Head of Sales Recruitment in Belgium

Archetype recruits Heads of Sales for Belgian companies that are building or relaunching their sales team: scale-ups, growing SMEs and subsidiaries opening up the Benelux. We approach candidates who are already in post, check that they can build a team and a pipeline rather than just sell themselves, and present you with assessed finalists. The assignment runs on a retainer with the fee agreed in advance, takes 12 weeks on average, comes with a 6-month replacement guarantee and can be run in Dutch, French or English. Tell us about the role to receive a proposal within 48 to 72 hours.

(translate) Head of Sales animant une réunion d’équipe commerciale dans une scale-up — (translate) Un Head of Sales fait vendre les autres : c’est un autre métier que la vente.

The first Head of Sales trap

It is a familiar story. The founder closed the first deals personally, the team now has three or four salespeople, and someone needs to take charge. So the company hires the best salesperson it can find. Six months later, that person is still selling very well, but the team has no process, no reliable forecasts and no management routine.

A Head of Sales has to get other people selling. It is a different job from selling, and a CV will not tell you which one a candidate can do. Our article on when to hire your first Head of Sales in a start-up helps you pick the right moment. If you are unsure about the level of the role, compare it with our Sales Director recruitment page and read Head of Sales or Sales Director: the nuances of the role.

Sales Manager, Head of Sales, Sales Director: where does your role sit?

1 / 3

Sales Manager

Leads an existing team of salespeople.

Gets the team to hit monthly and quarterly targets, makes the forecast reliable, coaches in the field.

2 / 3

Head of Sales

Builds or restructures the sales function.

Recruits and trains the team, sets up the sales process, puts reporting and forecasting in place.

3 / 3

Sales Director

Leads managers and several teams.

Owns the sales strategy, pricing policy and sales organisation at management committee level.

Wider scope and longer decision horizon →

Does your role look like the first column? See our page on Sales Manager recruitment. The third? Read Head of Sales or Sales Director: the nuances of the role. We agree the real level of the role with you on the first call.

What we assess in a Head of Sales

Their ability to build: recruit, train and develop a team, set up a sales process and put reporting in place.
How they handle a pipeline: how they qualify, how they forecast, what they do when the quarter starts to slip.
Their management style under pressure, measured with the KOAN test we have used for 30 years: what drives them, what holds them back, how they react when targets are missed.
Their fit with your stage of growth. A Head of Sales from a large group may lack the support structure they are used to in a twenty-person company, and the reverse is also true.

Every finalist goes through an in-depth interview, role-plays built on your real sales situations, a competency analysis and the KOAN test.

Our principle of transparency is one of our core values: saying what needs to be said, even when it’s uncomfortable. In practice, that means we’ll tell you if your salary range is misaligned with the market. We’ll tell you if the candidate you’re set on raises a red flag on a critical point. We’ll tell you if the training you’re asking for won’t solve the problem you’re describing. Everyone says they value transparency; few accept its relational cost. We do.
The Archetype method, since 1993

What you receive for each finalist

Job scorecard

The expected results, agreed with you before sourcing, and the candidate’s score on each one.

Interview transcripts

What the candidate actually said, not a flattering summary.

KOAN reading

Drivers, blockers and behaviour under pressure, interpreted by a consultant trained in the tool.

Validated job description

The job description shared with the candidate, so there are no surprises when they start.

Process, fees and timescales

Discovery call: we challenge the role, the scorecard and the salary range. Written proposal within 48 to 72 hours.
Signing of the assignment, 12 days on average after first contact.
Direct approach of candidates in post and, for exclusive assignments, an employer branding page and posts in your company’s name.
Assessment and presentation of finalists.
Onboarding follow-up for the first three months.

We only work on a retainer, never on a success fee. The fee is settled before launch in our written proposal, based on the level of the role, the languages, the technical complexity and the complexity of the assignment. Recruitment takes 12 weeks on average between the signing of the assignment and the candidate’s acceptance. If the candidate leaves, a 6-month replacement guarantee applies.

Preparing for your Head of Sales’ arrival

The first three months shape everything that follows. Agree their priorities with them as soon as the contract is signed: a diagnosis of the team, a review of the sales process, the first hires. Our article on the first priorities of a Head of Sales when taking over sets out that roadmap in detail. If you already have two candidates and cannot decide, our pre-hire assessment evaluates them with the same method.

About Archetype

Archetype is a Belgian family business founded in 1993 by Marc Diamant and now co-managed with Davy Diamant and Steve Diamant. A member of Federgon, it won Talent Business Innovation of the Year 2025 for its ethical and structured use of AI.

Frequently asked questions about recruiting a Head of Sales

What is the difference between a Head of Sales and a Sales Director?

Job titles vary from one company to another. In general, a Head of Sales builds and runs a sales team that is still taking shape, whereas a Sales Director leads managers and represents the sales strategy on the management committee. We agree the real level of the role with you on the first call.

How much does it cost to recruit a Head of Sales?

The price depends on the role. A Head of Sales who has to build a trilingual team is not recruited like a manager taking over an established one: management level, languages, technical complexity and the difficulty of the assignment all change the amount. We set it before launch in a written proposal, on a retainer, with a 6-month replacement guarantee. Ask for one after a first call.

Should you promote the best salesperson in the team?

Sometimes, yes, but not because they are the best seller. Assess them against the same criteria as an external candidate: the ability to get others selling, to build structure and to hold up under pressure.