the [CRM]
•Stay current on products, competitors, and clinical needs
•Travel across the territory, including to facilities
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•____ + years in medical device, pharma, or healthcare sales
•Comfort in clinical settings and with technical products
•Strong relationship and consultative selling skills
•Ability to meet facility credentialing or vendor requirements
•[Clinical or product background a plus]
•Valid driver's license and willingness to travel
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $____ base + commission [+ benefits]
Note: Many facilities require vendor credentialing (background check,
immunizations, training) before reps can enter clinical areas. Plan for
this in onboarding.
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: CPG / Distribution
For consumer goods and distribution: manage a route of accounts, secure orders and shelf space, and merchandise product. Includes the non-exempt note for merchandising-heavy roles.
Territory Manager Job Description (CPG / Distribution / Beverage)
The leadership version: own the region's number and manage a team of reps, with strategy, coaching, and hiring. Written for the executive exemption when the primary duty is managing.
Template 6: First Territory Manager (Small Business)
The signature version: your first dedicated hire for a region, selling hands-on and building the playbook, reporting to the owner at a small business. Plain language, with the FLSA note built in.
First Territory Manager Job Description (Small Business)
FIRST TERRITORY MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL BUSINESS)
Company: __ ([____ employees])
Territory: __
Reports to: [Owner / Founder]
Employment type: [ ] Full-time
FLSA status: [Confirm; outside sales exempt if primarily field selling]
Compensation: $____ base + commission
ABOUT US
We are a [____-person] company and you will be our first dedicated person
for [territory]. There is no sales team to lean on yet: you will own the
region, sell hands-on, and help us build the playbook as we grow. This is
a wear-many-hats, in-the-field role reporting straight to the owner.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
•Own sales and growth for [territory] as our first hire there
•Sell hands-on: prospect, present, and close in the field
•Manage and grow our existing accounts in the region
•Help build our sales process, materials, and playbook
•Keep simple, accurate records of pipeline and accounts
•Bring back market feedback that shapes the product and pitch
•Manage your own route, schedule, and travel
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•Sales experience, ideally field or territory sales
•A self-starter comfortable building from scratch
•Strong relationship and closing skills
•Reliable, organized, and happy owning a region alone
•[Industry knowledge a plus]
•Valid driver's license and reliable transportation
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $____ base + commission [structure: _____]
FLSA note: A first territory hire who primarily sells in the field
generally meets the outside sales exemption; one who sells mostly by phone
or from a desk usually does not. Confirm by the actual duties.
Benefits: [what you offer: _____]
To apply, [send your resume to _].
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, Outside Sales, and Pay Structure
This is the part the generic templates skip, and it is the part most likely to cost a small employer money: whether a territory manager is exempt from overtime, and how the commission plan is written. The territory title and a commission check lead people to assume the role is automatically exempt, and that assumption is often wrong.
The outside sales exemption is duties-based, not title-based
Federal law has a specific overtime exemption for outside sales employees, set out in Department of Labor Fact Sheet #17F. To qualify, the employee's primary duty must be making sales, and the employee must be customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer's place of business. Unusually, the salary level test does not apply to this exemption, so an outside salesperson can be exempt regardless of pay. The catch is the second prong: the selling has to happen in the field, at the customer's location. A territory manager who is genuinely out meeting customers most of the time generally qualifies. As the Department of Labor states plainly, job titles do not determine exemption status. This is general information, not legal advice; consult a qualified professional.
A territory manager who sells from a desk is usually non-exempt
This is the gap most templates skip. The outside sales exemption requires selling away from your office, and the regulations are explicit that sales made by phone, mail, or internet do not count as outside sales unless they are incidental to in-person visits. A territory manager who works mostly from a desk or home, selling virtually and visiting customers only occasionally, generally does not meet the exemption and is non-exempt and owed overtime. Many employers assume the territory title and a commission plan make the role automatically exempt, and that assumption is one of the most common and expensive wage mistakes in sales. Classify by where the selling actually happens. This is general information, not legal advice.
