Manager Sales Development

NielsenIQ; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 78,500 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare plan

401(k) retirement plan with matching

Discretionary paid time off

Flexible working environment

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

NielsenIQ is looking for a Manager Sales Development in Chicago to lead the Sales Development Representative team. This role involves coaching, performance monitoring, and collaborating with Sales and Marketing. Ideal candidates should have 5–8 years of experience in B2B sales development, strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills, and be familiar with sales technologies. The position offers a salary between USD 78,500 and USD 88,000 per year, along with comprehensive benefits including healthcare, 401(k) match, and flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in B2B sales development, lead generation, inside sales, or related roles.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively.
• Excellent research and problem-solving skills for actionable insights.
• Experience with sales technology and productivity tools.
• Exceptional communication skills with prospects and customers.
• Positive attitude and willingness to drive results.
• Detail-oriented and methodical.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach a team of Sales Development Representatives (SDRs).
• Monitor performance metrics to increase conversion rates.
• Develop messaging and enablement materials for outreach.
• Oversee response and qualification of inbound inquiries.
• Track key activity metrics and course-correct as needed.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to improve efficiency.

Skills

B2B sales development

Interpersonal skills

Research and problem-solving

Sales technology proficiency

Active listening

Team player mentality

Detail-oriented

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

ZoomInfo

Job description

Job Description

About this job

The Manager Sales Development will lead NielsenIQ’s Sales Development Representative (SDR) team within our SMB organization. This player‑coach role is accountable for building and converting pipeline by developing a high-performing team, elevating outbound and inbound qualification practices, and partnering closely with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Operations to drive consistent, high-quality opportunity creation.

Salary

USD 78,500 – USD 88,000 per year.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and hold accountability for the daily activities and results of a team of Sales Development Representatives (SDRs), ensuring achievement of individual and team performance targets
• Serve as a player‑coach and mentor on best‑practice qualification, multi‑channel prospecting, discovery, objection handling, and effective use of sales technology
• Monitor reporting and dashboards to assess individual and team performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements that increase conversion rates, pipeline contribution, and lead quality
• Develop messaging, playbooks, and enablement materials that support persona‑based outreach, consistent talk tracks, and stronger meeting‑to‑opportunity conversion
• Oversee timely response and qualification of inbound inquiries, ensuring appropriate routing and clean handoffs to Sales based on readiness and fit
• Support marketing‑sponsored virtual and in‑person events, including pre‑event outreach to drive attendance and post‑event follow‑up to engage and qualify prospects
• Establish and reinforce a daily, weekly, and monthly operating rhythm that maximizes prospecting efficiency (account research, prioritization, pre‑call planning, and personalized outreach across key channels)
• Track and drive attainment of key activity and outcome metrics (calls, emails, social touches, meetings set, meeting‑to‑opportunity conversion), and course‑correct quickly when performance trends change
• Ensure consistent CRM hygiene and SLA adherence by maintaining accurate records of lead status, outreach activity, and disposition in accordance with lead management processes
• Partner with aligned Sales stakeholders to ensure lead quality, strengthen handoffs, and nurture high‑potential leads through opportunity creation and pipeline progression
• Analyze performance by vertical/segment and refine targeting, messaging, and plays to improve conversion and pipeline contribution
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Operations on campaigns and process improvements that increase pipeline creation and team efficiency
• Provide ongoing skills development through call reviews, live coaching, and targeted training that strengthens product knowledge, talk tracks, and career progression for SDRs

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in B2B sales development, lead generation, inside sales, or related roles
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across a diverse set of stakeholders
• Excellent research and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to analyze, compare, evaluate, reconcile and derive actionable insights and next steps
• Experience with sales technology and productivity tools such as Microsoft Accelerator, Microsoft Office, Salesforce and/or Microsoft Dynamics, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, and the ability to learn new tools quickly
• Exceptional ability to actively listen to and effectively communicate with prospects and customers in a variety of mediums
• Team player that exhibits a positive attitude, composure under pressure and willingness to think out of the box to drive results
• Detail‑oriented, methodical and process‑driven mentality

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare plan (medical, Rx, dental, and vision)
• Flexible spending accounts and a Health Savings Account (including company contributions)
• Life and AD&D insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan including company matching contributions
• Disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Discretionary paid time off program and 11 paid holidays
• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.