A Manager, Sales Development is a pivotal leadership role responsible for building, coaching, and driving the performance of a Sales Development Representative (SDR) team. This profession sits at the critical intersection of marketing and sales, acting as the engine for top-of-funnel pipeline generation. Individuals in these jobs are strategic leaders who translate company goals into actionable outbound and inbound strategies, ensuring a steady stream of qualified leads for the Account Executive sales force. The core mission is to architect and optimize the sales development function, transforming raw talent into a high-performing, metrics-driven team. Professionals in this role typically shoulder a broad range of responsibilities centered on people leadership, process optimization, and cross-functional collaboration. Their day-to-day involves hiring and onboarding new SDRs, developing comprehensive training programs, and providing continuous coaching through one-on-one meetings, call reviews, and email feedback. They are deeply analytical, constantly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) like call volume, email outreach, qualification rates, and pipeline generated to assess team health and quota attainment. Furthermore, they design and refine outbound campaigns, sales plays, and messaging in partnership with Marketing and Sales leadership to ensure alignment on target personas and market approach. A significant part of the role is also defining the team's operational model, setting realistic targets, and forecasting headcount needs to support business scaling. The typical skills and requirements for these leadership jobs blend hard sales acumen with soft people-management skills. Successful candidates usually possess several years of frontline sales or business development experience, providing them with the foundational knowledge to coach effectively. This is coupled with a proven track record of directly managing SDRs, including hiring, mentoring, and driving a team to exceed quotas. They must be exceptional communicators and motivators, capable of inspiring a team through the repetitive nature of prospecting. Analytical prowess is non-negotiable, as is a deep understanding of CRM and sales engagement platforms. Ultimately, a Manager, Sales Development is a builder—someone who thrives on developing talent, systematizing processes, and directly impacting revenue growth by creating a world-class lead generation machine. For those seeking dynamic leadership jobs that shape both careers and company trajectory, this profession offers a challenging and rewarding path.