A territory manager who manages reps may be exempt under a different rule
If your territory manager primarily leads a team rather than sells, the relevant rule is the executive exemption, not outside sales. Under the executive exemption, the employee's primary duty must be managing, they must customarily direct the work of two or more full-time employees, they must have real influence over hiring and firing, and they must be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 a week. A working territory manager who both sells and supervises sits in a gray area, and the right call depends on which duty is primary. Decide the classification on the actual mix of duties before you post, since the line between an individual contributor and a manager changes the exemption that applies. This is general information, not legal advice.
Commission plans need to be clear, in writing, and compliant
Territory manager pay is almost always base plus commission or bonus, and a vague plan creates disputes and legal exposure. Put the commission structure in writing: the base, the commission rate or tiers, what counts as a sale, when commissions are earned and paid, and what happens on returns, cancellations, or if the rep leaves. For a non-exempt territory role, remember that commissions and nondiscretionary bonuses generally have to be folded into the regular rate when calculating overtime, which many employers miss. Several states also regulate commission agreements and final commission payouts closely. State the structure clearly in the offer, not just the job description. This is general information, not legal advice.
Outside Sales Turns on Where Selling Happens
The federal outside sales exemption requires that the employee's primary duty be making sales and that they be customarily and regularly engaged in selling away from the employer's place of business, and the salary level test does not apply. Critically, sales made by phone, mail, or internet do not count as outside sales unless incidental to in-person visits, so a desk-based territory manager is usually non-exempt. As DOL Fact Sheet #17F puts it, job titles do not determine exemption status.
Because the classification turns on the actual duties rather than the title, decide it before you post and track hours for any non-exempt hire from day one. For the full picture on how the exemptions work and how overtime is calculated, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain the rules that apply here.
Skills and Requirements
Territory manager requirements reward specifics: name the industry, the travel, and the kind of selling, and scale the experience to whether the role is an individual contributor or a manager. State the requirements concretely so candidates can self-qualify.
Weak requirement
Strong requirement
Good at sales
Track record of hitting revenue targets in [industry]
People person
Builds and closes relationships with [customer type]
Self-motivated
Manages a territory, route, and travel independently
Some travel
Comfortable with [frequency] travel across [region]
Experience preferred
[X]+ years in field or territory sales
Keep every line job-related and the posting neutral, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics, and the SHRM job description tools describe a good job description as a plain-language summary of a position's tasks, duties, and responsibilities.
Territory Manager Pay
Territory manager pay spans a wide band shaped by whether the role is an individual contributor or a manager, by industry, and by region, and most of it is base plus commission. Anchor on the federal data, then set your range for the version you are hiring.
Closest Federal Benchmarks (BLS, May 2024)
With no dedicated territory-manager code, the closest federal occupations are sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, with a median annual wage of $66,780 for non-technical products and $100,070 for technical and scientific products as of May 2024, and sales managers, at a median of $138,060. Wholesale and manufacturing sales employment is projected to grow about 1 percent through 2034, with roughly 142,100 openings a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Market salary surveys put many territory manager roles in roughly the eighty thousand to over one hundred thousand dollar range in total pay, with senior, team-leading, and medtech or pharma roles higher and CPG or distribution individual-contributor roles lower. The mix of base and commission varies by industry. Set your range against the version of the role, the pay structure, and your local market rather than a single national figure.
Hiring a Territory Manager at a Small Business
A large company hires a territory manager through a sales org with its own leveling, quotas, and comp bands. A five-to-fifty-person business is in a different situation, and often does not need a titled manager at all. Here is how to approach it for a small-operation reality.
Decide whether you need a territory manager or just a sales rep
This is the question template farms never ask, and it is the one that matters most for a small business. The territory manager title is concentrated in mid-market and enterprise sales, where the role often means managing reps across a geography, a structure that only exists once a sales org has real scale. A company of five to fifty people building field sales usually needs an individual-contributor sales rep first, who happens to own a region, rather than a manager who oversees a team that does not exist yet. The genuine small-business cases are narrower: a distribution, beverage, or CPG firm where territory managers are individual sellers from the start, or a growing company ready to put one person fully in charge of a region. If that is you, the individual-contributor and first-territory templates here fit. If you mostly need someone to go sell, a sales rep description is the more honest starting point.
