Business Development Representative (BDR) Manager – DACH (German Speaker)

Zendesk, Inc.; Lisboa; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Onboarding bootcamp

Annual professional development

Mentorship and leadership coaching

Job summary

Zendesk, Inc. is seeking an in-office BDR Manager in Lisbon to lead and scale a German-speaking Central team.

You will guide outbound and inbound pipeline initiatives, coach early-career reps, and drive performance across the DACH market in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and optimizing multi-threaded outbound strategies, while aligning with regional leaders and marketing.

Qualifications

• Native German and English required to coach reps and navigate the Central territory.
• Based in or willing to relocate to Lisbon, Portugal, working full-time on-site with the team.
• 1+ years of direct people management or proven team‑lead/coaching experience in a high-volume SaaS sales development environment.
• 3–5+ years of managerial experience in SaaS sales or sales development (CRM/CX/Customer Support tech preferred).
• Deep understanding of modern outbound prospecting, ABM strategies, and pipeline metrics.
• Solid analytical skills to track leading indicators, conversion rates, and forecast pipeline delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the Central BDR team of German-speaking reps in Lisbon.
• Drive high-quality pipeline across enterprise and commercial accounts for DACH growth.
• Leverage AI sales tools and workflows (e.g., Gong, ChatGPT) to coach and optimize prospecting.
• Develop clear career pathways to advance reps to AE, management, or specialist roles.
• Continuously optimize outbound cadences, multi-threading, and qualification processes.
• Collaborate with DACH Directors, AEs, and Marketing to map accounts and execute campaigns.
• Foster an upbeat, collaborative in-office culture in Lisbon.

Skills

German fluency

English fluency

Leadership

Strategic prospecting

Data-driven

Coaching mindset

Hybrid work availability

Tools

Gong

Sales Navigator

Salesforce

Zendesk Suite

Job description

Job Description Location: Lisbon, Portugal (On-site / In-Office) Language Requirement: Native / Professional Fluency in German & English

About the Role

Are you a high-energy sales leader with a passion for coaching and developing early-career talent? Zendesk is looking for an in‑office BDR Manager based in our Lisbon hub to lead, scale, and mentor our BDR Central team. The Business Development team is the frontline of Zendesk’s growth across the DACH market. In this role, you will lead strategic outbound and inbound pipeline generation initiatives, foster a high‑performance culture, and guide reps toward hitting ambitious weekly, monthly, and quarterly pipeline targets. If you thrive in a collaborative, fast‑paced environment and have the operational rigor and motivational drive to turn high‑potential SDRs/BDRs into future enterprise sales leaders, we want to hear from you.

What you will do:

• Lead & Scale the Central BDR Team: Hire, onboard, mentor, and coach a high‑performing team of German‑speaking Business Development Representatives based in our Lisbon office.
• Drive High‑Quality Pipeline: Scale qualified sales opportunities and pipeline volume across target enterprise and commercial accounts to fuel Zendesk’s growth in the DACH region.
• AI Knowledge & Tooling: Strong familiarity with modern AI sales technologies and workflows, such as generative AI for prospecting, AI‑assisted coaching tools (e.g., Gong, ChatGPT), workflow automation, or selling AI‑powered CX/SaaS solutions.
• Talent Development: Actively build clear career pathways for your reps, helping them level up their sales acumen, exceed quota, and transition into future account executive, management, or specialist roles.
• Operational Excellence: Continuously optimize outbound multi‑threading strategies, cadences, cold‑calling workflows, and qualification processes to stay ahead of market dynamics.
• Cross‑Functional Alignment: Partner closely with DACH Regional Sales Directors, Account Executives, and Marketing leaders to align account mapping, campaign execution, and pipeline quality.
• Foster Team Culture: Cultivate an upbeat, collaborative, and results‑oriented in‑office environment in Lisbon.

What we are looking for:

• Language Skills: Complete professional fluency in German (C1/C2 or native level) and English (written and spoken) is required to coach reps and navigate the Central territory.
• Work Arrangement: Based in or willing to relocate to Lisbon, Portugal, working full‑time on‑site alongside your team.
• Leadership Experience: 1+ years of direct people management or proven team lead/coaching experience inside a high‑volume SaaS sales development environment.
• Sales Background: 3–5+ years of Manager experience in SaaS sales or sales development experience (CRM, CX, or Customer Support tech experience strongly preferred).
• Strategic Prospecting Acumen: Deep understanding of modern outbound prospecting, account‑based strategies, and pipeline development metrics.
• Data‑Driven Mindset: Solid analytical skills with the ability to track leading indicators, manage conversion rates, and forecast pipeline delivery accurately.
• Coaching Mentality: Passion for early‑career coaching, delivering actionable feedback, and driving structured roleplays and call reviews.
• Availability to work weekly in a hybrid model: Lisbon office days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 6pm.

Why Join Zendesk in Lisbon?

• Dynamic Office Culture: Work alongside a vibrant, international sales team in one of Europe’s most vibrant tech capitals.
• High‑Growth Trajectory: Be part of a global market leader with clear, accelerated career advancement paths for top‑performing managers.
• Dedicated Onboarding: Comprehensive week‑long sales bootcamp designed to get you immersed in our tech stack, culture, and products right away.
• Comprehensive Toolset: Industry‑leading tech stack (Salesforce, Sales Navigator, Gong, Zoom, Zendesk Suite, MacBook, etc.) to empower your day‑to‑day work.
• Continuous Learning: Annual professional development allowances and tailored leadership development programs to fast‑track your executive career.
• Supportive Ecosystem: Dedicated peer‑buddy mentorship and leadership coaching from experienced global sales executives.
• Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remote for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in‑office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

The intelligent heart of customer experience Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace.

Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer.

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Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre‑employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e‑mail to [e-mail] with your specific accommodation request.

Our offices reflect the global cities we call home, and have spaces for collaboration, quiet, and events. With our hybrid approach, you’ll experience flexibility and connection, collaboration, and learning with your team.