A Blueprint for Building and Scaling a RevOps Team
Introduction
Revenue Operations (RevOps) has rapidly become a critical function within the SaaS industry. In fact, RevOps technology solutions have seen a 169% increase in adoption over the past six years, with a 43% increase between 2022 and 2023 alone (source). Furthermore, Gartner predicts that by 2026, 75% of the highest growth companies will adopt and run a RevOps model (source).?
As companies scale and Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies grow more complex, the need for operational alignment across teams has never been greater.
Yet, structuring and scaling a RevOps team remains a significant challenge for many organizations. Should RevOps focus solely on operational efficiency, or should it include strategy and enablement? How do you balance specialization with scalability?
In this article, we will provide a comprehensive blueprint for building and growing a RevOps department, offering insights into team structure, key roles, and career paths. This model is designed to be adaptable to various mandates and company sizes, making it relevant for any organization looking to unlock sustainable growth.
Why RevOps? The Need for Unified GTM
RevOps evolved from traditional Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success operations with the goal of solving three primary challenges:
RevOps teams may differ in scope - from managing systems and data to owning GTM strategy and enablement - but they all share one mission: to optimize the entire revenue engine.
The Four Pillars of RevOps
RevOps teams operate across four distinct pillars, each representing specialized functions necessary for success:
Each pillar brings unique value and skills, contributing to a high-performing revenue engine.
Systems: Building and Integrating Complex Systems
Overview:
The Systems team is the backbone of RevOps infrastructure. These professionals design, implement, and manage tools like CRMs (e.g., Salesforce), ensuring seamless integration with other platforms. They are responsible for maintaining data flows between GTM systems and broader business systems.
Key Skills:
Career Path:
Deployment Tips:
Smaller companies often outsource or merge this function with Operations. For larger organizations, dedicated Systems teams become essential to scale effectively.
Operations: the Backbone of RevOps
Overview:
Operations teams handle the day-to-day processes and requests that keep GTM systems running smoothly. Typical responsibilities include managing a tech stack that often spans 15–20 tools, integrating them with the CRM to support account planning, prospecting, enrichment, marketing automation, and more. They ensure that tools are properly configured, reps have the resources they need, and new processes are implemented effectively.
Key Responsibilities:
Key Skills:
Career Path:
Deployment Tips:
This is the first function to hire when building a RevOps department. Over time, it can evolve into specialized sub-teams (e.g., Sales Ops, Marketing Ops, CS Ops).
Strategy: The Differentiator of RevOps
Overview:
Strategy is where RevOps delivers the greatest business impact. The Strategy team analyzes KPIs, identifies bottlenecks, and proposes new processes to maximize GTM performance. These professionals act as the “brains” of the Revenue factory.
Key Responsibilities:
Emerging Role:
The GTM Engineer is a new hybrid role that combines data expertise with operational skills, often leveraging AI to automate workflows and drive efficiency. This emerging role represents an evolution of the traditional BDR, integrating AI, data, and operational capabilities to take a more strategic position within GTM teams. As it bridges technical and strategic functions, the GTM Engineer should be considered an integral part of the Strategy pillar in RevOps
Key Skills:
Career Path:
Deployment Tips:
Strategy teams are critical for scaling organizations. Smaller companies may outsource this function, while larger ones benefit from having in-house expertise.
Enablement: Equipping Reps for Success
Overview:
The Enablement team focuses on training and empowering GTM representatives (BDRs, AEs, CSMs, etc.). They work closely with Strategy and Operations to ensure processes are adopted and reps are consistently improving their skills.
Key Responsibilities:
Key Skills:
Career Path:
Deployment Tips:
Enablement becomes essential as teams scale and need consistent processes for onboarding and performance improvement.
Scalability Checklist
Here’s how to scale your RevOps department effectively:
Assess Current Needs:
Start Small:
Expand Strategically:
Ensure a Mix of Roles and Expertise:
Focus on Collaboration:
Establish Points of Contact (POCs):
Measure Success:
Conclusion
RevOps is a multidisciplinary and dynamic function that combines technical expertise, operational execution, and strategic insight. Structuring such a team requires careful consideration of company size, GTM complexity, and growth goals. By leveraging the four pillars—Systems, Operations, Strategy, and Enablement—organizations can create a high-performing RevOps team that drives long-term revenue growth.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to hundreds of millions ARR business, this blueprint offers a foundation for building and optimizing your RevOps function.
How does your organization structure RevOps? Share your insights and challenges in the comments!
Revenue Operations for Tech Companies with $bn volume goal | Cross Border Payments | OTC Desk |
2 个月Insightful article for everyone at whatever stage of their RevOps journey. Thanks Andreas Drakos - I sent you a DM with some follow up questions.
Analyst with a Business Mind | RevOps | Always Learning
2 个月Appreciate it, Andreas!
Interim Executive | Advising CEOs & Founders | Product Growth | Marketing Growth | Revenue Growth
2 个月The most interesting piece of the jigsaw is the cyclical nature of the 'Operations: Managing the day-to-day execution of GTM processes' > 'Strategy: Analyzing data to refine GTM strategies and drive decision-making' hamster wheel. How do the ups and downs of the daya to day inform revisions, updates or even wholesale change to yur strategic dorection?