The title spans a $66,000 seller and a $180,000 manager, so scope and pay it deliberately
Territory manager covers genuinely different jobs at very different pay. An individual contributor selling a route of accounts and a manager leading a team across a region are both called territory managers, and market data spans from roughly the high five figures for a sales-rep-style territory role to well into six figures for a senior team-leading one. A small employer that copies an enterprise territory-manager description can end up advertising for, and being surprised by, a far more senior and expensive hire than it needs. Anchor the pay on the version you are actually hiring, individual contributor or manager, set a clear base-plus-commission structure, and describe the reporting line plainly so candidates know whether they are joining a team, building one, or working solo. Scope the role honestly and the right candidates apply.
A field seller still needs onboarding, and the compliance gets handled there
A territory manager spends their days on the road, which makes it easy to under-invest in their start. Whichever template you use, the work after hiring is the same: a signed offer letter that states the pay, the commission structure, and a confirmed FLSA classification, the new hire paperwork and tax forms, CRM and account access provisioned on day one, product and territory training, and for medtech, the vendor credentialing that facilities require before a rep can enter clinical areas. FirstHR fits this people side for a small business: e-signature for the offer letter and the commission agreement, document management for credentials and signed plans, training modules for product and process onboarding, and task workflows for the access-and-territory checklist. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a CRM or sales tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one, and onboarding a territory manager has a useful twist: this person will spend their days on the road, so a structured start is what keeps them from drifting in the first weeks, with product and territory training as the core, the kind of ramp the training new employees guide shapes. Send the offer letter with the base, the commission structure, and a confirmed FLSA classification, collect the signed offer, and complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork and tax forms.
Send the offer with the plan attached
State the base, the commission structure, the territory, and a confirmed FLSA classification in writing, since the outside sales call drives overtime.
Provision CRM and account access
Set up the CRM, hand over the account list and territory, and grant system access before the first day so the rep can sell from day one.
Train on product and territory
Walk through the products, the pitch, and the territory plan, with any credentialing or compliance training facilities require.
Store the signed records
Keep the signed offer, the commission agreement, and credentials organized, since pay disputes turn on what was agreed in writing.
Then set them up to sell: provision the CRM and account access for day one, run product and territory training, and store the signed commission agreement, the kind of structured start an onboarding template can anchor. Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step. FirstHR connects the offer with e-signature, document management for the commission agreement and credentials, training modules for product and process onboarding, and the onboarding task workflow in one place, so a small business can take a sales hire from accepted offer to productive without a recruiting team. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a CRM or sales tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A territory manager owns sales and account growth for a defined region, bridging the field and the revenue number.
Decide whether you need a territory manager or a sales rep first; most small businesses need an individual-contributor seller who owns a region, not a team-leading manager.
Match the template to type and setting: standard, individual contributor, medical device, CPG, manages-reps, or small business.
The FLSA call turns on where selling happens: a field seller may meet the outside sales exemption, a desk seller usually does not, and a team leader may be exempt under the executive rule.
Anchor pay on the version you are hiring (BLS wholesale sales reps run $66,780 to $100,070, May 2024), and put the commission structure in writing.
Onboarding a road-based hire is access-heavy: provision the CRM, train on product and territory, and store the signed commission agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a territory manager do?
A territory manager owns sales and account growth across a defined geography, whether a metro, a set of states, or a route of accounts. The core work is hitting revenue targets for the region: managing and growing existing accounts, prospecting and closing new business, building a territory plan and call schedule, presenting products, tracking the pipeline in a CRM, forecasting, and traveling to meet customers in person. The role is field-based and customer-facing. The emphasis shifts by setting and level. An individual contributor sells the full cycle alone, a medical device territory manager sells to clinicians and buyers in a regulated market, a CPG or distribution territory manager runs a route and secures shelf space, and a territory sales manager leads a team of reps across the region. The common thread is owning the number for a geography.
Is a territory manager the same as a sales rep?
They overlap, and at a small company they are often the same person, but the title usually signals scope. A sales representative is typically an individual contributor focused on selling, often without a defined geography of their own early on. A territory manager owns a specific region and is responsible for all sales and account growth within it, which can mean either selling it as an individual contributor or, at larger companies, managing reps who cover it. In mid-market and enterprise sales the territory manager title often implies more seniority and sometimes team leadership. For a small business, the practical question is whether you need someone to go sell a region (a rep who owns a territory) or someone to lead a regional team (a true manager). Most small firms need the former first.
