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
Hire, onboard, and coach a team of BDRs, establishing the ramp plan, operating cadence, and performance bar
Own the BDR contribution to sourced pipeline and qualified opportunities
Design and iterate the outbound playbook, including account targeting, vertical messaging, and multi-channel prospecting
Partner with Enterprise AEs on account planning, lead routing, and handoff quality
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
Coach reps to position Perplexity's full product suite, matching the right entry point to each account
Run the operating rhythm: weekly 1:1s, call and message reviews, pipeline inspection, and a clear performance scoreboard
Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, RevOps, and Strategic Finance on lead quality, source attribution, and compensation design
Develop BDRs into future Account Executives and build a strong internal talent pipeline
Qualifications
4+ years in SaaS sales or business development, including 1 to 2+ years directly managing a BDR or SDR team
Proven track record of building or scaling a pipeline generation team in a high-growth environment
Prior closing experience strongly preferred
Skilled at coaching reps on outbound prospecting, qualification, and executive engagement
Data-driven operating style with the ability to define, track, and improve conversion metrics
Experience with modern prospecting tools and AI-native sales workflows
Exceptional written and verbal communication; comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders internally and externally
Experience with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce)
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
The cash compensation for this role is $180-240k OTE based on experience level.