Free Word download • Edit online • Save & share with Drive • Export to PDF
-job-description-D11707.png)
A Sales Representative Wholesale (Non-Technical) Job Description is a formally structured document that defines the duties, performance targets, compensation structure, territory assignment, and reporting obligations for an employee hired to sell non-technical goods — such as consumer products, food and beverage, apparel, or building materials — to wholesale buyers including distributors, retailers, and institutional accounts. When incorporated by reference into a signed employment agreement, it becomes a legally binding record of what the employer and employee agreed the role entails, providing the evidentiary foundation needed to enforce commission calculations, manage performance, and terminate for cause without dispute.
Unlike a generic job posting used for recruitment, this document is designed to be signed, filed in the employee's personnel record, and referenced in commission or performance proceedings. It specifies not just what the rep does day-to-day, but the precise triggers for commission payment, the boundaries of account ownership, the CRM obligations that support forecasting and management, and the post-employment obligations the rep carries forward after separation.
Without a signed, detailed job description incorporated into the employment contract, four problems become routine. First, commission disputes over house accounts, territory boundaries, and the earn-on-payment trigger have no written resolution mechanism — and reps who feel shortchanged typically escalate or resign at the worst possible time in the sales cycle. Second, terminating an underperforming rep without a documented quota threshold and progressive-discipline reference creates wrongful-termination exposure in virtually every jurisdiction, including US states that otherwise recognize at-will employment. Third, a rep who leaves and immediately calls your top wholesale accounts has almost certainly violated a non-solicitation obligation — but that obligation is unenforceable unless it is in a signed agreement the rep received before their start date. Fourth, CRM hygiene breaks down immediately when logging is listed as a duty but carries no documented consequence, leaving the company with no pipeline visibility and no account history when the rep departs. This template closes all four gaps in the time it takes to customize 10 fields.
| If your situation is… | Use this template |
|---|---|
| Hiring a rep who sells technical or engineered products requiring product expertise | Sales Representative (Technical) Job Description |
| Engaging an independent rep on a commission-only basis rather than as an employee | Independent Sales Representative Agreement |
| Hiring a sales manager to oversee a team of wholesale reps | Sales Manager Job Description |
| Defining the full employment terms alongside this job description | Employment Contract |
| Bringing on a retail sales associate for in-store selling rather than wholesale | Sales Associate Job Description |
| Hiring a sales rep for inside sales and telephone-based wholesale outreach | Inside Sales Representative Job Description |
| Creating a documented commission and quota plan to attach to this description | Sales Commission Agreement |
Why it matters: An unsigned job description cannot be used as evidence of an employee's awareness of their duties or performance obligations in a wrongful-termination or commission dispute. Courts treat unsigned documents as informational, not contractual.
Fix: Add a dated signature line to every job description and obtain the employee's signature before or on day one. Attach the signed document to the employment contract in the personnel file.
Why it matters: Reps who discover undisclosed house accounts or inbound-lead exclusions after signing are far more likely to dispute commissions, disengage, or resign — and they often win informal disputes when the exclusions were never documented.
Fix: List every house account, inbound digital account, and shared territory exception in a named Exhibit A attached to the job description at the time of signing.
Why it matters: Paying commission when an order is submitted — rather than when payment is received — means the company pays out on cancelled, returned, or uncollected orders, creating material cash-flow exposure as the sales team scales.
Fix: Define commission as earned upon receipt of customer payment and include a clawback for commissions already paid on orders that are subsequently cancelled or remain unpaid beyond 90 days.
Why it matters: Post-employment non-solicitation obligations included solely in a job description — and not in the executed employment contract — are routinely challenged as non-binding, because job descriptions are rarely treated as standalone contracts by courts.
Fix: Include the full non-solicitation clause in the employment contract and use the job description only to reference and acknowledge it. Ensure both documents are signed before the employee's start date.
Why it matters: Listing CRM maintenance as a duty without a stated consequence means managers have no documented enforcement mechanism. Reps deprioritize logging, account history is lost when they leave, and pipeline forecasts become unreliable.
