Sales Development Representative (SDR) Manager

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The SDR Manager is responsible for building, coaching, and leading a high-performing team of Sales Development Representatives. You'll own the strategy for outbound prospecting, ensuring your team consistently generates high-quality sales pipeline for our Account Executives, which directly impacts our overall revenue growth. You'll work at the intersection of Sales, Marketing, and Operations, translating our go-to-market strategy into actionable daily activities for your team. This means making sure everyone's on the same page, from the message we're sending out to how we're tracking success. When this role is done well, we see a consistent flow of well-qualified meetings, a strong pipeline, and a highly motivated team that feels supported and developed. When it's not, our sales pipeline dries up, our Account Executives are left scrambling, and we miss revenue targets—frankly, it's a critical role. The challenge is balancing individual rep performance with overall team strategy and navigating the inevitable ups and downs of a sales cycle. The reward? Seeing your team members grow, hit their targets, and ultimately progress into Account Executive roles, knowing you played a huge part in their success.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Director of Sales Development
• Direct reports: Roughly 8-12 SDRs, possibly 1-2 Team Leads
• Matrix relationships: Head of Sales Development, SDR Team Lead (Senior), Manager, Business Development Representatives (BDRs), Outbound Sales Manager,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Director of Sales Development (your direct boss)
• Account Executives (who receive your team's meetings)
• Sales Operations (for reporting, CRM, and process optimisation)
• Marketing Team (for messaging, content, and lead quality)
• Product Team (to understand new features and value propositions)
• HR/Talent Acquisition (for hiring and onboarding new SDRs)

External:

• Sales Engagement Platform Vendors (e.g., Outreach, SalesLoft)
• Lead Intelligence Providers (e.g., ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator)
• Industry peers and thought leaders (for best practices and networking)

