The SaaS Org Chart

Created
Jan 19, 2023 8:01 PM
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URL
https://sacks.substack.com/p/the-saas-org-chart
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You’re the founder of a nicely growing SaaS startup which has just raised a Series A, Series B, or Series C funding round. You need to hire rapidly to seize the opportunity. But how much should you hire, what roles should you hire, and what should the org chart look like when you’re done?

Below are some target org charts that a new Series A, Series B, or Series C stage SaaS startup should be staffing towards. While there is no one-size-fits-all org chart for every SaaS startup — important differences will result from the particularities of your model — these frameworks and rules of thumb can be helpful as a starting point.

Series A Target — 50 Employee Org

  • CEO (50)
    • CTO (12)
      • Front End (4)
      • Back End (2)
      • Client Applications (2)
      • Core Services/Platform (1)
      • Analytics (1)
      • Dev Ops/Infra (1)
    • Director, Product (5)
      • PM (2)
      • Design (2)
    • VP, Sales (12)
      • Enterprise AE (2)
      • Mid-Market AE (2)
      • SMB AE (2)
      • SDR (2-4)
      • Sales Ops (1)
    • Director, Customer Success Management (9)
      • CSM Enterprise (2)
      • CSM Mid-Market (2)
      • Implementation / Solutions or Sales Engineer (1-2)
      • Support Rep (1-2)
    • Director, Marketing (6)
      • Demand Gen (1-2)
      • Product Marketing (1)
      • Sales Enablement Marketing (1)
      • Events/Community (1)
    • Director, Finance (6)
      • FP&A Analyst (1)
      • Accountant (1)
      • HR (1)
      • Ops (1)
      • Recruiter (1-2)

Series B Target — 125 Employee Org

  • CEO (125)
    • CTO (40)
      • VP, Engineering (28)
        • Director, Web (15)
          • Front End (8)
          • Rails (6)
        • Director, Client Applications, plus 5 devs (6)
        • Director, Core Services/Platform, plus 3 devs (4)
        • QA (2)
      • Director, Infrastructure, plus 2 devs (3)
      • Director, Security, plus 1 dev (2)
      • Director, Analytics, plus 3 analysts (4)
      • IT (2)
    • VP, Product (11)
      • PM (5)
      • Design (5)
    • CRO 45
      • Director or VP, Sales (15)
        • Enterprise AE (5)
        • SMB & MM AE (8)
        • Renewals Specialist (1)
      • Director, Sales Development, plus 5 SDRs (6)
      • Director, Sales Operations, plus 2 sales ops (3)
      • Director or VP, Biz Dev/Partnerships (1)
      • VP, CSM 19
        • CSM Enterprise (6)
        • CSM SMB & MM (5)
        • Director, Implementation / Solutions, plus 2 solutions or sales engineers (3)
        • Director, Customer Support, plus 3 CS reps (4)
    • CMO (15)
      • Director, Product Marketing, plus 3 PMMs (4)
      • Director, Demand Gen, plus 3 marketers (4)
      • Director, Sales Enablement, plus 2 marketers (3)
      • Director, Brand Marketing (3)
        • PR & Analyst Relations (1-2)
        • Events/Community (1)
    • CFO 13
      • FP&A director and analyst (2)
      • Controller, plus 1-2 accountants (2-3)
      • Director of Recruiting, plus 3 recruiters (4)
      • HR (2)
      • Ops (2)

Series C Target — 400 Employee Org

  • CEO (400)
    • CTO (114)
      • VP, Engineering (92)
        • Director, Web: Front End, plus 2-3 managers, plus 26 devs (30)
        • Director, Web: Rails, plus 1-2 managers, plus 16 devs (18)
        • Director, Client Applications, plus 13 devs (14)
        • Director, Core Services, plus 13 devs (14)
        • Director, Acquihire Project, plus 8 devs (9)
        • Director, QA, plus 5 devs (6)
      • Director, Infrastructure, plus 5 devs (6)
      • Director, Security, plus 2 devs (3)
      • VP, Analytics, plus 4 analysts and 2 data services devs (7)
      • VP, IT, plus 4 IT support (5)
    • CPO (23)
      • Director, Product, plus 9 PMs (10)
      • Director, Design (12)
        • Designer (8)
        • User Research (2)
        • Copywriter (1)
    • CRO (185)
      • VP or SVP, U.S. Sales (73)
        • Director or VP, Enterprise Sales, plus 9 AEs (10)
        • Director or VP, Mid-Market Sales, plus 9 AEs (10)
        • Director or VP, SMB Sales, plus 15 AEs (16)
        • Director, Sales Development, plus 2 managers, plus 22 SDRs (25)
        • VP, Sales Ops, plus 5 ops (e.g. for SFDC admin, comp plans, territories, analytics, quota credit) (6)
        • Training (5)
      • VP, CSM (52)
        • Director, Enterprise CSM, plus 16 CSMs (17)
        • Director, Mid-Market CSM, plus 6 CSMs (7)
        • Director, Implementation/Solutions Engineering, plus 11 Solutions or Sales Engineers (12)
        • Director, Customer Support, plus 10 CS reps (11)
        • Renewals Coordinator (1)
        • Training (3)
      • GM, Europe (60)
        • Director, Enterprise Sales, plus 9 AEs (10)
        • Director, SMB & MM Sales, plus 9 AEs (10)
        • Manager, Sales Development, plus 8 SDRs (9)
        • Director, Customer Success, plus 16 CSMs (17)
        • Sales or Solutions Engineer (5)
        • Recruiting (3)
        • Ops (5)
      • VP, Biz Dev, plus 2 partner managers (3)
    • CMO (33)
      • Director, Product Marketing, plus 6 PMMs (7)
      • Director, Demand Gen (6)
        • Ad Manager (1-2)
        • Brand Marketer (3)
      • Director, Sales Enablement (5)
        • Solutions Marketer (3)
        • Competitive Intel (1)
      • Director, Corporate Marketing (14)
        • Public Relations (2-3)
        • Analyst Relations (1-2)
        • Events (3)
        • Community (2)
        • Creative (5)
    • CFO (39)
      • Controller, plus 6 accountants (6)
      • Director, Recruiting, plus 16 recruiters (17)
      • HR (3)
      • FP&A (3)
      • Ops (9)
    • General Counsel (1)

Typical Ratios

  • 10% G&A : 40% R&D : 50% S&M
  • 1 Manager : 5-10 Reports
  • 1 SDR : 2 AE
  • 1 Sales Ops : 10 AE
  • 1 PM : 5-8 Dev
  • 1 DevOps : 15 Dev
  • 1 Design : 5-10 Dev
  • 1 User Research : 10 Design

ARR per Employee

  • Series A:
    • $1 million ARR
    • 40-50 employees
    • $20,000-25,000 of ARR per employee
  • Series B:
    • $5 million ARR
    • 100-125 employees
    • $40,000-50,000 of ARR per employee
  • Series C
    • $20 million ARR
    • 300-400 employees
    • $50,000-66,666 of ARR per employee
  • At IPO (average)
    • $100 million ARR
    • 1,000 employees
    • $100,000 of ARR per employee

Further Reading