Fix: State explicitly that failure to maintain CRM records within the required timeframe may result in account reassignment and will be addressed through the standard performance improvement process.
Why it matters: Listing a four-year degree as required for a role where demonstrated sales performance is the actual criterion can constitute indirect discrimination in several jurisdictions, particularly if the requirement disproportionately screens out protected groups.
Fix: Audit each qualification for genuine operational necessity. Replace degree requirements with demonstrated-experience equivalents where the credential is not legally or professionally mandated for the role.
In plain language: Defines the purpose of the position, the primary business outcome expected, and where the role fits within the sales organization.
The Wholesale Sales Representative (Non-Technical) is responsible for generating revenue by acquiring new wholesale accounts and growing existing customer relationships within the assigned territory. The role reports to the [REGIONAL SALES MANAGER / DIRECTOR OF SALES] and is expected to achieve annual revenue targets of $[AMOUNT].
Common mistake: Writing a generic role summary that could apply to any sales job. A vague summary creates ambiguity about whether the rep's obligations include account management, prospecting, or both — leading to disputes over commission eligibility on house accounts.
In plain language: Lists the specific, day-to-day tasks the representative must perform — prospecting, presentations, order management, and account reviews.
Responsibilities include: (a) prospecting and qualifying new wholesale accounts within the assigned territory; (b) conducting product presentations and price negotiations; (c) submitting accurate orders via [CRM PLATFORM]; (d) maintaining a minimum of [X] customer-facing calls per week; and (e) attending [FREQUENCY] trade shows and sales meetings.
Common mistake: Omitting CRM maintenance as a duty. When reps do not log activity, managers have no documented basis for performance improvement plans, and the company loses the account history if the rep leaves.
In plain language: States the minimum education, experience, and competencies needed to perform the role — used as the legal baseline for hiring and performance decisions.
Minimum qualifications: [X] years of B2B or wholesale sales experience; demonstrated ability to manage a portfolio of [X]+ accounts; proficiency in Microsoft Office and [CRM NAME]; valid driver's license required for territory travel. Preferred: experience in [INDUSTRY VERTICAL].
Common mistake: Listing qualifications that are not genuine occupational requirements — for example, requiring a degree for a role where demonstrated sales performance is the real criterion. Overly restrictive qualifications can expose employers to discrimination claims in several jurisdictions.
In plain language: Defines the geographic or named-account scope within which the rep operates and whether the territory is exclusive or shared.
Representative is assigned the [GEOGRAPHIC REGION / NAMED ACCOUNT LIST] as their primary territory. Territory is [exclusive / non-exclusive]. House accounts — listed in Exhibit A — are excluded from commission calculations. Territory assignments may be modified by the Company with [X] days' written notice.
Common mistake: Granting an 'exclusive' territory without defining what exclusivity means for inbound digital leads or house accounts. Reps who discover unadvertised exclusions after signing typically escalate to formal disputes or resignation.
In plain language: States the base salary (if any), commission rate and calculation method, payment timing, and any bonus tied to quota attainment.
Base salary: $[AMOUNT] per year, paid bi-weekly. Commission: [X]% of net invoice value on all closed orders within the assigned territory, paid within [30] days of customer payment receipt. Accelerator: [X]% on revenue exceeding [Y]% of quarterly quota. All commissions are earned upon receipt of customer payment, not upon order submission.
Common mistake: Failing to define when a commission is 'earned.' Without an earned-on-payment clause, reps in several jurisdictions may claim commission on orders submitted but later cancelled, returned, or unpaid — a significant financial exposure for the company.
In plain language: Identifies the quota, activity KPIs, and performance standards against which the rep will be formally evaluated.
Annual quota: $[AMOUNT] in net wholesale revenue. Quarterly minimum threshold: [X]% of annualized quota to remain in good standing. Activity KPIs: minimum [X] new account contacts per week, [X] account reviews per quarter. Performance below [Y]% of quota for [Z] consecutive quarters constitutes grounds for a formal performance improvement plan.
Common mistake: Setting quotas in the job description without linking them to the commission plan or employment contract. Disconnected documents allow reps to argue they were not formally bound by the quota threshold when termination for underperformance is challenged.