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly impacts our new business revenue by ensuring a robust, qualified sales pipeline. You're essentially the engine room for future deals, driving the initial conversations that turn into significant revenue. Your team's performance is a leading indicator for the entire sales organisation's health, so getting it right really matters.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Team Meetings Booked
2. Desc: The total number of qualified discovery meetings your team successfully books for Account Executives each month.
3. Target: 100%+ of team's monthly quota (e.g., 80-120 meetings)
4. Freq: Weekly and Monthly
5. Example: If the team quota is 100 meetings, hitting 105 means 105% attainment. We'll track this closely, obviously.
6. Metric: SDR-Sourced Pipeline Value
7. Desc: The total value in £ of the sales pipeline generated from your team's booked meetings that progress to a qualified opportunity stage.
8. Target: £5M+ in qualified pipeline generated per quarter
9. Freq: Quarterly
10. Example: Your team's meetings resulted in 15 new opportunities, each with an average value of £350K, totalling £5.25M for the quarter.
11. Metric: Meeting Show Rate & Conversion
12. Desc: The percentage of booked meetings that actually occur (show rate) and then convert into a Sales Qualified Opportunity (SQL).
13. Target: >85% Show Rate; >60% SQL Conversion Rate
14. Freq: Monthly
15. Example: Out of 100 booked meetings, 88 showed up, and 55 of those became SQLs. That's an 88% show rate and 62.5% conversion—pretty good.
16. Metric: New Hire Ramp Time
17. Desc: The average time it takes for new SDRs on your team to hit 80% of their individual meeting quota.
18. Target: New SDRs hit 80% quota within 90 days
19. Freq: Quarterly (for new cohorts)
20. Example: The last three new hires took 85, 92, and 78 days respectively to reach 80% quota, averaging 85 days. That's within target.
21. Metric: SDR Retention Rate
22. Desc: The percentage of SDRs who remain on your team over a given period, indicating team health and your effectiveness as a manager.
23. Target: >80% annual retention rate
24. Freq: Annually
25. Example: Out of 10 SDRs at the start of the year, 9 are still with us at the end, meaning a 90% retention rate. That's strong.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Team Morale & Engagement
2. Desc: How happy, motivated, and engaged your team members are, reflected in their participation, feedback, and general attitude.
3. Evidence: High participation in team meetings, positive feedback in 1-on-1s, active contribution to team initiatives, low absenteeism, and positive sentiment in internal surveys. You'll know it when you see it—a buzzing, productive team.
4. Metric: Coaching Effectiveness
5. Desc: Your ability to improve individual SDR performance through targeted feedback, training, and development plans.
6. Evidence: Observable improvement in SDR call recordings (e.g., better discovery questions, stronger objection handling), individual reps consistently hitting or exceeding targets after coaching, positive feedback from SDRs about your guidance, and successful internal promotions from your team.
7. Metric: Strategic Contribution
8. Desc: Your input and impact on the broader sales development strategy, including new messaging, process improvements, and tech stack optimisation.
9. Evidence: Proactive proposals for new cadences or tools, successful piloting of new outreach methods, positive feedback from the Director on your strategic insights, and tangible improvements in team efficiency or pipeline quality based on your initiatives.
10. Metric: Cross-functional Collaboration
11. Desc: How effectively you work with other teams (Marketing, Sales Ops, AEs) to ensure smooth handoffs, aligned messaging, and shared goals.
12. Evidence: Positive feedback from AE managers about meeting quality, seamless integration of new marketing campaigns into SDR outreach, proactive problem-solving with Sales Ops, and a general sense of 'we're all in this together' across the sales organisation.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Resilience (Leading Through Rejection)
• Manifestation: You're the calm in the storm when your team has a tough week of no-shows or a string of harsh rejections. You don't just bounce back yourself; you help your team members dust themselves off, analyse what went wrong (or right), and get back on the phones with renewed energy. You model a positive attitude, even when the numbers are looking grim, and you know how to reframe setbacks as learning opportunities. Frankly, you've got thick skin, but you also know how to teach others to develop theirs.
• Benefit: Sales development is a game of constant rejection. As a manager, if you can't weather those storms and inspire your team to do the same, morale will plummet, activity will drop, and the pipeline will dry up. Your ability to maintain a positive, resilient environment is directly tied to your team's consistent performance and overall retention.
• Trait: Coachability (Continuous Improvement for the Team)
• Manifestation: You're constantly looking for ways to improve, not just your own skills, but your team's. This means actively seeking feedback from your Director, staying on top of industry best practices, and then translating that into actionable coaching for your SDRs. You're open to new ideas, willing to experiment with different approaches, and you encourage your team to do the same. If a new sales engagement tactic emerges, you're the first to investigate it and figure out how to implement it effectively. You don't just 'do' coaching; you're a student of it.
• Benefit: The sales landscape, messaging, and tools are always changing. A manager who isn't coachable or open to new ideas will quickly find their team's strategies becoming stale and ineffective. Your ability to adapt and continuously improve directly impacts your team's ability to hit targets and gives them a competitive edge.
• Trait: Discipline (Orchestrating Process & Consistency)
• Manifestation: You're the one who ensures the entire team follows the sales process, not just individual reps. This means setting clear expectations for CRM hygiene, cadence execution, and follow-up. You're meticulous about tracking team metrics, identifying where processes are breaking down, and implementing solutions. You don't just 'tell' people to be disciplined; you build systems and routines that make it easy for them to succeed. You're the conductor of the orchestra, making sure everyone plays their part consistently and in time.
• Benefit: SDR success is a numbers game, and those numbers are built on consistent, repeatable actions across an entire team. Without a disciplined approach to process, activity becomes erratic, data gets messy, and it becomes impossible to diagnose performance issues or scale the team effectively. Your discipline ensures the team's engine runs smoothly.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Strategic Thinker
• Desc: You can look beyond the daily dials and emails to see the bigger picture—how current market trends might impact your team's messaging, or how a new product feature could open up a new target persona. You're not just reacting; you're planning ahead.
• Trait: Empathetic Leader
• Desc: You genuinely care about your team members' well-being and career growth. You understand their challenges, celebrate their wins, and provide support when they're struggling, creating a safe and motivating environment.
• Trait: Data-Driven Decision Maker
• Desc: You're comfortable diving into CRM reports and sales engagement analytics to understand what's working, what's not, and why. You use data, not just gut feeling, to make coaching decisions and strategic adjustments.
• Trait: Proactive Problem Solver
• Desc: You don't wait for issues to become crises. If you see a dip in reply rates or a bottleneck in the AE handoff process, you're already thinking about solutions and bringing them to the relevant teams.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Developing Others & Seeing Them Succeed
2. Daily: You get a real buzz from coaching an SDR through a tough call, seeing them implement your feedback, and then celebrating when they book a big meeting. You're genuinely invested in their career progression, whether that's hitting quota or moving into an AE role.
3. Motivator: Building & Optimising High-Performing Systems
4. Daily: You love diving into the data to figure out why one cadence is outperforming another, or how a slight tweak to the prospecting process could yield better results. You're always looking for ways to make the team more efficient and effective.
5. Motivator: Driving Tangible Business Impact
6. Daily: You're motivated by seeing your team's pipeline generation directly translate into closed-won deals and overall company revenue. You understand the critical role your team plays in the bigger picture and you thrive on contributing to that success.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. You'll spend a fair bit of time dealing with individual performance issues, which can be draining. You'll also face situations where Account Executives don't follow up on perfectly good meetings, which is incredibly frustrating for your team (and for you). Sometimes, the company strategy will shift, and you'll have to completely overhaul your team's messaging and processes with little warning. You'll also be the one who has to deliver tough news, whether it's about missed quotas or, in rare cases, performance management. If you prefer to focus solely on individual contribution or shy away from difficult conversations, you might find this role challenging.