Is a territory manager exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on the actual duties, not the title. A territory manager whose primary duty is making sales and who is customarily and regularly out in the field at customer locations generally qualifies for the outside sales exemption under Department of Labor Fact Sheet #17F, and notably the salary level test does not apply to that exemption. However, a territory manager who sells mostly by phone, mail, or internet from a desk or home, visiting customers only occasionally, generally does not meet the outside sales exemption and is non-exempt and owed overtime. A territory manager who primarily manages a team of reps may instead qualify under the executive exemption, which requires managing as the primary duty, directing two or more employees, real input on hiring and firing, and a salary of at least $684 a week. Classify by where the selling happens and what the primary duty is. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do I owe overtime to a territory manager who works from home?
Possibly yes. The outside sales exemption requires that the employee be customarily and regularly engaged in selling away from the employer's place of business, meaning at the customer's location. The Department of Labor's regulations are explicit that sales made by phone, mail, or internet do not count as outside sales unless they are incidental to in-person visits. A territory manager who works mostly from a home office, sells virtually, and visits customers only occasionally generally does not meet the exemption, which means they are non-exempt and entitled to overtime for hours worked over 40 in a week. Many employers wrongly assume the territory title plus a commission plan makes the role automatically exempt. If you are unsure, track where the selling actually happens for a representative period and classify based on that. Misclassifying to avoid overtime is a common and costly mistake. This is general information, not legal advice.
How should I structure territory manager pay?
Territory manager pay is almost always a base salary plus commission or bonus, and the structure should be clear and in writing. Put the specifics in the offer and a commission agreement: the base, the commission rate or tiers, what counts as a closed sale, when commissions are earned and when they are paid, and what happens on returns, cancellations, or if the person leaves. For a non-exempt territory role, remember that commissions and nondiscretionary bonuses generally must be included in the regular rate when you calculate overtime, which is easy to miss. Several states also regulate commission agreements and the timing of final commission payments. A clear written plan prevents disputes, helps candidates evaluate the offer, and protects you legally. The job description sets expectations; the offer and commission agreement set the binding terms. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a territory manager make?
Pay varies widely by whether the role is an individual contributor or a manager, by industry, and by region, and the territory manager title spans a broad band. There is no single federal occupation for territory managers; the closest government benchmarks are sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports at a median annual wage of $66,780 for non-technical products and $100,070 for technical and scientific products as of May 2024, and sales managers, at a median of $138,060. Market salary surveys put many territory manager roles in roughly the eighty thousand to over one hundred thousand dollar range in total pay, with senior, team-leading, and medtech or pharma roles higher still and CPG or distribution individual-contributor roles lower. Most of the pay is typically base plus commission. Set your range against the version of the role and your local market. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a small business need a territory manager?
Often not by that title, at least not first. The territory manager role concentrates in mid-market and enterprise sales, where it frequently means managing reps across a geography, a structure that only exists at scale. A business of five to fifty employees building field sales usually needs an individual-contributor sales representative first, someone who happens to own a region, rather than a manager overseeing a team that does not exist yet. The genuine small-business cases are narrower: distribution, beverage, and CPG firms where territory managers are individual sellers from the start, or a growing company ready to put one person fully in charge of a region. If that describes you, the individual-contributor and first-territory templates on this page fit. If you mostly need someone to go sell, a sales representative description is the more honest and affordable starting point. Match the title and scope to what your business actually needs.
What should a territory manager job description include?
A strong territory manager job description names the territory and the customers up front, then includes a job summary that makes the field, revenue-owning focus clear, and responsibilities grouped into selling and growing the territory, planning and running the region, relationships and support, and tracking and reporting. It should state the pay structure as base plus commission, the travel expectations, the reporting line, and the FLSA classification decided by the actual duties rather than the title. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the compliance and structure pieces: whether the role meets the outside sales exemption, a clear written commission structure, and any industry-specific requirements such as medtech vendor credentialing. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
