Manager, Enterprise Sales Interview Guide for Blend

If you’re preparing for an interview for the Manager, Enterprise Sales position at Blend, here’s a comprehensive guide based on actual experiences from candidates who have gone through the interview process. This guide will provide insights into the interview stages, types of questions you can expect, and practical tips to help you succeed.

Role Overview

The Manager, Enterprise Sales at Blend is responsible for overseeing and driving sales efforts in large, complex enterprise accounts. This role requires a combination of leadership, strategic thinking, and deep expertise in selling enterprise-level solutions. You will manage a team of sales professionals, work closely with senior leadership, and be directly responsible for meeting sales targets and growing revenue from key accounts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Sales Leadership: Manage a team of Enterprise Account Executives, providing guidance, mentorship, and strategic direction to ensure sales targets are met or exceeded.
• Strategic Account Management: Work with enterprise clients to understand their needs, position Blend’s solutions, and drive long-term relationships.
• Sales Strategy Development: Develop and execute sales strategies that align with Blend’s goals and market opportunities, ensuring that all team members are equipped to succeed.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Product, Marketing, and Customer Success teams to ensure seamless execution of client needs and successful solution delivery.
• Forecasting and Reporting: Provide accurate sales forecasting and reporting, analyzing pipeline health and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Interview Process

The interview process for the Manager, Enterprise Sales position at Blend typically involves multiple rounds to assess your leadership abilities, sales experience, and alignment with Blend’s values and culture. Below is an overview of each stage based on candidate experiences:

1. Initial Screening (Phone Interview with Recruiter)

The first step in the interview process is usually a phone interview with a recruiter. During this stage, the recruiter will assess your overall fit for the role, your background in enterprise sales, and your interest in working at Blend.

Common Questions:

• “Tell me about your experience managing enterprise sales teams.”
• “Why are you interested in this role at Blend, and how does your experience align with our products?”
• “Can you describe a time when you successfully led a sales team to meet or exceed targets?”
• “What is your approach to building and maintaining relationships with C-level executives in large enterprises?”

The recruiter will also provide information about the role’s responsibilities, compensation structure, and Blend’s company culture.

2. Sales Leadership Assessment

The second round typically involves a deeper dive into your sales leadership experience. You may have to meet with a hiring manager or senior leader. They will assess your ability to manage a team, develop sales strategies, and handle complex enterprise sales cycles.

Common Questions:

• “How do you manage and motivate your team when targets are not being met?”
• “Can you walk us through how you would develop a sales strategy for a new enterprise client?”
• “How do you balance long-term relationship building with short-term sales goals?”
• “Describe a time when you had to lead your team through a major sales transformation or change.”

What to Prepare:

• Be ready to showcase examples of how you’ve developed and executed sales strategies for enterprise clients.
• Prepare to talk about your experience with managing underperforming sales teams and how you turned things around.
• Demonstrate your ability to coach and mentor your team, showing how you’ve helped others grow in their sales careers.

3. Case Study or Sales Scenario

In this round, you may be asked to participate in a case study or sales role-play exercise. The goal is to assess your problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and sales tactics in a simulated enterprise sales environment.

Sample Scenarios:

• “You are leading a team that has just closed a major deal with a new enterprise client, but the client has concerns about implementation. How would you address their concerns, and how would you ensure successful implementation?”
• “Imagine you’re pitching Blend’s digital mortgage solution to a large financial institution. How would you approach the conversation to secure buy-in from the C-suite executives?”
• “A current enterprise client is considering leaving Blend for a competitor. How would you approach the situation to retain the client?”

What to Focus On:

• Demonstrate a consultative approach to selling, where you prioritize understanding the client’s needs and aligning solutions with those needs.
• Be sure to highlight how you handle objections, build long-term relationships, and ensure client success.
• Showcase how you balance tactical sales actions with strategic relationship management.

4. Behavioral Interview (Cultural Fit and Problem-Solving)

Blend places a strong emphasis on cultural fit, and this interview is designed to assess whether your values and work style align with the company’s. Expect questions about how you handle challenges, your management style, and your approach to working with cross-functional teams.

Common Questions:

• “Tell me about a time when you had to manage a difficult client relationship. How did you turn it around?”
• “How do you ensure alignment between your sales team and other departments like Product and Marketing?”
• “Describe a situation when you had to make a tough decision that impacted your team or clients. How did you approach it?”
• “What’s your leadership style, and how do you ensure your team remains motivated?”

What to Focus On:

• Blend values collaboration, so demonstrate how you work with other teams to drive sales success.
• Show that you can handle difficult situations with a calm, strategic approach.
• Highlight your leadership style and how it fosters trust, accountability, and a results-driven environment.

5. Final Interview with Senior Leadership

The final round often involves a conversation with senior leadership, such as the VP of Sales or the CEO. This interview assesses your strategic vision, leadership potential, and alignment with Blend’s long-term goals.

Common Questions:

• “How would you scale the enterprise sales team at Blend as the company grows?”
• “What do you see as the biggest challenges in the enterprise sales space, and how would you address them?”
• “How do you stay ahead of the competition in a rapidly changing market?”
• “What excites you about Blend’s mission, and how do you see yourself contributing to that vision?”

What to Focus On:

• Showcase your ability to think long-term and how you plan to help Blend grow its enterprise sales efforts.
• Demonstrate your deep understanding of the fintech and digital lending space, and how you would position Blend’s solutions in this competitive market.
• Make sure to align your answers with Blend’s mission of transforming the financial services industry through innovation.

What to Expect in the Role

As the Manager, Enterprise Sales, your role will involve:

• Leading a Sales Team: You will manage a team of enterprise sales professionals, setting clear goals, providing ongoing coaching, and ensuring the team is consistently meeting or exceeding targets.
• Developing Sales Strategies: You’ll create and execute strategic sales plans to target and close new enterprise clients while expanding existing relationships.
• Client Relationship Management: Maintaining and growing relationships with key enterprise clients is crucial. You’ll need to work closely with these clients to ensure their needs are being met and explore opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: You’ll collaborate with various departments—such as Product, Marketing, and Customer Success—to ensure seamless service delivery and that the sales team has the resources they need to succeed.
• Reporting and Forecasting: You’ll be responsible for providing sales forecasts, analyzing pipeline data, and reporting on team performance to senior leadership.

Tips for Success

• Master Blend’s Products: Be well-versed in Blend’s offerings, especially its digital mortgage and lending solutions. Understand how these products address the specific needs of enterprise clients.
• Showcase Leadership Experience: Emphasize your leadership experience, particularly in managing teams in a sales-driven environment. Be ready to share examples where you’ve successfully led a team through challenges or significant changes.
• Think Strategically: Blend is looking for candidates who can think both tactically and strategically. Prepare to discuss how you’ve developed and implemented long-term sales strategies in previous roles.
• Focus on Relationship Management: Demonstrate your ability to build and nurture relationships with C-level executives and key stakeholders within large enterprises.
• Understand the Market: Familiarize yourself with the challenges and trends in the fintech and digital lending space, as this will be crucial for positioning Blend’s solutions to enterprise clients.