Head of Sales Development

Fireworks AI; New York (NY); On-site; USD 220,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in a fast-growing startup

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Fireworks AI is seeking a BDR leader in New York to build and develop their team from the ground up. This hands-on role requires experience in generating pipeline, shaping the BDR function, and expertise in AI & machine learning tools. You will collaborate closely with Sales and Marketing teams to create an agile and effective qualification model. A competitive salary along with equity options is offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in GTM roles with 2+ years managing SDR/BDR teams.
• A track record of generating and scaling pipeline.
• Deep curiosity about AI/ML and tools.

Responsibilities

• Build the BDR function from scratch, including team and playbook.
• Define profiling and hire while the motion forms.
• Create an AI-native prospecting motion.

Skills

People management experience

GTM roles experience (5+ years)

Generating and scaling pipeline

Building functions from scratch

Deep curiosity about AI/ML

Hands-on with AI tools

Outstanding communication skills

Tools

Salesforce

Outreach

Apollo

Claude Code

Codex

Cursor

Job description

About the Role

We’re hiring a leader to build out our BDR function from (almost) zero. It’s a hands‑on role that demands a driven builder who is comfortable in real ambiguity: you’ll ship a v1 of the qualification model, outbound motion, and AE handoff, then rewrite it as signal comes in. You're a magnet for talent who loves building and developing a team: recruiting exceptional BDRs, ramping them fast, and making them better every week.

The teams adopting AI are choosing their infrastructure right now, and the motion you create determines how far and how fast Fireworks scales.

Our GTM culture is FIRE:

• Face in the place (we sell to developers and ML engineers, and you and your team have to earn the room on inference, latency, and cost);
• Industrialize (build the Revenue Factory that powers our Token Factory — instrument everything, treat the pipeline engine as a product);
• Rapid (AI infra deals move fast; the motion you build has to be faster);
• Engineering Excellence (our buyers are developers, and we match that bar).

You’ll report into our VP of Revenue Marketing and partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Product.

What You’ll Build

• The BDR function from a blank page: the team, the playbook, and the systems behind it
• The team itself, from day one. Define the profile, build the interview loop, hire, and ramp while the motion is still forming
• An AI-native, instrumented prospecting motion across inbound and outbound, built and iterated like a product
• The connective tissue with Marketing and Sales Strategy to convert developer‑led demand into enterprise pipeline

Minimum Qualifications

• People management experience: you’ve hired, ramped, and coached reps directly
• 5+ years in GTM roles with 2+ years managing SDR/BDR teams
• A track record of generating and scaling pipeline
• Has built a function, playbook, or team from scratch
• Deep curiosity about AI/ML, you want to be an expert in inference and infrastructure, not just sell it
• Hands‑on with AI yourself: you actively use tools like Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor to scale your own work, and you'll build a team that does the same
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at an AI/ML, infrastructure, developer‑tools, or API‑first company, ideally through hypergrowth
• Has scaled a BDR team through a Series B‑to‑C‑and‑beyond inflection
• Hands‑on fluency with CRM and sales engagement tooling (Salesforce, Outreach, Apollo) and AI‑native prospecting tools

Total compensation for this role also includes meaningful equity in a fast‑growing startup, along with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Base salary is determined by a range of factors including individual qualifications, experience, skills, interview performance, market data, and work location. The listed salary range is intended as a guideline and may be adjusted.

On Target Earnings (Plus Equity): $220,000—$240,000 USD

Fireworks AI is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all innovators.