Business Development Associate, Early Career

Salesforce; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 57,000 - 70,000; Part time

Job summary

Salesforce's Futureforce University Recruiting program offers interns and new graduates real projects that affect how our business runs, giving you a tangible impact on the future of our company. As a Business Development Associate in our SMB organization, you will blend inbound and outbound prospecting with sales operations to accelerate pipeline growth.

You’ll work alongside experienced leaders, leverage cutting‑edge AI tools, and receive mentorship as you develop toward a Sales Development

Responsibilities

• Strategically managing and prioritizing a high volume of inbound and outbound leads, learning to navigate complex conversations, handle objections, and push through rejection on the path to building a strong pipeline.
• Driving operational excellence by maintaining Salesforce data integrity, optimizing lead flows, and improving pipeline hygiene to keep the sales team running at peak efficiency.
• Getting hands‑on experience with Salesforce's most cutting‑edge AI tools, helping shape how our team works smarter and faster.

Tools

Salesforce AI tools

Job description

About Futureforce University Recruiting

Our Futureforce University Recruiting program is dedicated to attracting, retaining and cultivating talent. Our interns and new graduates work on real projects that affect how our business runs, giving them the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the future of our company. With offices all over the world, our recruits have the chance to collaborate and connect with fellow employees on a global scale. We offer job shadowing, mentorship programs, talent development courses, and much more.

Job Category

Sales

Job Details

About Salesforce

Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all.

Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.

Start Date: October 5, 2026

Relocation is not provided for this opportunity.

The Experience

As a Business Development Associate at Salesforce, you aren't just starting a career in sales. You are joining the World's #1 AI CRM and the platform powering the Agentic Enterprise with Agentforce to redefine how business is done. This role is a unique hybrid of inbound/outbound prospecting and sales operations, designed to give you a competitive advantage from day one.

You will work alongside experienced sales leaders in our SMB business, learning to drive pipeline growth, leverage cutting-edge AI tools, and optimize the workflows that power a high-performing sales team. Successful completion of this 3 to 5 month program positions you to advance directly into the Sales Development Representative role with a technical and operational edge that sets you apart.

We hire driven individuals who are energized by the pace and impact of a client-facing sales career and are ready to grow in a fast-paced environment. You will be supported by a team built on trust and innovation, with continuous mentorship and collaborative problem-solving to help you bring your full self to work and make a tangible impact.

What You’ll Actually Be Doing

• Strategically managing and prioritizing a high volume of inbound and outbound leads, learning to navigate complex conversations, handle objections, and push through rejection on the path to building a strong pipeline.
• Driving operational excellence by maintaining Salesforce data integrity, optimizing lead flows, and improving pipeline hygiene to keep the sales team running at peak efficiency.
• Getting hands‑on experience with Salesforce's most cutting‑edge AI tools, helping shape how our team works smarter and faster.

You’re Our Person If

• You're hungry to grow your career and enjoy working toward ambitious targets in a fast‑paced, performance‑focused role.
• You're a courageous communicator, comfortable engaging with new people and eager to get on the phone.
• You get it done. You're curious, resourceful, and take ownership of your work even when the path forward isn't always clear.
• You make informed decisions. You're naturally curious, aren't afraid to experiment with new approaches, use data to prioritize, and embrace coaching and feedback as fuel for your growth.

Even Better If...

• Previous experience in a customer-facing role
• Familiarity with CRM tools or data management

This position is ineligible for visa sponsorship

Unleash Your Potential

When you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best. Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love.

Accommodations

If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form.

Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt out options.

Posting Statement

Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.

In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions.The typical base salary range for this position is $63,200 - $63,200 annuallyThere is a different range applicable to specific work locations. In California and New York, and select cities in the metropolitan areas of Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Washington DC, the base pay range for this role in those locations is $69,500 - $69,500 per year. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.