Business Development Representative

Perplexity; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Perplexity is looking for a dedicated sales professional to manage both inbound and outbound responsibilities to drive pipeline growth. Candidates should possess exceptional communication skills, vertical expertise, and a data-driven approach to sales.

The role involves maintaining data hygiene in Salesforce, executing targeted campaigns, and communicating effectively with prospects across different sectors.

Compensation for the position ranges from $80K to $130K.

Qualifications

• 9 months to two years in SaaS sales development or business development roles.
• Experience selling to technical and non-technical buyers.
• Familiarity with enterprise AI/ML solutions or search technologies.

Responsibilities

• Balance inbound and outbound responsibilities to drive pipeline growth.
• Qualify inbound enterprise prospects using BANT criteria.
• Execute targeted outbound campaigns to penetrate specific industry verticals.
• Maintain pristine data hygiene in Salesforce.
• Respond rapidly to inbound inquiries with consultative communication.
• Build and iterate on outbound sequences for consistent pipeline generation.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

Vertical expertise

Sales acumen

Technical aptitude

Data-driven approach

Intellectual curiosity

Self-starter mentality

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Job description

What You’ll Do

• Balance dual inbound and outbound responsibilities to drive pipeline growth
• Qualify inbound enterprise prospects using BANT criteria to identify high‑value opportunities for Account Executive handoff
• Execute targeted outbound campaigns to penetrate specific industry verticals

Strategic Outbound & Market Development

• Use social selling to represent the Perplexity brand—posting, commenting, and experimenting with new formats to stay top‑of‑mind with prospects
• Research and map accounts within assigned verticals to build comprehensive prospect lists
• Develop vertical‑specific messaging that resonates with industry pain points and use cases for Perplexity Enterprise
• Contribute to top of funnel strategy

Sales Operations & Excellence

• Maintain pristine data hygiene in Salesforce, ensuring all prospect interactions and qualification criteria are documented
• Respond rapidly to inbound inquiries with consultative, value‑driven communication
• Build and iterate on outbound sequences that drive consistent pipeline generation

What You’ll Need

Core competencies

• Exceptional communication skills: Ability to articulate complex AI/search solutions clearly via email and phone, adapting tone and technical depth to various stakeholders
• Vertical expertise: Demonstrated understanding of at least one key industry (e.g., Financial Services, Healthcare, Legal, Consulting) with ability to speak to industry‑specific challenges
• Sales acumen: Proven ability to qualify prospects using BANT methodology while maintaining velocity in the sales cycle
• Technical aptitude: Comfort discussing enterprise software, APIs, and AI capabilities at a high level
• Self‑starter mentality with ability to manage competing priorities (closing deals vs. qualifying for AEs)
• Data‑driven approach to tracking conversion rates, response times, and pipeline metrics
• Intellectual curiosity about how AI and advanced search transform enterprise workflows
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment where processes are still being defined

Nice to Haves

• 9 months to two years in SaaS sales development or business development roles
• Experience selling to technical and non‑technical buyers
• Familiarity with enterprise AI/ML solutions or search technologies
• Track record of consistently achieving 100%+ of quota
• Pulling data with Salesforce Reporting, SQL or Business intelligence tools
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience
• Experience at a high‑growth technology startup

Compensation Range: $80K - $130K