Common Frustrations

1. AEs 'no-showing' or dropping the ball on meetings your team worked hard to book.
2. Constant changes to messaging or target ICPs from Marketing or leadership, leading to 'messaging whiplash' for your team.
3. Dealing with underperforming team members and the emotional toll of performance management.
4. Being held accountable for pipeline numbers when the quality of inbound leads (MQLs) is poor.
5. The political tightrope walk between Sales and Marketing when things go wrong.
6. The pressure to hit team targets when market conditions suddenly change for the worse.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A purely individual contributor sales role where you're only responsible for your own numbers.
2. A static, predictable environment where strategies and processes never change.
3. A role without significant people management responsibilities, including hiring, coaching, and sometimes letting people go.
4. A job where you don't have to deal with cross-functional disagreements or conflicting priorities.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, dynamic nature of managing an SDR team, with constant problem-solving and diverse tasks, can be highly engaging and stimulating.
2. The need for rapid decision-making and adapting to changing priorities can be a strength.
3. High energy and enthusiasm can be infectious for motivating a sales team.
4. Hyperfocus can be incredibly powerful for deep dives into data or strategic planning sessions.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. Managing multiple direct reports and their individual needs requires strong organisational skills; consider using structured tools for 1-on-1s and performance tracking.
2. The administrative burden of reporting and process documentation might be challenging; we can explore tools or support to streamline this.
3. Maintaining focus during long, less stimulating meetings could be difficult; we encourage active participation and breaks.
4. We can offer flexibility in work environment setup to minimise distractions and support focus.

Dyslexia Positives

1. Strong verbal communication skills, often a hallmark of dyslexic individuals, are invaluable for coaching SDRs and presenting to leadership.
2. Excellent problem-solving abilities and 'big picture' thinking are crucial for strategic sales development.
3. Often highly creative in developing new messaging or outreach strategies, which is a huge asset in sales.
4. The ability to think divergently can lead to innovative solutions for pipeline generation.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Extensive written reporting and email communication might be demanding; we encourage the use of grammar/spelling tools and offer proofreading support.
2. Reading and interpreting detailed data reports might take longer; we can provide data in visual formats where possible and offer tools for text-to-speech.
3. We focus on outcomes and impact, not just the written process. We're happy to discuss specific tools or approaches that help you excel.

