Becoming a sales leader with a master’s in sales
If you’re aiming to move into a sales leadership role, a master’s degree in sales could help you build the skills and mindset to succeed. Beyond learning how to close deals, emlyon business school gives you the strategic, digital, and global tools you need to lead modern sales teams.
Sales is a core part of business strategy
Sales is about far more than persuasion. The best sales professionals understand their customers’ needs, offer solutions that add value, and help shape company strategy based on what they learn in the field.
Because sales teams have direct contact with customers, they’re often the first to spot shifts in demand or frustrations with products. Sales managers who can interpret and act on these insights have a real impact on business growth and long-term strategy.
Students from the MSc in Global Sales Excellence program explore these ideas through courses such as Strategy, Operations Management and Leadership, and Global Interactions with Customers. They also study topics like salesforce management, negotiation, and key account management.
As graduate from the 2024 cohort, Victor Northoff shares: “This program really helped me succeed in many interviews. Very few companies turned down my application, and I was ultimately able to choose the opportunity that suited me best.”
Sales enablement brings structure and consistency
Today’s buyers are more informed than ever, making sales cycles longer and more complex. This means sales teams need extra tools and training to stay effective.
That’s where sales enablement comes in. It provides structured processes and resources—like tracking tools, templates, and messaging guides—to help sales professionals close deals more efficiently. Studies show that companies using sales enablement achieve nearly 50% higher success rates than those without it.
At emlyon, students learn about these systems through a dedicated Sales Enablement module. They gain hands-on experience with tools and frameworks from leading advisory firms like Gartner and Forrester, and develop project management skills to streamline sales operations.
People still matter in a digital sales world
While technology now plays a huge role in how teams connect with clients, the human side of sales remains essential.
The course “Sales Engagement: Digital Tools and Automation”, offered as part of the MSc in Global Sales Excellence program introduces students to platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce, helping them understand how automation and CRM tools support effective communication.
Still, as Kimia Ferdows, deputy CEO of innovation agency InProcess, reminds students:
“You need to place humans at the center of your thinking. Humans are your clients, but they are also users, buyers, employees, subcontractors, partners, and potentially even your neighbors. Salespeople are true assets in this approach because they are on the ground: they serve as the bridge between the company and the client’s life.”
Students also take part in emlyon’s Transforming Early Makers track, where they collaborate across programs to rethink real business models and test ideas through design thinking and market research. It’s an opportunity to apply innovation tools in real-world contexts.
Sales is a global profession
Modern sales teams work across borders and cultures. To be effective, future sales leaders need strong intercultural and communication skills.
The MSc in Global Sales Excellence helps students develop this global mindset through an international term that starts with a seminar abroad. The most recent group visited Germany to meet with executives from Siemens, Microsoft, SAP, TRUMPF, LinkedIn, BMW, and Simon-Kucher.
Throughout the week, students explored topics like B2B growth, sales enablement, leadership, and the impact of AI. At TRUMPF, they even worked directly with the Global Sales Excellence team and toured the company’s laser production facilities.
Students then continue their international experience at emlyon’s Shanghai campus, where they complete an in-company project to apply what they’ve learned in a real business environment. This experience deepens their understanding of global markets and helps them adapt to new cultural and professional settings.
Building a career in sales leadership
A master’s in sales offers far more than technical training—it’s a launchpad for global, people-focused, and strategy-driven careers. Graduates of emlyon’s program go on to roles such as:
- Sales Manager or Director
- Account or Partnership Manager
- Sales Engagement Director
- Sales Enablement Manager
- Sales Excellence Manager
- Sales Engineer
- International Business Developer
By combining classroom learning with real-world projects and international exposure, business school prepares you to lead sales teams and shape business strategy in a global market.
This article was published in Business Because – September 2025