We're seeing a trend: an increase in layoffs among senior Revenue Operations (RevOps) professionals.
- What’s behind this trend? What does this mean for RevOps professionals looking to advance their careers?
Let’s take a look.
RevOps and CROs: A Strategic Overlap
Senior RevOps professionals have historically bridged a critical gap for CROs, providing strategic insights, data interpretation, and a nuanced understanding of go-to-market (GTM) strategies.
However, as the landscape shifts towards systems-savvy CROs capable of managing comprehensive GTM strategies, the niche for senior RevOps expertise narrows. Senior RevOps have traditionally filled a strategic skill gap for CROs by providing strategic insights and data interpretation, while junior members manage tactical tasks.
A Pathway to Executive Leadership
With this change, a new window of opportunity opens for senior RevOps professionals – to transition into CRO roles. After all, the expertise in strategic planning, GTM execution, and data-driven decision-making positions senior RevOps professionals as excellent candidates for business leadership.
However, this transition requires embracing key aspects of executive leadership and responsibility.
Building Cross-Functional Teams
CRO roles require a deep understanding of recruiting and managing a diverse, cross-functional team. So, networking with top GTM professionals and maintaining these relationships becomes crucial to building a foundation for effective leadership. Senior RevOps wanting to transition into CRO roles may need to expand their networking circles to include more top GTM sales, marketing, and customer success professionals.
Embracing Revenue Accountability
The transition from a strategic advisor to a leader who is accountable for revenue targets is another significant shift. This accountability requires:
For Senior RevOps pros, it can be a big shift to take responsibility for meeting revenue targets and to transition out of a strategic technical role to become directly accountable for financial outcomes.
Developing Executive Presence and Financial Acumen
Key to climbing the corporate ladder is mastering the art of managing up and across the organization.
Cultivating an executive presence and fluency in profit and loss statements are indispensable skills for the C-suite.
Many RevOps pros may have had more of a supportive and an “in the shadows” role. Transitioning to a CRO position puts you into the bright light of executive leadership. Subordinates and peers will have different expectations.
Another Path Forward – Fractional RevOps: A Response to Industry Dynamics
Amid all these shifts, another career path trend seems to be emerging: Fractional RevOps. Fractional RevOps allows organizations to harness strategic guidance from senior RevOps expertise without the commitment to full-time positions. Fractional RevOps professionals can provide strategic help, set up, clean up, and maintain the necessary infrastructure across multiple clients, addressing the strategic needs while outsourcing tactical tasks.
The Indispensable Value of Senior RevOps Leaders
Despite the evolving landscape, one truth remains constant: senior RevOps leaders are among the best GTM minds in the industry. Their transition into executive roles is not just beneficial but necessary for growing organizations who want to navigate the complexities of today's market dynamics.
Acknowledging senior RevOps professionals as highly capable, intelligent, and among the best GTM minds in B2B companies underscores the benefits of elevating these experts into executive roles where they can significantly impact decision-making and strategic directions.
So, what will the future bring for RevOps roles? No-one can know for sure, but whatever changing marketplace dynamics occur, the path forward for RevOps professionals will bring opportunities and challenges.
Whether taking on the demands of executive leadership CRO roles or moving into Fractional RevOps situations, one thing remains clear. As B2B GTM challenges change and evolve, the value of experienced RevOps professionals has never been more apparent. Their guidance is crucial for the future success of B2B GTM organizations.
1. Can senior RevOps professionals remain relevant as CRO roles evolve to encompass more strategic planning and data interpretation?
Absolutely! Senior RevOps professionals can always boost their relevance by evolving their skills to complement the changing needs of CROs. This includes mastering advanced analytics to provide predictive insights, developing a keen understanding of customer success metrics that directly influence revenue, and advocating for the integration of AI and automation tools to streamline GTM strategies. Continuous learning and certification in emerging technologies and methodologies will also increase your ongoing value to the GTM organization.
2. What specific skills should I focus on developing to ensure a smooth transition from RevOps to a CRO position?
Beyond strategic and operational competencies, you may want to develop your leadership and emotional intelligence skills. Leadership coaching can be invaluable. Mentorship experiences with current CRO and/or other CROs can help highlight the differences between RevOps and CRO roles and highlight potential skill gaps you may want to close.
Becoming a senior leader may require you to work on storytelling techniques to effectively communicate complex data insights to non-technical and non-GTM stakeholders. Emphasizing customer-centric strategies in your decision-making process will also align you with the objectives of modern CRO roles.
3. How can RevOps professionals leverage the rise of Fractional positions to expand their career opportunities?
Fractional RevOps roles open a world of flexible, strategic opportunities. To leverage this, professionals should build a strong personal brand that highlights their expertise and successes in transformational projects.
Networking is key. Engage with industry forums, LinkedIn groups, and professional associations. Additionally, consider creating a portfolio of case studies showcasing your impact in previous roles. Offering your services as a consultant for short-term strategic projects can also be a great entry point into the fractional world, allowing you to demonstrate value and versatility to potential clients.
4. In light of the shifting dynamics between RevOps and CRO roles, how can I ensure my skills remain in demand?
In B2B GTM, understanding the market and entire customer lifecycle is critical – from acquisition through renewal and expansion. Skills in full-cycle customer observability and analytic platforms, sales enablement technologies, and customer engagement strategies will always be in demand.
Becoming a thought leader in your field by developing your personal brand, contributing to industry publications, speaking at conferences, and participating in webinars can significantly help to raise your profile and ensure your expertise is recognized and sought after.