Autism Positives

1. A logical, data-driven approach to sales strategy and process optimisation can be incredibly effective.
2. The ability to identify patterns and inconsistencies in sales data is a significant strength.
3. Direct and clear communication, especially in coaching, can be highly valued by team members.
4. Strong focus on systems and repeatable processes aligns well with building efficient SDR operations.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating complex social dynamics and unspoken expectations in cross-functional meetings can be challenging; we aim for clear communication and direct feedback.
2. The constant need for impromptu social interaction and networking might be draining; we can support structured interaction and provide quiet spaces.
3. Sensory overload in an open-plan office could be an issue; we can discuss noise-cancelling headphones or flexible working arrangements.
4. We value direct communication and clear expectations. We're committed to creating an inclusive environment where you can thrive.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Principal/Manager (12-16 years)
2. Responsibilities: Define and refine the outbound sales development strategy for your team, aligning it with overall company revenue goals and market opportunities. This means figuring out who we target, what we say, and how we say it.
3. Lead, coach, and develop a team of 8-12 SDRs (and potentially 1-2 Team Leads), conducting regular 1-on-1s, call reviews, and performance evaluations to ensure they hit and exceed their individual and team quotas. Frankly, you're responsible for their growth.
4. Own the team's pipeline generation metrics, regularly analysing performance data from Salesforce and sales engagement platforms to identify trends, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement. You'll then implement changes to optimise the process.
5. Collaborate closely with Account Executive leadership to ensure smooth lead handoffs, consistent messaging, and high conversion rates from SDR-booked meetings to qualified opportunities. This means getting everyone on the same page.
6. Work with Marketing to ensure lead quality, messaging alignment, and the effective use of content in outbound sequences. You'll be the voice of the SDR team, providing feedback on what's working (and what's not).
7. Manage the selection, implementation, and optimisation of sales development tools (CRM, sales engagement, lead intelligence) to maximise team efficiency and effectiveness. You'll make sure your team has the best kit.
8. Recruit, interview, and onboard new SDRs, building a strong talent pipeline and ensuring a fast and effective ramp-up for new hires. You're building the future of our sales team.
9. Supervision: You'll have monthly strategic alignment meetings with the Director of Sales Development, but day-to-day, you're fully autonomous on execution. We trust you to run your team and hit your numbers. You're the expert here.
10. Decision: Full authority for your SDR function: budget allocation up to £500K for tools and team incentives, hiring decisions for your team, vendor selection up to £100K for sales tech. Strategic direction for your team is yours, though major shifts require Director alignment. You'll consult with the Director on any P&L decisions above £500K.
11. Success: Your success is measured by your team consistently exceeding pipeline generation targets, high meeting show rates and conversion to SQLs, effective new hire ramp-up, and strong SDR retention and progression into AE roles. Ultimately, it's about building a sustainable, high-performing SDR engine.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Team Strategy & Target Accounts
• Entry: Follows pre-defined strategy and account lists.
• Mid: Proposes adjustments to account lists or individual outreach strategies.
• Senior: Defines the target ICP, account segmentation, and overall outbound strategy for their team, with alignment from Director.
• Type: SDR Performance Management
• Entry: Escalates performance issues to manager.
• Mid: Identifies individual performance gaps and suggests coaching points to manager.
• Senior: Owns individual SDR performance reviews, coaching plans, and manages the full performance improvement process (including terminations if necessary).
• Type: Sales Technology & Tools
• Entry: Uses assigned tools as instructed.
• Mid: Suggests minor improvements or features within existing tools.
• Senior: Evaluates, selects, and manages vendors for SDR-specific tools (e.g., sales engagement platforms, lead intelligence), within budget up to £100K. Defines how the team uses these tools.
• Type: Budget Allocation (Team)
• Entry: No budget authority.
• Mid: Requests budget for specific training or tools.
• Senior: Manages and allocates budget up to £500K for SDR team tools, incentives, and training. Accountable for ROI on these investments.
• Type: Hiring & Onboarding
• Entry: Not involved in hiring.
• Mid: Participates in peer interviews for new SDRs.
• Senior: Owns the hiring process for their SDR team (interviewing, offer recommendations, onboarding programme design) and makes final hiring decisions.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

Beyond the technical skills, a strong SDR Manager needs a solid foundation of human-centric abilities. These are the skills that help you lead, communicate, and solve problems, especially when things get a bit messy (which they often do in sales).