In plain language: Defines the reports, call logs, forecast submissions, and CRM entries the representative must complete and when.
Representative shall: (a) update [CRM NAME] within [24] hours of all customer interactions; (b) submit a weekly pipeline report to [MANAGER TITLE] by [DAY/TIME]; (c) provide a monthly account review covering top [X] accounts by revenue. Failure to maintain CRM records may result in account reassignment.
Common mistake: No explicit consequence for CRM non-compliance. Without a stated outcome — account reassignment or documented warning — the obligation is unenforceable in practice and reps routinely deprioritize it.
In plain language: Prohibits the rep from disclosing pricing, customer lists, and proprietary sales data during and after employment, and references the governing confidentiality provisions in the employment agreement.
Representative acknowledges that customer account lists, pricing schedules, and sales data are Confidential Information of the Company as defined in the Employment Agreement dated [DATE]. Representative shall not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than performing their duties under this Job Description.
Common mistake: Treating the job description as the sole confidentiality document without referencing a signed NDA or employment agreement. Job descriptions are often challenged as non-binding; the confidentiality obligations must be anchored in a separately executed agreement.
In plain language: Flags that the representative is subject to a non-solicitation restriction — the details of which are contained in the governing employment contract — preventing post-employment poaching of accounts or colleagues.
Representative acknowledges that upon separation from employment, the non-solicitation obligations set out in Section [X] of the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force. Representative shall not, for [X] months following separation, directly or indirectly solicit any wholesale account served during their tenure.
Common mistake: Embedding full non-solicit terms only in the job description and not in the employment contract. Courts in most jurisdictions will not enforce post-employment restrictions that appear only in a job description, as it is typically not treated as a binding contractual document.
In plain language: States that the job description supplements — and does not replace — the employment agreement, and requires the employee to sign acknowledging receipt and understanding.
This Job Description is incorporated by reference into and forms part of the Employment Agreement between [COMPANY NAME] and [EMPLOYEE NAME] dated [DATE]. Employee acknowledges receipt of this Job Description and confirms they understand and accept the duties, performance standards, and obligations described herein. Signature: ___________ Date: ___________
Common mistake: Distributing the job description without obtaining a signed acknowledgment. An unsigned job description cannot be introduced as evidence that an employee was aware of their performance obligations in a wrongful-termination or commission dispute.
Use the employer's full registered legal name, the primary work location or territory base, and the exact job title that will appear on the offer letter and payroll records.
💡 Keep the job title consistent across the job description, offer letter, employment contract, and payroll system — inconsistencies create classification and tax complications.
Name the specific manager title the rep reports to and note whether this role is part of a larger regional or national field sales team.
💡 Avoid naming the specific manager by personal name — use their title so the document remains valid if the manager changes.
Sequence the responsibilities from highest to lowest estimated time commitment. Lead with core revenue-generating duties — prospecting, presentations, closing — before administrative tasks like CRM updates and reports.
💡 Add a catch-all clause: 'and any other duties reasonably assigned by management' to preserve flexibility without triggering a contract amendment every time scope shifts.
Define the territory clearly — by state, zip code range, named account list, or vertical market. List all house accounts and inbound-channel exclusions explicitly in Exhibit A.
💡 If the territory is non-exclusive, say so clearly. An ambiguous territory clause is one of the most common triggers for commission disputes in wholesale sales.
Enter base salary, commission rate, accelerator tiers, and the explicit earn-on-payment trigger. Cross-reference the commission plan document if one exists separately.
💡 Include a clawback provision for commissions paid on orders that are subsequently returned or remain unpaid beyond 90 days.
Enter the annual quota in dollar terms, the quarterly minimum threshold percentage, and the activity KPIs. Tie the performance thresholds directly to the terms in the employment contract.
💡 State the consequence of missing the threshold — a performance improvement plan, not immediate termination — to preserve a defensible progressive discipline process.
Add the execution date of the governing employment agreement and NDA in the confidentiality and non-solicitation clauses so the documents are legally linked.
💡 Never let the job description be the only signed document. It should always reference and be attached to a fully executed employment agreement.
