Effective Work Samples for Hiring a Head of Revenue Operations

The Head of Revenue Operations role is pivotal for organizations seeking to align their revenue-generating functions and drive sustainable growth. This strategic position requires a unique blend of analytical prowess, leadership skills, and cross-functional collaboration abilities. Traditional interviews often fail to reveal whether candidates possess the practical skills needed to excel in this multifaceted role.

Implementing well-designed work samples during your hiring process provides a window into how candidates approach real-world revenue operations challenges. These exercises reveal a candidate's ability to analyze data, develop strategic recommendations, optimize processes, and communicate effectively across departments. Unlike hypothetical questions, work samples demonstrate how candidates actually perform tasks central to the role.

For a Head of Revenue Operations position, effective work samples should evaluate strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, leadership potential, and process optimization skills. By observing candidates tackle realistic scenarios, you can assess their problem-solving approach, attention to detail, and ability to balance strategic vision with tactical execution.

The following four work samples are specifically designed to evaluate the core competencies required for a successful Head of Revenue Operations. Each exercise provides a structured framework for assessment while allowing candidates to demonstrate their unique strengths and approaches. By incorporating these exercises into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into each candidate's capabilities and fit for this critical leadership role.

Activity #1: Revenue Funnel Analysis and Optimization

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to analyze revenue data, identify bottlenecks in the sales process, and develop strategic recommendations for improvement. A successful Head of Revenue Operations must be able to translate data insights into actionable strategies that drive growth and operational efficiency.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a sanitized dataset showing 6-12 months of sales funnel metrics, including lead generation, conversion rates between stages, sales cycle length, and win rates.
• Include some obvious inefficiencies or anomalies in the data (e.g., a significant drop-off at a particular stage, inconsistent performance across teams, or lengthening sales cycles).
• Provide context about the company's sales structure, target market, and current revenue goals.
• Allow candidates 24 hours to review the materials before the interview session.
• Schedule 60 minutes for the exercise: 30 minutes for presentation and 30 minutes for discussion.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided sales funnel data and identify key trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare a brief presentation (5-7 slides) that includes:

1. Your analysis of the current state of the revenue funnel
2. Three specific recommendations to improve conversion rates or efficiency
3. How you would measure success for each recommendation
4. A high-level implementation plan for your top recommendation

• Be prepared to discuss your analytical approach and defend your recommendations.
• Consider both quick wins and longer-term strategic improvements.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide specific feedback on one analytical insight the candidate identified well and one area where their analysis could be strengthened.
• Ask the candidate to elaborate on how they would refine their top recommendation based on this feedback.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and their ability to adapt their thinking in real-time.

Activity #2: Cross-Functional Alignment Role Play

This role play assesses the candidate's ability to navigate cross-departmental challenges and align teams around common revenue goals. The Head of Revenue Operations must excel at building consensus and resolving conflicts between sales, marketing, and customer success teams.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a scenario involving a conflict between departments (e.g., marketing complaining about sales not following up on leads, sales criticizing lead quality, and customer success reporting onboarding issues affecting retention).
• Select 2-3 team members to play the roles of department heads (VP of Sales, CMO, Head of Customer Success).
• Brief the role players on their specific concerns, priorities, and communication styles.
• Provide the candidate with a brief overview of the situation and department structures 30 minutes before the exercise.
• Schedule 45 minutes for the role play: 30 minutes for the meeting and 15 minutes for debrief.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the scenario information and prepare to facilitate a meeting between department heads.
• Your objectives are to:

1. Identify the root causes of misalignment between teams
2. Facilitate a productive discussion that acknowledges each department's concerns
3. Develop at least two concrete action items to improve cross-functional collaboration
4. Establish metrics to track progress on these initiatives

• Focus on building consensus while maintaining focus on company revenue goals.
• Be prepared to manage potential conflicts or strong personalities during the discussion.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, provide feedback on one aspect of the candidate's facilitation that was effective and one area for improvement.
• Ask the candidate how they might approach the meeting differently based on this feedback.
• Have them demonstrate an alternative approach to addressing one of the challenging moments from the role play.

Activity #3: Revenue Operations Technology Stack Assessment

This exercise evaluates the candidate's technical proficiency with revenue operations tools and their ability to optimize technology infrastructure. A successful Head of Revenue Operations must understand how to leverage technology to streamline processes and enhance data visibility.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a document outlining your current technology stack for sales, marketing, and customer success (CRM, marketing automation, analytics tools, etc.).
• Include information about current pain points, integration challenges, and business requirements.
• Provide screenshots of current dashboards or reports if possible (with sensitive data removed).
• Allow candidates 24 hours to review the materials before the interview.
• Schedule 6