• Category: Communication & Influence
• Skills: Executive Presentation Skills: The ability to present complex data and strategic recommendations clearly and concisely to senior leadership (Director, VP level), answering tough questions on the fly.
• Coaching & Feedback Delivery: Providing specific, actionable, and empathetic feedback to direct reports, fostering their growth and improving performance without demotivating them.
• Cross-functional Negotiation: Getting different teams (Marketing, AEs, Sales Ops) to agree on shared goals and processes, even when their priorities might conflict.
• Active Listening (Team & Prospects): Truly understanding your team's challenges and prospects' pain points, not just hearing them. This is critical for effective coaching and strategy.
• Category: Problem-Solving & Strategic Thinking
• Skills: Root Cause Analysis (Sales Performance): Identifying why a team isn't hitting targets—is it messaging, activity, lead quality, or coaching? And then fixing it.
• Go-to-Market Strategy Development: Contributing to and refining the overall strategy for how we approach new markets or target customer segments.
• Process Optimisation: Finding inefficiencies in the SDR workflow and designing smoother, more effective processes for lead generation and handoff.
• Data Interpretation & Action Planning: Turning raw sales data into actionable insights and concrete plans for improvement.
• Category: Leadership & Development
• Skills: Talent Identification & Recruitment: Recognising potential in candidates and building a strong, diverse SDR team.
• Performance Management: Guiding underperforming team members back on track, or making tough decisions when necessary, always with empathy and fairness.
• Team Motivation & Culture Building: Creating a positive, competitive, and supportive team environment where SDRs feel valued and driven to succeed.
• Change Management: Leading your team through shifts in strategy, tools, or market conditions, ensuring they adapt effectively.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

These are the specific sales methodologies, technical tools, and industry knowledge you'll need to master to lead a successful SDR team. You're not just using them; you're often defining how your team uses them.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Discovery & Qualification Frameworks (e.g., BANT, MEDDPICC, CHAMP)
• Desc: You don't just know these; you teach them. You'll design and refine the qualification criteria for your team, ensuring they're asking the right questions to identify truly qualified leads for Account Executives. You'll also coach them on how to apply these frameworks in real-time calls.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Multi-Channel Prospecting Strategy & Optimisation
• Desc: You'll be the architect of our outbound 'sequences' or 'cadences.' This means designing the optimal blend of cold calls, personalised emails, LinkedIn messages, and video to break through the noise and generate meetings. You'll also analyse performance data to continuously optimise these strategies.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Objection Handling & Rebuttal Coaching
• Desc: You'll build the playbooks for handling common objections, coach your team through role-playing scenarios, and help them develop confident, effective responses that keep conversations moving forward. You'll also identify new objections as they arise and develop strategies to overcome them.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) & Persona Targeting Definition
• Desc: Working with Marketing and Sales leadership, you'll help define our ICP and buyer personas. You'll then translate this into practical guidance for your team, ensuring they're targeting the right companies and individuals with the right message. You'll also coach them on how to research and understand these personas deeply.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Territory & Account Planning (Strategic)
• Desc: You'll work with Account Executives to strategically map out target territories or named accounts, identifying key stakeholders and developing coordinated outreach strategies. This isn't just about making lists; it's about building a comprehensive attack plan for key accounts.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Cold Calling Craft (Coaching & Best Practices)
• Desc: While you might not be making 50 calls a day, you'll be an expert in the art of the cold call. You'll coach your team on how to deliver compelling value propositions, navigate gatekeepers, and handle initial resistance. You'll build the framework for what a 'good' cold call sounds like.
• Level: Expert

