Business Development Representative

Perplexity AI Inc.

San Francisco (CA)

On-site

USD 70,000 - 90,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

A leading AI technology company is seeking a skilled Sales Development Representative in San Francisco, CA. This role involves driving revenue, qualifying opportunities, and executing targeted outbound campaigns. Ideal candidates will demonstrate exceptional communication skills, vertical expertise, and a data-driven approach. The position requires a self-starter mentality to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a strong focus on sales targets. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team in a high-growth technology startup.

Qualifications

Proven ability to qualify prospects using BANT methodology.
Demonstrated understanding of key industries like Financial Services, Healthcare.
Experience in SaaS sales development or business development roles is a plus.

Responsibilities

Drive revenue generation and qualify opportunities for the sales team.
Execute targeted outbound campaigns to penetrate specific verticals.
Maintain data hygiene in Salesforce, ensuring proper documentation.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

Vertical expertise

Sales acumen

Technical aptitude

Self-starter mentality

Data-driven approach

Intellectual curiosity

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Tools

Salesforce

SQL

Business intelligence tools

Job description

What You’ll Do

Drive Revenue & Qualify Opportunities

Balance dual responsibilities of direct revenue generation and pipeline development for the broader sales team
Qualify enterprise prospects using BANT criteria to identify high-value opportunities for Account Executive handoff
Own and close small to mid-sized accounts (lower seat/FTE requirements) through efficient email communication and concise 15-minute discovery calls

Strategic Outbound & Market Development

Execute targeted outbound campaigns to penetrate specific industry verticals
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