Business Development Representative, German speaking

301 Proofpoint Limited; Reading; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Flexible work environment

Annual wellness and community outreach

Job summary

Proofpoint is seeking a highly motivated Business Development Representative to generate qualified sales opportunities for the Commercial sales team covering the DACH region. You will collaborate with regional sales and marketing to produce sales accepted leads through inbound and outbound efforts.

The role requires fluent German and English, strong phone/interpersonal skills, and experience with CRM systems like Salesforce.

Qualifications

• Fluent German & English language skills required.
• Experience with cloud-deployed solutions a plus.
• Excellent phone and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Qualify and develop inbound and outbound sales accepted leads.
• Gather actionable intelligence on accounts and prospects.
• Follow-up on leads generated by marketing and convert interest into leads.
• Manage email campaigns to generate new sales prospects.
• Manage cold-calling campaigns to generate new sales prospects.
• Track communications with customers in Salesforce.com.
• Schedule demonstrations between Sales team and potential customers.

Skills

German language

English language

Sales prospecting

Lead qualification

Tools

Salesforce.com

Job description

About Us

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.

How We Work

At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values: Bold in how we dream and innovate Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities Accountable for results and best in class outcomes Visionary in future focused problem-solving Exceptional in execution and impact.

The Role

We are currently seeking a highly motivated and energetic individual to join our Business Development team to generate qualified sales opportunities for our Commercial sales team to cover the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region. As part of the Business Development team, you will be working closely with the regional sales and marketing teams to generate sales accepted leads via multiple channels with a mix of inbound (lead follow-up) and outbound (prospecting) activities. As a Business Development Representative, you will be responsible for gathering intelligence and developing a deep understanding of your assigned accounts. You will then action this intelligence to connect our sales team with influencers and decision makers within the prospect accounts and across all vertical markets. You will work closely with both Account Management and Marketing to define and execute a successful account-based sales strategy for the DACH region.

Your day-to-day

• Qualify and develop inbound and outbound sales accepted leads and respond to product inquiries
• Gather actionable intelligence (competition, projects, purchase intent, etc.) for the list of accounts that you will be responsible for
• Follow-up on all leads generated by marketing and convert initial interest into sales accepted leads
• Manage email campaigns to generate new sales prospects
• Manage cold-calling telephone-based campaigns to generate new sales prospects
• Complete accurate tracking of communication with current and potential customers in Salesforce.com
• Schedule demonstrations between the Sales team members and potential customer

What You Bring To The Team

Highly motivated individual with a competitive personality, and good attention to detail Previous experience with solutions that can be deployed in private or public clouds a plus. Experience working with Salesforce.com or other CRM is a bonus. Excellent phone and interpersonal communication skills (verbal and written) as well as organisational skills Previous experience working and succeeding in a goal-driven environment preferred. Fluent German & English language skills required.

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits
• Career success on your terms
• Flexible work environment
• Annual wellness and community outreach days
• Always on recognition for your contributions
• Global collaboration and networking opportunities

Proofpoint has been honored with six Best Places to Work Awards in 2024 by workplace culture leader Comparably, including Best Company Career Growth, Best Company Outlook, Best Global Culture, Best Engineering Teams, Best Sales Teams, and Best HR Teams. We are the leader in human-centric cybersecurity. Half a million customers, including 87 of the Fortune 100, rely on Proofpoint to protect their organizations. We’re driven by a mission to stay ahead of bad actors and safeguard the digital world. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.

Our Culture

Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to [e-mail].

Our BRAVE Values

At Proofpoint, we are BRAVE in everything we do, and our values aren’t just words—they shape how we work, collaborate, and grow. We seek people who are bold enough to challenge the status quo, responsive in the face of ever-evolving threats, and accountable for delivering real impact. We value those with a visionary mindset who anticipate what’s next and push cybersecurity forward, and we celebrate exceptional execution that ensures we continue to defend data and protect people.

Proofpoint is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Find your network, your allies, and your biggest fans. We know that work is simply better when you’re surrounded by people who inspire you—who share ideas, cheer you on, and genuinely want to see you succeed. That’s why we offer social circles, sponsored networks, and connection points across teams and time zones—to help you find your people, build your community, and thrive together. This isn’t just a job—it’s a mission to protect people and defend data in a world that never slows down. We’re building the future of human-centric cybersecurity, and that future belongs to all of us. We take ownership, move fast, and hold ourselves accountable—because that’s what it takes to stay ahead. And we do it together, winning as one. Be empowered to reach your full potential through meaningful challenges and personalized support—designed around you and your goals. Whether you're growing as a leader or leveling up from great to exceptional as an individual contributor, we’re here to help you get there.