Digital Tools

• Tool: Salesforce Sales Cloud
• Level: Expert
• Usage: You'll design custom reports and dashboards to track team performance, identify data integrity issues, and ensure accurate pipeline forecasting. You'll also train new hires and enforce best practices for CRM usage across your team. You're essentially a mini-admin for the SDR function within Salesforce.
• Tool: Outreach.io / SalesLoft / Apollo.io (Sales Engagement Platforms)
• Level: Expert
• Usage: You'll design, build, and optimise multi-channel sequences, A/B test different messaging, and analyse team performance data within these platforms. You'll also use the platform's analytics to coach reps, forecast pipeline generation, and ensure compliance with communication policies. You own the strategy here.
• Tool: LinkedIn Sales Navigator / ZoomInfo / Lusha (Lead Intelligence)
• Level: Advanced
• Usage: You'll define the data enrichment strategy, train your team on advanced search techniques (e.g., Boolean, intent data), and identify trigger events for targeted outreach. You'll also ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) related to lead data. You're making sure your team has the best data to work with.
• Tool: Gong.io / Chorus.ai (Conversation Intelligence)
• Level: Expert
• Usage: You'll build shared call libraries of best practices, analyse team calls to identify coaching opportunities, and track competitor mentions and market trends. You'll also use platform-wide analytics to inform sales strategy and validate the effectiveness of new messaging. This is your secret weapon for coaching.
• Tool: Chili Piper / Calendly, Slack, MS Teams (Scheduling & Comms)
• Level: Advanced
• Usage: You'll optimise scheduling workflows (e.g., round-robin routing for AEs), create and manage team-specific Slack channels for quick communication, and ensure seamless handoffs between SDRs and AEs. You're the one making sure communication flows smoothly.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: SaaS Sales Model & Metrics
• Desc: Deep understanding of SaaS sales cycles, recurring revenue models, and key metrics like ARR, Churn, LTV, and CAC. You'll need to speak the language of SaaS finance and sales leadership.
• Area: B2B Sales Methodologies
• Desc: Familiarity with various B2B sales methodologies (e.g., Challenger Sale, Solution Selling, Sandler Selling) and how they apply to the SDR function. You'll draw on these to inform your coaching and strategy.
• Area: Market & Competitor Landscape
• Desc: A keen awareness of our market, key competitors, and industry trends. You'll use this knowledge to help your team differentiate our offering and position against rivals.
• Area: Sales Psychology & Buyer Behaviour
• Desc: Understanding the psychological triggers that influence buyer decisions and how to apply these principles in outbound messaging and call scripts. This helps your team connect more effectively.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Usage: You'll ensure your team's prospecting activities, data collection, and email outreach are fully compliant with GDPR. This means understanding consent, legitimate interest, and data subject rights, and training your team accordingly. Get this wrong, and we're in trouble.
• Reg: PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations)
• Usage: Similar to GDPR, you'll need to ensure your team's electronic communications (emails, calls) adhere to PECR guidelines, especially regarding unsolicited marketing. This is crucial for B2B outbound in the UK.
• Reg: Internal Company Data Privacy Policies
• Usage: You'll be responsible for enforcing our internal policies on data handling, contact management, and communication best practices within your team, ensuring they align with broader legal requirements. You're the frontline defender of our data integrity.

Essential Prerequisites

• Proven track record of exceeding SDR/BDR quotas for at least 3-5 years as an individual contributor, ideally in a SaaS or B2B environment.
• Demonstrable experience in a Senior SDR or Team Lead role, where you've informally mentored or coached junior team members.
• Strong understanding of the entire sales cycle, from prospecting to close, and the role SDRs play in it.
• Experience with Salesforce and at least one major sales engagement platform (Outreach, SalesLoft, Apollo.io) at an advanced user level.
• A genuine passion for coaching, developing people, and seeing others succeed.
• The ability to analyse sales data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.

