The appointment owns
The GTM lead agrees one qualification standard, changes routing and runs a shared review of opportunities that progressed or stalled.
permanent hiring brief
Hire a GTM Lead
Hire a GTM Lead: give one person ownership of the route from target account to qualified opportunity across marketing, sales and revenue operations.
Brief us on this role →GTM Lead briefChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Target accounts
Define the segments the role will prioritise and the evidence that makes an account worth pursuing.
Part 02 / 04
Handoffs
Write how marketing, SDRs, account executives and customer teams pass work and feedback.
Part 03 / 04
Operating measure
Choose measures of qualified progression and closed-loop learning, not only lead count.
Part 04 / 04
Decision rights
Name which channels, campaigns and process changes the lead can approve.
Hire a GTM Lead: what must the role own?
Define the segments the role will prioritise and the evidence that makes an account worth pursuing.
Target accountsDefine the segments the role will prioritise and the evidence that makes an account worth pursuing.
HandoffsWrite how marketing, SDRs, account executives and customer teams pass work and feedback.
Operating measureChoose measures of qualified progression and closed-loop learning, not only lead count.
Decision rightsName which channels, campaigns and process changes the lead can approve.
Role reference: Stage 2 Capital: guide to hiring your first GTM leader. The practitioner guide distinguishes a first commercial leader who can build a repeatable motion from a later manager of an established team. Use the actual company stage to set the remit.
What changes when the GTM Lead is permanent?
A GTM lead coordinates and improves a commercial motion that has evidence behind it. A founding lead still has to discover that motion; a head of GTM may own managers, budget and several motions.
permanentChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Seat
Describe the continuing role, reporting line and decisions the appointment will own.
Part 02 / 04
Search
Set the evidence and assessment criteria before comparing candidates.
Part 03 / 04
Offer
Confirm employment terms, authority and any conditions before the offer is accepted.
Part 04 / 04
Induction
Arrange access, introductions and a clear first assignment.
How would this work in a real brief?
The hiring decision becomes clearer when the work and its boundary are written down together.
Illustrative brief · a company with separate demand and sales teams
Campaigns produce interest, but the sales team disputes lead quality and neither side owns the transition into a qualified opportunity.
The GTM lead agrees one qualification standard, changes routing and runs a shared review of opportunities that progressed or stalled.
Another owner retains
The sales manager coaches individual sellers; product marketing retains core positioning; the lead owns the cross-team route.
How should you assess GTM Lead candidates?
Put the same work and evidence in front of each candidate before comparing answers.
The evidenceChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Funnel diagnosis
Give every candidate the same sample of leads and opportunities and ask where the handoff fails.
Part 02 / 04
Conflict handling
Ask for evidence of a change agreed between marketing and sales.
Part 03 / 04
Measure choice
Test which signals they would use to tell whether quality improved.
Part 04 / 04
Scope judgment
Ask when the business needs a head of GTM rather than a single lead.
Acas recommends a consistent, fair selection process: choosing who to interview.
Does this hiring pattern fit the work?
Test the amount of the week, the expected end and the continuity needed before writing the contract.
The working pattern · permanent
A permanent GTM LeadAn employee holds a continuing full-time seat. Assess the long-term remit, reporting line and induction plan.
What must happen before the GTM Lead starts?
Give access to CRM definitions, campaign sources and lost-opportunity notes.
A clear startChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Data access
Give access to CRM definitions, campaign sources and lost-opportunity notes.
Part 02 / 04
Owners
Introduce the people who own marketing, sales, RevOps and customer feedback.
Part 03 / 04
Baseline
Agree the current handoff and the first failure to fix.
Part 04 / 04
Decision log
Record process changes and who will maintain them.
- 1
Data access
Give access to CRM definitions, campaign sources and lost-opportunity notes.
- 2
Owners
Introduce the people who own marketing, sales, RevOps and customer feedback.
- 3
Baseline
Agree the current handoff and the first failure to fix.
- 4
Decision log
Record process changes and who will maintain them.
A useful GTM Lead brief names the decision, the working pattern and the evidence before it names a candidate.
What should the brief say?
Hire a GTM Lead begins with target accounts, a stated working pattern and the evidence you will ask every candidate to show.
15 minutes · video or phone
Brief us on a GTM Lead
Tell us what the role must own, how it will work and when it must start.
- 01A brief built around the decisions and working pattern.
- 02A shortlist of 3–5 with pay or day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
- 03Five-stage vetting before a candidate reaches you.
Pick a day that suits · live availability
