Do your CMO and CRO have a right to be worried about their job tenure? Yes — probably. They have the shortest job durations in tech.
The Data: Analysis of 14,000 executives across companies in Pave’s real-time compensation database, measuring annual turnover rates and implied median tenures.
The Bottom Line: Go-to-market leaders face brutal turnover rates, with both Chief Marketing Officers and Chief Revenue Officers averaging just 1.8 years in their roles – the shortest tenure of any executive function.
We see this every year at SaaStr itself. Every year, we work with 150+ top sponsors and partners for SaaStr AI Summit + Europe, mostly marketing leaders. And every year, when we go to get renewals — half of the CMOs and VPMs are … gone.
Key Insights:
- GTM roles have 32% annual turnover (CMOs) and 32% annual turnover (CROs)
- This means roughly 1 in 3 CMOs and CROs turn over every single year
- Compare this to CEOs (4.3-year average tenure) and CTOs (3.7 years)
- Even VP-level GTM roles struggle: VP of Sales (2.0 years), VP of Marketing (1.9 years)
We’ve all heard the horror stories — and seen them again, and again, on LinkedIn. The CMO who got fired 18 months in when the pipeline dried up. The CRO who lasted exactly one quota cycle before getting shown the door.
But just how brutal is executive turnover in B2B? And which roles are really the most dangerous?
Thanks to new data from Pave analyzing 14,000 executives across their compensation database, we finally have the numbers. And honestly? They’re even more sobering than you might think.
The GTM Bloodbath Is Real
Let’s start with the headline: Chief Marketing Officers last an average of just 1.8 years. Chief Revenue Officers? Also 1.8 years.
Think about that for a second. Most SaaS sales cycles are 6-12 months. By the time a new CRO or CMO has even figured out what’s broken, implemented changes, and seen those changes flow through to revenue… they’re already on borrowed time.
The data shows GTM roles across the board are the most volatile:
- Chief Marketing Officer: 1.8 years
- Chief Revenue Officer: 1.8 years
- VP of Sales: 2.0 years
- VP of Marketing: 1.9 years
Why GTM Execs Get The Shortest Leash
This isn’t really surprising when you think about it. GTM leaders are the most directly accountable for the number that matters most: revenue growth.
Miss your number two quarters in a row? You’re probably updating your LinkedIn. Pipeline conversion drops 20%? Time to start networking. CAC payback extends beyond 18 months? Start polishing that resume.
Compare this to other executive functions:
- Chief Technology Officer: 3.7 years
- Chief Operating Officer: 3.5 years
- Chief Financial Officer: 2.9 years
Technology and operations leaders get more runway because their impact is less immediately measurable. A CTO can point to technical debt reduction or infrastructure improvements. A COO can highlight process optimization and efficiency gains.
But a CRO? Their scoreboard is updated in real-time. Every. Single. Day.
The CEO Exception
Interestingly, CEOs buck the trend with an average tenure of 4.3 years. This makes sense – they’re typically the ones doing the firing, not getting fired. Plus, boards generally give CEOs more time to execute their vision, especially if they’re founders or were hired with a clear mandate for transformation.
What This Means For Your Hiring Strategy
If you’re a CEO or board member, this data should inform how you think about GTM hiring:
1. Hire for quick ramp time. With such short tenures, you can’t afford someone who needs 12 months to get up to speed. Look for pattern recognition and immediate impact potential.
2. Set realistic expectations. If the average CMO lasts 1.8 years, maybe don’t structure their entire comp plan around 3-year performance metrics.
3. Invest in onboarding. Every month of ramp time is precious when the clock is already ticking. Ideally, try to get every exec to be an expert in your product and company before they start.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a CRO or CMO reading this, the data is clear: you’re in a high-risk, high-reward role. The average tenure is under 2 years, which means you need to drive results fast and constantly manage up on progress.
If you’re hiring for these roles, remember that the industry standard does basically approach a revolving door. The question isn’t whether you’ll eventually replace your GTM leaders – it’s how to get maximum value during their brief tenure.