Career Pathway Context

We're looking for someone who has 'been there, done that' as a top-performing SDR and is now ready to step up and lead. You won't be starting from scratch on these skills; you'll be refining them and teaching them to others. This role is a natural progression for a Senior SDR who's ready to take on formal leadership and strategic responsibilities.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: AI-Driven Sales Strategy & Tool Integration
• Why: AI isn't just for individual reps anymore; it's transforming how entire sales development functions operate. Competitors are already using AI to generate hyper-personalised emails, analyse call data for coaching, and predict pipeline more accurately. Managers who don't embrace this will quickly fall behind.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Prompt Engineering for Sales Content', 'description': 'Learning how to effectively prompt large language models (LLMs) to generate high-quality, personalised email copy, call scripts, and LinkedIn messages for your team, ensuring brand voice and compliance.'}, {'concept_name': 'AI-Powered Coaching & Performance Analytics', 'description': 'Understanding how to use AI-driven conversation intelligence platforms to identify coaching opportunities, track sentiment, and analyse talk tracks across the entire team, not just individual calls.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data-Driven Sequence Optimisation with AI', 'description': 'Using AI tools to analyse vast amounts of engagement data to automatically suggest optimal sequence steps, timing, and channel mix for maximum effectiveness.'}, {'concept_name': 'Ethical AI Use in Sales', 'description': 'Understanding the ethical implications of using AI for prospecting and ensuring your team uses these tools responsibly and transparently, maintaining human connection.'}]
• Prepare: This month: Experiment with ChatGPT/Claude to draft sales emails and call openers. Understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Next 3 months: Deep dive into the AI capabilities of our current sales engagement platform (e.g., Outreach Kaia, SalesLoft AI). Become a power user.
• Month 4-6: Research and pilot one new AI-powered sales tool specifically for team-level insights or content generation. Present your findings to the Director.
• Month 7-9: Develop and implement a new, AI-optimised multi-channel sequence for your team, measuring its impact on reply rates and meetings booked.
• QuickWin: Start using AI to draft your internal communications, meeting summaries, and even initial drafts of new team playbooks. It'll save you time immediately.
• Skill: Advanced Data Storytelling & Visualisation
• Why: As sales data becomes more complex, simply presenting numbers isn't enough. You'll need to tell a compelling story with data to influence senior leadership, get buy-in for new initiatives, and clearly communicate team performance and strategic direction. It's about making the numbers sing.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Narrative Structure for Data Presentations', 'description': "How to build a clear, persuasive story around your team's performance data, highlighting key insights and recommended actions."}, {'concept_name': 'Effective Chart & Graph Selection', 'description': 'Choosing the right visualisations (e.g., waterfall charts for pipeline changes, scatter plots for rep performance) to convey information quickly and effectively.'}, {'concept_name': 'Audience-Centric Data Communication', 'description': 'Tailoring your data presentations to different audiences—SDRs, AEs, Marketing, or the C-suite—emphasising what matters most to them.'}, {'concept_name': 'Interactive Dashboard Design Principles', 'description': 'Understanding how to design user-friendly, interactive dashboards (e.g., in Salesforce or Tableau) that allow stakeholders to explore data themselves.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Take an online course on data visualisation (e.g., from Tableau, Coursera).
• Next 6 months: Redesign your monthly team performance report to be more visual and narrative-driven. Get feedback from your Director.
• Month 7-9: Lead a session for your peers on best practices for presenting sales data.
• Month 10-12: Build an interactive dashboard for your team's key metrics that can be shared with AEs and Marketing.
• QuickWin: Start adding a 'key takeaway' and 'recommended action' slide to all your data presentations. It forces you to tell a story.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: CRM Architecture & Integration (Salesforce)
• Why: As the SDR function grows and integrates more deeply with other sales and marketing systems, understanding the underlying CRM architecture and how different tools connect becomes crucial. You'll need to identify integration points and potential data flow issues to ensure seamless operations.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Salesforce Data Model (Objects, Fields, Relationships)', 'description': 'Understanding how lead, contact, account, and opportunity objects relate and how custom fields impact reporting and automation.'}, {'concept_name': 'Integration with Marketing Automation (e.g., Pardot, Marketo)', 'description': 'Knowing how MQLs flow into Salesforce, how data is synced, and troubleshooting common integration issues.'}, {'concept_name': 'Sales Engagement Platform Integration', 'description': 'Deep understanding of how Outreach/SalesLoft connects to Salesforce, including activity logging, sequence syncing, and custom field mapping.'}, {'concept_name': 'Reporting & Dashboard Design Best Practices', 'description': 'Designing efficient, scalable reports and dashboards that provide accurate insights without performance degradation.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Work closely with Sales Operations on a Salesforce project related to SDR data flow or reporting.
• Next 6 months: Complete a Salesforce Admin certification (or equivalent advanced training) to deepen your understanding of the platform's capabilities.
• Month 7-9: Map out the end-to-end data flow for a lead from initial capture to SQL in a diagram, identifying all integration points.
• Month 10-12: Propose and lead a project to optimise a specific data integration point between SDR tools and Salesforce.
• QuickWin: Spend an hour each week with our Sales Operations team, asking 'why' things are set up the way they are in Salesforce. You'll learn loads.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field
• Alts: We're open to candidates with equivalent professional experience (e.g., 10+ years in sales development with demonstrable leadership roles) in lieu of a degree. What you've done matters more than a piece of paper, frankly.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or a related field
• Alts: While not essential, an MBA can provide a broader business perspective that's helpful for strategic leadership. However, practical experience and a proven track record are far more important.

