Perplexity is seeking a Business Development Lead to build and scale our enterprise BDR team. In this role, you will hire, coach, and lead a team of BDRs generating qualified pipeline for our Enterprise Account Executives. This role is ideal for a hands-on sales leader who has built pipeline generation functions before and wants to shape the outbound motion of one of the fastest-growing enterprise businesses in AI.
Responsibilities
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Hire, onboard, and coach a team of BDRs, establishing the ramp plan, operating cadence, and performance bar
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Own the BDR contribution to sourced pipeline and qualified opportunities
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Design and iterate the outbound playbook, including account targeting, vertical messaging, and multi-channel prospecting
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Partner with Enterprise AEs on account planning, lead routing, and handoff quality
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Build vertical fluency on the team so reps can hold credible conversations with buyers in industries such as Financial Services, Legal, Life Sciences, and Consulting
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Coach reps to position Perplexity's full product suite, matching the right entry point to each account
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Run the operating rhythm: weekly 1:1s, call and message reviews, pipeline inspection, and a clear performance scoreboard
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Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, RevOps, and Strategic Finance on lead quality, source attribution, and compensation design
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Develop BDRs into future Account Executives and build a strong internal talent pipeline
Qualifications
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4+ years in SaaS sales or business development, including 1 to 2+ years directly managing a BDR or SDR team
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Proven track record of building or scaling a pipeline generation team in a high-growth environment
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Prior closing experience strongly preferred
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Skilled at coaching reps on outbound prospecting, qualification, and executive engagement
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Data-driven operating style with the ability to define, track, and improve conversion metrics
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Experience with modern prospecting tools and AI-native sales workflows
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Exceptional written and verbal communication; comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders internally and externally
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Experience with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce)
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Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
The cash compensation for this role is $180-240k OTE based on experience level.
