Manager, Sales Development

Nielsen Consumer LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plan

Health Savings Account

Life and AD&D insurance

401(k) with company matching

Disability insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid time off and holidays

Flexible working environment

Volunteer time off

LinkedIn Learning

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

NielsenIQ in Chicago is seeking an experienced Manager, Sales Development to lead our SMB SDR team. This player-coach role focuses on building a high-performing team, elevating qualification practices, and partnering with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Operations to drive high-quality opportunities.

You will guide outbound/inbound prospecting, develop plays, and ensure CRM hygiene while tracking KPIs and coaching talent for career progression.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5-8 years of team lead experience in B2B sales development or related roles.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills across stakeholders.
• Experience with sales tech tools like Salesforce, LinkedIn Navigator, ZoomInfo.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and be accountable for SDRs' daily activities and results.
• Mentor on qualification, multi-channel prospecting, and discovery.
• Monitor dashboards and improve conversion rates and pipeline.
• Develop messaging and playbooks for persona-based outreach.
• Oversee inbound inquiry routing and lead qualification.
• Support events with pre- and post-event outreach.

Skills

Team lead experience (5-8 years)

Sales development knowledge (B2B)

Outbound/inbound qualification

Communication skills

Sales tech proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Accelerator

Microsoft Office

Salesforce

Microsoft Dynamics

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

ZoomInfo

Job description

Location: HybridOn-site 1-2 days/week; 200 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL

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.

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

About the candidate

Professionalism, enthusiasm, and strong communication are critical for success in this role. The ideal candidate is an energized, hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys developing people, and builds strong partnerships with Sales and cross-functional stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 5-8 years of team lead 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

US 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
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

Additional Information

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation of the following range:$78,000. - $88,000.00.Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, and location.This role is eligible for a sales-based incentive or performance-based bonus.Other benefits include flexible working environment, comprehensive health insurance, industry-leading parental leave, life insurance, education support and more.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence. 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. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit NIQ.