Experience Requirements

You'll need roughly 8-12 years of overall sales experience, with at least 3-5 years specifically in a high-performing SDR or BDR role, and a minimum of 2-3 years in a formal SDR Team Lead or Manager position. We're looking for someone who has genuinely led and developed a team, not just informally mentored. You'll need to show a clear track record of exceeding team quotas and successfully coaching individual reps to hit their targets. Experience managing a team of 8+ direct reports is pretty crucial here.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: Salesforce Administrator Certification
• Prod: Salesforce
• Usage: Demonstrates a deeper understanding of CRM functionality, which is critical for reporting, process optimisation, and managing your team's data hygiene. It shows you can speak the language of Sales Ops.
• Cert: Sales Management Training (e.g., MEDDPICC, Challenger Sale)
• Prod: Various (e.g., Force Management, Corporate Visions)
• Usage: Shows a commitment to structured sales methodologies and provides a framework for coaching your team on advanced qualification and discovery techniques.
• Cert: Coaching & Leadership Certifications
• Prod: Various (e.g., ICF, ILM)
• Usage: Highlights your dedication to developing your leadership and coaching skills, which are paramount for this role. It shows you're serious about people development.

Recommended Activities

• Actively participate in industry forums and communities for SDR leaders (e.g., Sales Development Collective, Revenue Collective).
• Attend key sales leadership conferences (e.g., SaaStr, Sales Innovation Expo) to stay abreast of market trends and network with peers.
• Regularly read books, articles, and listen to podcasts on sales leadership, coaching, and sales technology.
• Seek out mentorship from experienced sales leaders within or outside the organisation.
• Take online courses or workshops on advanced data analytics or AI applications in sales.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Senior SDR / SDR Team Lead (Internal Promotion)
• Time: 3-5 years as an SDR/Senior SDR, plus 1-2 years as a Team Lead
• Path: Account Executive (AE) looking to lead SDRs
• Time: 4-7 years as an AE, with a strong understanding of the full sales cycle
• Path: Sales Manager (from another industry/segment)
• Time: 5-10 years in a sales management role (e.g., Inside Sales Manager, Junior Sales Manager)

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: Director of Sales Development
• Time: 3-5 years as an SDR Manager
• Pathway: Account Executive (AE) Manager
• Time: 2-4 years as an SDR Manager

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: VP of Sales / Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
• Time: 8-15+ years from SDR Manager
• Title: Head of Sales Operations & Strategy
• Time: 6-10+ years from SDR Manager
• Title: VP of Sales Enablement
• Time: 6-10+ years from SDR Manager

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.