About the role

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategic Director of Sales Development to lead and scale our Sales Development Representative (SDR) team. This role is responsible for driving pipeline growth, optimizing sales development processes, and ensuring alignment between marketing, sales, and revenue operations. The ideal candidate is not only a data-driven leader but someone that has mastered how AI can improve TOF initiatives. Think day to day workflows for SDR's, partnership with AE's, and overall execution on how to improve our GTM strategy. A proven track record of building high-performing sales development teams and delivering measurable results as a senior leader in a fast paced environment is just the beginning.

At Rippling, Sales Development is the driving force behind two main functions: pipeline creation and career development. We execute with a high level of urgency to partner with marketing and our sales partners to drive demand and create new business opportunities. Simultaneously we double down on the development of our people; creating career paths that allow reps to move through the SDR org and into more strategic roles that align with their future career aspirations.

As the Director of Sales Development, the expectation to own, design and build the function is at your fingertips. Our Mid-Market and Enterprise SDR teams are the fuel to Rippling's future growth up market. We're looking for leaders that can come in and optimize our account based strategy to improve efficiencies throughout the sales funnel. We move fast at Rippling, try new things often, and are constantly raising the bar on what we can accomplish. Let me re-iterate, we move fast. Leaders who thrive here are those that have conviction in their beliefs, are comfortable operating extremely fast, and can balance multiple priorities at any given time.Sitting on the sidelines and operating in an area of comfort does not meet our expectations.

What you will do

Leadership & Strategy:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales development strategy to drive qualified pipeline growth.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing SDR team (ICs, Managers, Senior Managers), ensuring continuous coaching, training, and professional development.
• Build and foster a high performance culture of accountability and continued growth
• Take initiative to identify and solve challenges across your team.
• Align SDR strategy with marketing and sales leadership to optimize lead generation and conversion rates.
• Optimize key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track team performance, efficiency, and success.

Process Optimization & Execution:

• Implement best practices for outbound prospecting, including call scripts, email sequences, and social selling strategies.
• Leverage sales technologies (CRM, sales engagement tools, analytics platforms) to optimize SDR workflows and improve efficiency.
• Monitor and refine lead qualification processes to ensure high-quality opportunities for the sales team.
• Work closely with Revenue Operations to analyze performance data and adjust strategies as needed.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Alignment:

• Partner with Marketing to ensure seamless lead handoff and optimize lead scoring.
• Collaborate with Sales Leadership to optimize pod pairings and handoff gaps.
• Partner with RevOps regularly on: segment analysis, book transitions, forecasting, capacity planning, and reporting.
• Identify and drive enablement strategies with your segment leader to ensure ICs and Managers are building and improving on the skills necessary to get to quota.
• Align with HR on all performance management cases and be able to provide accurate guidance and coaching to managers on best practices.

What you will need

• 5+ years of experience in leadership positions across sales development, or inside sales, with at least 2 years in 3rd line leadership position.
• Proven track record of scaling and managing SDR teams in a high-growth environment.
• Strong understanding of sales methodologies and lead generation best practices.
• Expertise in Salesforce, Nooks, Outreach, Zoominfo, Apollo, and AI
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and communication skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to leverage analytics for decision-making.
• Experience working in SaaS, technology, or B2B industries is preferred.

Additional Information

This role will receive a competitive salary + benefits + equity. The base/variable split for this team is 70/30. The salary for US-based employees will be aligned with one of the ranges below based on location; see which tier applies to your location here.

A variety of factors are considered when determining someone's compensation-including a candidate's professional background, experience, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed below.

*Commission is not guaranteed

The pay range for this role is:

225,000 - 235,000 USD per year (In-Office OTE)

220,000 - 230,000 USD per year (Remote OTE)