Have the employee sign the acknowledgment block before or on their first day of employment. File the signed copy in the employee's HR record and provide a copy to the employee.
💡 Use a timestamped eSign solution so the execution date is indisputable if the document is ever introduced in a commission or termination dispute.
A wholesale sales representative job description is a formal document that defines the duties, performance expectations, compensation structure, territory, and reporting obligations for a sales representative who sells goods in bulk to retailers, distributors, or institutional buyers. In its legally referenced form, it is incorporated into the employment contract and signed by the employee to create an enforceable record of agreed obligations — particularly for commission and performance management purposes.
A non-technical wholesale sales representative sells consumer goods, commodity products, or packaged goods that do not require specialized engineering or technical knowledge to present and sell — examples include FMCG products, apparel, food and beverage, and household goods. A technical sales representative sells products that require product-specific expertise — industrial equipment, chemicals, or software — and the job description typically includes technical qualification requirements and more complex product-training obligations.
A job description does not need to be signed to serve as an internal reference document, but it should be signed when it is incorporated into an employment contract or used as the basis for performance management and commission disputes. An unsigned job description is generally treated as informational by courts; a signed one, referenced in the employment agreement, creates an enforceable record of what the employee understood and accepted about their role and obligations.
No. A job description defines the role but does not replace an employment contract, which governs IP assignment, confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicitation obligations, termination terms, and severance. Relying on a job description alone leaves the employer without enforceable post-employment restrictions and creates ambiguity on termination obligations. Always pair a signed job description with a fully executed employment agreement.
Quotas should be stated in dollar terms with a specific period — for example, $750,000 in net wholesale revenue per fiscal year, with a quarterly minimum of 20% of annualized quota to remain in good standing. Vague targets like 'meeting expectations' or 'achieving growth' are not enforceable. Quantified targets are essential when using performance against quota as the basis for a performance improvement plan or termination for cause.
At minimum: the commission rate (e.g., 5% of net invoice value), the trigger event (earned on receipt of customer payment, not on order submission), the payment timing (within 30 days of customer payment), any accelerator tiers for quota overachievement, and a clawback provision for commissions paid on orders that are cancelled or remain unpaid. Missing the earn-on-payment clause is the single most common source of commission disputes in wholesale sales.
Generally, non-solicitation clauses referenced in a job description are not independently enforceable unless they are also contained in a signed employment contract or standalone restrictive covenant agreement. Courts in most jurisdictions require that post-employment restrictions be in a separately executed document supported by adequate consideration. A job description can acknowledge and reference those obligations, but the binding language must live in the employment contract.
In the US, job descriptions are governed by state employment law, and the enforceability of at-will language, quota-based termination, and non-solicitation varies by state — California imposes particularly strict limits. In Canada, job descriptions must align with provincial employment standards, and termination for underperformance requires documented progressive discipline. In the UK, job descriptions must be consistent with the written statement of employment particulars required by law, and any commission structure changes require employee consent.
Review and update the job description whenever a rep's territory, quota, reporting line, or compensation structure changes materially. Minor updates can be issued as addenda; substantive changes — particularly to compensation or territory — require the employee's written acknowledgment and, in some jurisdictions, may require fresh consideration to be legally binding. Annual reviews aligned to the fiscal year planning cycle are a sound practice.
An independent sales representative agreement governs a self-employed contractor who sells on the company's behalf without employment entitlements — no base salary, no benefits, and no tax withholding. A wholesale sales rep job description, by contrast, is used for an employee relationship with full statutory obligations. Misclassifying an employee rep as an independent contractor triggers back payroll taxes, benefit liability, and penalties in most jurisdictions.
A sales commission agreement is a standalone document that governs the mechanics of commission calculation, payment timing, clawbacks, and accelerators in contractual detail. A job description defines the role and references the commission structure at a summary level. Both documents are typically used together — the job description defines the role; the commission agreement governs the pay. Using only a job description without a commission agreement leaves critical payment terms underspecified.
An employment contract is the primary binding document governing IP assignment, confidentiality, non-compete, termination, and severance. A job description defines the role duties, quota, and territory — it supplements the contract rather than replacing it. Post-employment restrictions and termination terms must be in the employment contract to be enforceable; a job description alone is insufficient as a standalone legal document.
