Timing the Hire: When Should You Appoint a Chief Revenue Officer?

For ambitious scale-ups and high-growth technology firms, the question of when to hire a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) is just as critical as who to hire.

Bringing in a CRO too early may lead to misaligned expectations; too late, and you risk missed revenue targets, team fragmentation, or stalled growth.

A well-timed CRO hire can catalyse a business’s transition from founder-led sales to a structured, scalable, and metrics-driven revenue function. But determining the right moment requires strategic insight.

Key Indicators that you’re ready for a CRO

Below are five common signals that a CRO should be on the horizon:

1. Multiple GTM Functions Operating in Silos

If your sales, marketing, customer success and partnerships teams are growing but not aligned, a CRO can centralise strategy, reporting lines and execution.

2. Post Series B or C Funding Milestone

After a significant round, (and, this could also be a HUGE series A) expectations around revenue acceleration increase. Investors often look for a seasoned CRO who can build and execute a credible revenue roadmap.

3. Founders Are Still Too Involved in Sales

If your founders or C-suite are still closing deals themselves, it’s a sign the organisation has outgrown its current commercial structure.

4. Global or Vertical Expansion Plans

Entering new markets or launching new product lines requires coordinated GTM strategies. A CRO ensures consistency in messaging, pricing and customer experience.

5. Revenue Plateau Despite Headcount Growth

If you’re hiring more reps but not seeing a proportional increase in revenue, it could signal a lack of revenue leadership.

The Risk of Delayed Hiring

Delayed CRO hiring often leads to:

Misaligned incentives across GTM teams
Inefficient sales processes
Frustration among senior revenue leaders with no clear escalation point
Board pressure due to missed revenue goals

In high-growth settings, velocity is everything. A CRO doesn’t just fix current issues, they build the infrastructure to support the next phase of growth.

CRO vs VP Sales - What’s the Difference?

Many companies mistakenly view a CRO as a glorified VP of Sales, but the distinction matters –

VP Sales	CRO
Owns pipeline and sales targets	Owns entire revenue lifecycle
Leads sales execution	Leads GTM strategy across functions
Operates regionally or by segment	Thinks globally and cross-functionally

Final Considerations

Appointing a CRO is more than a tactical hire, it’s a strategic inflection point. It signals maturity, ambition, and a commitment to sustainable revenue growth.

Engaging with a talent partner who understands not only the CRO function, but also the broader GTM context and market dynamics, is essential.

The right CRO, hired at the right time, can be the catalyst that propels your company toward its next growth milestone.

David Ward

David is Co-Founder of Iperium, a global headhunter with over 20 years’ experience building leadership teams for PE and VC-backed technology companies. He has led executive searches across 80+ countries, scaling global teams for some of Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing firms and hiring strategic leaders into private equity owned companies to drive transformation worldwide.

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