A sales manager job description governs a supervisory role responsible for hiring, coaching, and holding a team of reps accountable to collective targets — it includes team management duties, hiring authority, and broader strategic planning obligations. A wholesale sales representative job description covers an individual contributor focused on territory revenue and account management. The two are used together as a team is built: the rep description is issued first, then the manager description is added when the team reaches a size requiring dedicated leadership.
High call-frequency requirements, SKU-level sales targets, planogram compliance duties, and retailer-specific promotional execution obligations.
Distributor account management, on-premise versus off-premise channel splits, seasonal quota adjustments, and cold-chain compliance references in duties.
Seasonal buying-cycle alignment, showroom presentation duties, markdown responsibility clauses, and territory exclusivity tied to retailer tier.
Project-pipeline tracking in CRM, contractor and dealer account tiers, volume-rebate program management, and specification-selling duties with architects or contractors.
Compliance with anti-kickback and HCP interaction policies, required product training certifications, and hospital GPO contract adherence in the duties block.
Named-account ownership structures, value-added reseller channel management, and tiered commission structures based on account category and margin contribution.
At-will employment governs most US sales roles, but quota-based termination must still follow a documented progressive-discipline process in states like Montana and under certain implied-contract doctrines. Commission payment timing is regulated in several states — California, for example, requires commissions to be paid as soon as practicable after they are earned and prohibits clawbacks in most circumstances. Non-solicitation clauses in California are broadly unenforceable; review state-specific restrictions before including them.
Canadian employment standards legislation in each province sets minimum requirements for notice, termination pay, and severance that cannot be contracted out of. Quota-based termination must follow documented progressive discipline to avoid constructive dismissal claims. Commission structures must comply with provincial wage payment legislation — Ontario's Employment Standards Act, for example, requires that commission statements be provided in writing. Quebec-based roles require French-language versions of all employment documents for provincially regulated employers.
UK employers must provide a written statement of employment particulars on or before day one, and the job description should be consistent with those particulars. Commission structures that change materially require the employee's express written consent — unilateral changes can trigger constructive dismissal claims. The Working Time Regulations cap average working hours at 48 per week unless the employee opts out in writing, which is relevant for field sales roles with high travel demands. Post-termination non-solicitation clauses must be reasonable in duration and scope to be enforceable.
The EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive requires that core employment terms — including duties and remuneration — be provided in writing within seven days of hire. Member states vary significantly on commission protection: France and Germany impose strict rules on unilateral commission plan changes and require employee agreement for material amendments. Post-employment non-solicitation obligations typically require compensation to the employee in Germany and several other member states to be enforceable. GDPR applies to the handling of customer data accessed by sales reps, and this should be referenced in the confidentiality clause.
| Path | Best for | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use the template | Small businesses and growing sales teams hiring non-technical wholesale reps in a single domestic jurisdiction | Free | 20–30 minutes |
| Template + legal review | Companies with complex commission structures, exclusive territory grants, or reps hired across multiple US states or Canadian provinces | $300–$600 | 1–3 days |
| Custom drafted | Employers hiring in heavily regulated industries (healthcare, financial services), cross-border roles, or roles with material non-solicitation and IP exposure | $1,000–$3,000 | 1–2 weeks |
This document is one of 3,000+ business & legal templates included in Business in a Box.
Access over 3,000+ business and legal templates for any business task, project or initiative.
Customize your ready-made business document template and save it in the cloud.
Share your files and folders with your team. Create a space of seamless collaboration.
"Fantastic value! I'm not sure how I'd do without it. It's worth its weight in gold and paid back for itself many times."
"I have been using Business in a Box for years. It has been the most useful source of templates I have encountered. I recommend it to anyone."
"It has been a life saver so many times I have lost count. Business in a Box has saved me so much time and as you know, time is money."
Stop downloading documents. Start operating with clarity. Business in a Box gives you the Business Operating System used by over 250,000 companies worldwide to structure, run, and grow their business.
Start free · No credit card required
